HardiePlank® Installation

Hardie Plank lap siding is the most popular brand of new siding in America and can be found on over 4 million homes. With its strength, beauty and durability, Hardie Plank board siding enhances and protects homes in all kinds of climates-and now, with the HardieZone^TM System, James Hardie provides siding with specific performance attributes relative to the climate where the product is being used. James Hardie now gives you the optimum siding for your home and climate, regardless of location.

All Hardie board siding comes in a variety of looks and textures. Hardie board is versatile enough to mimic clapboard siding in a historical neighborhood and replace cedar siding in a suburban enclave.  More importantly, James Hardie’s new siding products are engineered for your climate.  James Hardie is so sure about how well the HardieZone system will perform, that Hardie Plank® lap siding comes with a 30-year non-prorated and transferable warranty-their strongest warranty ever.  You are not going to find this kind of performance backed by this strong of a warranty from vinyl siding, aluminum siding, or stucco siding companies.

INSTALLATION - THE RIGHT WAY

Due to incorrect installations by siding contractors not interested in doing a superior job for their customers, James Hardie has diligently provided siding companies with the Best Practices Manual for the individual siding contractor to use.  The Best Practices Manual details and clarifies every step associated with the best methods for installation of their fiber cement siding products.  Neglecting to follow these directions is the primary reason for an inferior siding installation, and subsequent failure of new siding products.  Below are some of these important details.

STORAGE & HANDLING OF SIDING MATERIALS:

Store flat and keep dry and covered prior to installation. Installing siding wet or saturated may result in shrinkage at butt joints. Carry planks on edge. Protect edges and corners from breakage.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

• HardiePlank® lap siding can be installed over braced wood or steel studs spaced a maximum of 24″ o.c. or directly to minimum 7/16″ thick OSB sheathing. Irregularities in framing and sheathing can mirror through the finished application.
• Hardie Plank lap siding can also be installed over foam insulation/sheathing up to 1″ thick. When using foam insulation/sheathing, avoid over-driving nails (fasteners), which can result in dimpling of the siding due to the compressible nature of the foam insulation/sheathing. Extra caution is necessary if power-driven nails (fasteners) are used for attaching siding over foam insulation/sheathing.
• A water-resistive barrier is required in accordance with local building code requirements. The water-resistive barrier must be appropriately installed with penetration and junction flashing in accordance with local building code requirements. James Hardie will assume no responsibility for water infiltration.
• Install James Hardie® products with a minimum 6″ clearance to the finished grade on the exterior of the building or in accordance with local building codes if greater than 6″ is required (fig. 3).
• Maintain a 2″ clearance between James Hardie products and roofs, decks, paths, steps and driveways (figs. 4, 5 & 6).
• Maintain a 1/4″ clearance between James Hardie products and horizontal flashing (fig. 7).
• Ensure gutters have end caps. Maintain a minimum 1″ gap between end caps and siding & trim (fig.8).
• Install kickout flashing at roof-wall junctions (fig. 9).
• Adjacent finished grade must slope away from the building in accordance with local building codes - typically a minimum of 6″ in the first 10′.
• Do not use Hardie Plank lap siding in Fascia or Trim applications.
• Do not install James Hardie products, such that they may remain in contact with standing water.
• Hardie Plank lap siding may be installed on vertical wall applications only.
• DO NOT use stain on James Hardie® products
  

Required treatment of board joints        

Required ground clearance

Required clearance over steps

Required clearance over decks and patios

Required clearance over roofs

Required clearance over flashing                       

Gutter clearance and Kickout Flashing

Protection behind Kickout Flashing

For generations, James Hardie has strived to give their customers the very best siding products available on the market.  Their unique formulation of the very best materials coupled with their commitment to quality gives you the best siding product for your home.  They are also able to keep the siding costs down because of their focus on fiber cement which is obviously another great benefit to you.

Another benefit that James Hardie offers is their commitment to educating siding contractors about the installation of their Hardie board products.  Knowing that many siding companies do not necessarily install products to exact specifications, James Hardie provides siding companies with a Best Practices Manual detailing the very best installation methods.  But even this extra effort cannot guarantee you quality installation of your siding.  Only a siding company who is dedicated to the best installation, and complete customer satisfaction can guarantee that.

That is why we have always exclusively installed Hardie board siding products.  If you want the best products for your home installed by the best and most professional company in the Twin Cities, you have arrived at your destination.