[wayne3434]

ive never installed this type of siding was going to use diamond blade to cut does anyone have any advice 4 me is that easiest way to cut it

[woodmagman]

It likely has silica sand in it, will do a number on the old lungs. Wear a good mask cut out side and wear eye protection. Pre-drill the end butts, if you are in a high humidity area strap the wall with 1x to allow the product to breath…. Diamond brick blade works better then tile...

[dougchips]

They make blades for it I believe they only have 4 teeth but could be wrong. Get some of the hanging clips they will speed up the process. If you can rent or buy the clippers they will save you time. Read some instructions, the part about tyvek under the seams is important.

Print Wood.... post and read it over and over---the stuff is nasty to work with.

[Grumpy]

Hitachi makes a blade specifically for cutting fibercement. It's $85 a blade. However I have cut fibercement with the cheap $4 home depot blades and it ends up being the same either way except I am not changing 10 blades a day. You can also buy fibercement shears which cut slightly less neat than a saw but make zero dust.

Use some kind of dust collection system plus some kind of face mask.

[Mr. D]

get the shears, cause that dust blows even if you wear ten masks

[WNYcarpenter]

we use porter-cable nippers (dust free!)....clapboards in particular. Making your square cut face down. Cutting them face up leaves, for lack of a better term, burrs. We only use a circular saw to rip long pieces and I advise using some type of dust mask!

The projects I've been on have required a lot of scribing and notching. Normal saber saw blades work but wear out FAST. Our local lumber yard carries an abbrasive blade that fits most saber saws and works great. Approach this siding more like you would drywall. A rasp helps to custom fit. Trimming a half blade is nearly impossible.

Again, in respect to clapboards, this product is not beveled siding so the pieces don't sit flush with the undercourse. any imperfection in the wall is exaggerated by the gap underneath each course! I think face nailing provides the best outcome, but generally we blind nail for efficiency and use a finish nailer to pin unsightly gaps.

Be aware though. This product is very durable, but not completely weather proof. Apply the same concepts you would with wood siding, don't let it touch surfaces such as roof shingles or the ground, cement siding will break down over time!

If you've never used this product, it will take a day or two to become familiar it's workability. One last piece of advice, cement siding snaps easily so be cautious when moving long lengths!

[Kgmz]

When we started using fiber cement siding a few years ago. We bought the PC shears and a Makita 5057KB saw with dust collection. The saw does work great but we only used it a couple of times. I found out I can do almost anything with the shears, even long rips on the 12 ft. boards. So why have to mess with any dust.

[CarpentryCrewMI]

if you want your cuts to be precise do not use the diamond blade it cuts a wide swath and doesn't rip very well. I have tried the shears and have found that using regular saw blades makes the job faster and cleaner. Yes changing the blades regularly can be a pain, and saw blades do not grow on trees, but installing this crap is no fun anyway and you should figure the additional cost of the blades and labor in your bid. Another important factor is the steel flashing that should be installed at each joint, when the product first came out many of the suppliers did not ship these after some warranty issues it now should be a standard item. I have personally done installation on at least 40 homes.

[Rollo]

We have used a cutter similar to the old asbestos shingle cutters, and that works very well for length cuts. For ripping, the Hitachi blade works great, even with thicker sidings like Nichiha.

Personally, I prefer LP Smartside.

[allsteel]

Make some gauge blocks that hook under the previous run and then they stay straight without all the measuring by everyone on the job. I prefer the shears mentioned above , dewalt makes a diamond blade it was 20.00. Also the blind nailing with accasional face nailing Is my process also. I'm not familar with the metal backing plates unless it was used with the clips to hold down the edges, manf. said they were good to 135 mph, they were call off joint plates for breaking between studs. Also I do not care if the manf. calls the product "dimensionally stable" it will expand and contract. So leave a gap and caulk with "Big Stretch", brand name. I learned on my own house after recaulking a couple of times.

[RippySkippy]

I "like" using the diamond blades used for cutting concrete...albeit a dusty mess. Masks and standing up wind help. I use a worm drive saw, and OLD crapsman that's cut more concrete than wood. Good side down.

I sided my ICF house for the most part by my sellf and used an item called solo sider, purchased from amazon. A great product, no fuss. They support th siding well...and allow for adjustments.

If you have a rental place near by, you might check to see if they have a shears, I found out AFTER the fact that one close to me had one...but it was too late.

[ubercontractor]

Kett makes a good pair of shears (replace the blades every other job). I have heard portercable has the best set of shears but have not used them yet. I can make any cut with the shears I and dont have near the dust but the little curls the shears make are a mess.

[wayne3434]

thanks everyone for your help it has helped me out big time.I just got back from training camp besides being a carpenter I am a professional boxer.If anyone likes boxing and wants to come to any of my fights let me know im fighting june 9th at madison square garden.once again thanks for the info you have all been great.

[RippySkippy]

Good luck w/ the match...

If you're hanging by your self, I'd recommend a pair of the solo siders, and they worked great, solosider.com.

There are many ways to create a new table, I like using stronger wood.

[getitright]

Is anyone familiar with Nichiha Sierra Premium Shake siding? Is it as good as they say it is?

[Same Old]

Looks like crap to me. But if you like the super fake look, go for it.

[daparsonshsc]

This is just a test

[AtlanticWBConst]

Originally Posted by daparsonshsc

This is just a test

Did we pass?

[JoeJ]

Has any one looked at magnesiacore? It looks easier to deal with.