Hey all – newbie to this forum. I’m about to do my first Hardi siding job. I’m not keen to rip HardiPlanks into 1.5″ starter strips. Can a vinyl utility/undersill trim be used? It’s roughly the same width of HardiPlank. Anyone have any experience with this?
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Just use plywood.
Thanks Mark. That's a less expensive option and ripping wouldn't take long hey?
But any concern with a plywood starter strip rotting over time?
But any concern with a plywood starter strip rotting over time?
That's why you prime with a good alkyd exterior primer it before you put it up.
Use pressure treated 3/8"
Use pressure treated 3/8" plywood if you're concerned about rot. You can make a cutting jig to speed up the ripping.
The Hitachi fiber cement blade is great, some others are cheaper but not so good (Diablo blades).
And as someone else said I use a 7/16 crown construction stapler to put them on because it seems like the perfect tool for that purpose. About anything will hold them down though.
I've sucessfully used
a thin strip ripped off a treated 2x. Attachment with staples, preferably 7/16 crown. Nail fastening results in a lot of splitting.
Whether or not untreated wood or plywood will work would depend on the details.
Suggestions above are good, but you'd better get used to cutting FC, even if it's not for starter strips.
My experience leads to shears for rips and cross cuts (I like the Malco ones). For detail cutting I use the Hitachi carbide jigsaw blades. They're great. Just try not to sacrifice a really nice jigsaw...use an old beater.
Great, thanks
Thanks all. Haha, I agree Scott. I'll get used to cutting FC, no doubt. Thanks for the advice on the shears. That's good to know.
I'm doing a Hardieplank job on my house right now. For starter strips I used Japanese cedar lathe planed down to 8mm. I agree with comments about snapper shears and Hitachi jigsaw blades. I use PacTools Snapper Shears (Model 404) for straight cuts and a Bosch jigsaw with Hitachi Hardieblades for curves and box cutouts. Cut from the back side of the Hardieplank, and be sure to seal or prime all cut ends.
Black HardieTrim?
I'd like to trim the house out with the HardieTrim 5/4"x6" trim pieces. But I'd like a dark chocolate brown, maybe even black. As far as I can tell, in HardieZone5, I can't order dark trims. That leaves me painting HardieTrim on site. Is it wiser to paint the boards before cutting and installing, or should I paint them once they are up?
As far as I know, Azek only comes in white. Anyone know of manufactured trim in a black or dark chocolate brown that a DIYer can make use of?
Yes to both.
I dont really like hardi trim, but you can paint it any color you want. I would paint it before installation if that's easier, but it's not necessary.
Azek and others would potentially present a expansion and contraction problem if painted dark colors.
Some prefer GP Prime trim.
dark colors
I believe Azek and other PVC manufacturers recommend, if painting with a dark colour, special dark-color vinyl paints properties to help reduce the heat problem with dark colours...from Sherwin Williams (and possibly another brand).
I'd love to use Azek, I guess I'll have to revisit the budget. From what I've priced out, it's about double the cost of HardiTrim per LF in western Canada. Does that sound about right? Like I said in the opening, I'm a newbie. My only experience is with Abtco and Gentek vinyl siding and trims.
Hardi trim is heavy, short, and brittle, as well as hard to nail and saw. It is fire proof (highly resistant) which is a plus. Check out the prime trim, you may like it. Azek is pricey, but good for what it is (plastic).
We installed PrimeTrim for fascia maybe 19 years ago. Still happy with it. (We were obsessive about priming/painting, though.)
The cedar that was replaced had gone bad in less than ten years.
The last facia I put up was preprimed redwood. Seemed pretty fair, but it isn't what redwood used to be. Like good and cheap. Expensive and so so these days.
Before I put up the PrimeTrim I replaced one section of fascia with redwood. It was better than the cedar but shrank and twisted fairly badly within about 2 years.
What I put up looks good still. Time will tell though.
re: Yes to both
Thanks Dan. I first read your answer as you can paint either before cutting and installing, or paint once it's installed. I'll check PrimeTrim out. I'll likely be obsessive with priming and painting, so good to hear that it's lasted that long for you.
"Obsessive" means one coat
"Obsessive" means one coat before hanging and one after, being sure to prime/paint cut ends.
re: Yes to both
Thanks Dan. I first read your answer as you can paint either before cutting and installing, or paint once it's installed. I'll check PrimeTrim out. I'll likely be obsessive with priming and painting, so good to hear that it's lasted that long for you.