How To Cut Hardiplank

JMD

The company I used to work for recently had a hardi rep come out and check on how our siding guys were installing the siding and give us some tips. Since I didn't see some of these mentioned above I thought I'd share. The things they emphasized were:

1) Only use hardi blades
2) Nail one inch down from the top, no less. They also said you should measure up from the bottom of the board not 1" down from the top.
3) Cut from the back of the board (gives you a cleaner cut)
4) If you have a visible corner that is popping up use a finish nail to secure it. It helps prevent the corner from breaking off.

Out-Sider

I use the circular Hitachi hardie blades. The snapper shears are slow.

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WarnerConstInc.

Congrats on digging up a 4 year old thread.

rojigga

First I need to address the hardie rep giving tips- reps don't know shiiite. Unless things are different then here. They are salesmen, not tradesmen.

The reason for the measuring from the bottom is because the widths are all different (not by much). But seriously, who measures where each nail should go? Waste of time.

Then the finish nail thing- It's a good idea, sometimes the boards don't lay tight against the bottom sheet. I use an 18G as the heads won't show if the depth is set properly.

Not sure what cutting method the rep was talking about when he said to cut the back of the board, but if you cut with a SCMS you don't have to. And yes Out-Sider, shears are slow, but so is a circular saw (also way less accurate) compared to a SCMS.

Javelin350

I use a Hitachi C7Ya saw with a diablo blade (not the cheap one there 2) Attached to a rigid shop vac with a hepa filter. Loved Hitachi blades and there tools all i own from nail guns to my hammer drill, but the diablo blade cuts smoother and last longer. With that blade my cut edges are cleaner and more true then a factory seam

ChrWright

Wow... That's twice...

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Ranzan

LOL