QA

How To Install Hardie Board

Do you nail or screw Hardie board?

What is the correct fastener pattern for installing HardieBacker® cement board? Fasten HardieBacker sheets with proper nails or screws (as listed in ”Materials Required” in the backer installation instructions) every 8” around the perimeter and all supporting studs.

How do you fasten Hardie board?

Fasten the siding – You can fasten it with a pneumatic nailer or nailing by hand. You can use corrosion-resistant screws, or you can use stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized nails. You can nail the siding by either blind nailing it at the top or face nailing it at the bottom.

How do you attach Hardie planks?

James Hardie products can be hand nailed or fastened with a pneumatic tool. Pneumatic fastening is highly recommended. Set air pressure so that the fastener is driven snug with the surface of the siding. A flush mount attachment on the pneumatic tool is recommended.

Do you need plywood behind Hardie board?

Fiber cement siding should be installed over plywood, OSB, or sheathing. Building codes will usually require installing siding over water-resistant barriers and nailed into the studs every 16 or 24 inches.

Do you need Thinset under Hardie board?

However, many manufacturers including, both Durock and Hardiebacker not only recommend that you use thinset under their backerboard, but they specify it and will void the warranty on their product if it’s not used. Thinset is going to create a solid surface under tile and prevent flexing that could lead to cracking.

What kind of fasteners do you use on Hardie board?

Fasteners must be corrosion resistant, galvanized, or stainless steel. Electro-galvanized are acceptable but may exhibit premature corrosion. James Hardie recommends the use of quality, hot-dipped galvanized nails.

Can you use screws on Hardie board?

HardiePlank® lap siding may be used with fasteners approved by ICC-ES ESR-2290 spaced in accordance with the Wind Load Tables. Fasteners must be corrosion resistant, galvanized or stainless steel. Fasteners shall be installed between 1 in. and 3/4 in.

Can you install Hardie board yourself?

Fiberboard cement siding can be hand-nailed, but because it’s so much harder and more brittle than wood, you have to predrill holes near any edge. You can save yourself a bunch of time by using a pneumatic coil siding nail gun.

Do you need a special blade to cut Hardie board?

Cement Board-Cutting Tools For some types of Hardie board, you’ll need a power tool with a cement board blade with a carbide tip to cut the board. Carbide-tipped blades are made specifically for this kind of work. Once prepared, cut the Hardie board as you would any other material.

Can you use a nail gun on hardiplank?

Overall, only two types of power nailers work best for attaching hardie siding: siding and roofing nailers. But if you must use a framing nailer, to install any James Hardie product, be sure to fit it with a quality flush mount attachment so as to control the depth the fastener is driven.

Can you nail through Hardie board?

Hardiplank siding can be hand nailed or fastened with the use of a pneumatic tool. Set your air pressure so that the fastener is driven snug with the siding surface.

What do you put behind Hardie board?

Joint flashing: James Hardie recommends that a slip sheet (joint flashing) is installed behind each butt joint in the siding. This is a 6” wide piece of weather resistive material to make sure that no water gets through.

Do you caulk Hardie board siding?

James Hardie DOES NOT recommend using caulk or “H”-jointers for the butt joints of HardiePlank® siding with ColorPlus® technology. James Hardie also DOES NOT recommend applying caulk to the horizontal overlap between siding planks (see Figure 2).

What happens if you don’t put thinset under Hardibacker?

It will make an enormous mess under the house (or whatever is under your bathroom). It is also more likely to make the floor uneven since it is hard to level thinset that is separated by gaps. The installation manual for HardieBacker suggests to embed it in thin-set and it should be installed over plywood.

How much thinset do you put under Hardibacker?

Embed 2 in wide high-strength alkali-resistant glass fiber tape in the mortar and level. We recommend 1/4 in HardieBacker® board for floor applications, unless 1/2 in thickness is needed for transition. On existing structures: Ensure subfloor is not damaged.

Do you have to tape seams on Hardibacker?

For tile backer boards such as Durock, Wonderboard, Hardiebacker, Permabase, and others the seams between the board need to be treated with 2-inch alkali-resistant mesh tape.

What kind of nails do you use on Hardie board?

James Hardie recommends the use of quality, hot-dipped galvanized nails. James Hardie is not responsible for the corrosion resistance of fasteners. Stainless steel fasteners are recommended when installing James Hardie® products near the ocean, large bodies of water, or in very humid climates. Min.

How do you screw Hardie siding?

Fiber cement siding can be nailed by hand or with a pneumatic nailer. It can also be attached using corrosion resistant screws. Use hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel nails. Nails should penetrate through the sheathing and at least 1” into studs.

Does Hardie siding need to be nailed to studs?

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. See General Fastening Requirements. Irregularities in framing and sheathing can mirror through the finished application.

How do you drill a hole in Hardie board?

It can be cut and drilled just like wood. However, drilling through cement-fiber siding goes better if you use a carbide drill bit, as opposed to a regular steel drill bit. Cement-fiber siding can be drilled while installed on a house or prior to installation.

Will a jigsaw cut Hardie board?

After several taps, the backer board will fracture along the holes and the circle of backer board will break free. Clean up the jagged edge of the hole with tile nippers or pliers. You can also cut holes using a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade or a drill fitted with a carbide-grit hole saw.