Swingman said:

Greg G. wrote in message
Leon said:

For a few
dollars more the builders are using Hardi plank and board and not having
to worry about what the house is going to look like in a few years.

That's good to know, as I'm hanging 4000 sq. ft. of Hardi-Plank as we
speak- replacing that "fine" GP hardboard lap siding- cheap *******s!

You'll be glad you did. I've got one (New Orleans style) going up now that's
spec'ed for Hardi-Plank siding ... I've also got it on my current home.
Brick, stucco and Hardi-Plank are all you see anymore around here in
Houston.

I've already laid down the law to Carol that the next house we get
after fleeing this city is going to be of concrete or brick - and
single story instead of three. I'm getting too old to be climbing 40'
ladders... (Although the first floor is real brick.)

I actually bought one HardiPlank a year before this project began -
soaked it in water, and generally abused it to determine of it
*really* held up as advertised. I'm only doing this ONCE!

That GP stuff is covered with mold on the backside, and on top of
that, the idiots that sheathed this thing left big holes, breaks and
hammer holes in the sheathing - you can see pink insulation through
the many gaps and holes.... Of course, there is no building wrap
either. They also laid the unprimed GP hardboard siding right up to
and touching the roof shingles - and of course it soaked up water
every time it rained. Heck, the corners weren't even nailed together,
the plates didn't overlap, and the plywood corner sheathing wasn't
even nailed to the opposing wall. I'm surprised the back wall didn't
just fall off... ;-o

The doors were nailed into place through the brickmold with concrete
nails, the windows affixed in the same manner, everything was crooked
with gaping gaps around their periphery, and nothing was flashed AT
ALL and rotted. What a mess... 15 years old...

Not to mention digging up the yard and totally redoing the Quest water
main when it broke last fall for the third time - right after
beginning this "project from hell". They built new subdivisions up
hill from where we are, and the water pressure suddenly jumped from
~90PSI to 160PSI. Really played havoc with all the plumbing. Had to
install new pressure regulators, etc.

All of this is being corrected - new roof, new flashing, new sheathing
where appropriate, building wrap, new siding, new flashing, new
windows and doors... My fear is that we'll never get our money out of
this monstrosity... And my biggest gripe - I don't have time to play
in the woodshop!

Hardi-Plank is hard to trim with, and, depending upon the sheathing, often
hard to blind nail without waving a bit, but those are minor issues, easily
overcome with experience. Hardi also makes a backer board that's much better
for wet areas, behind showers, etc ... an excellent replacement for
greenboard which, being a cellulose base, will often grow the dreaded (gasp)
mmmooouullddd.

Blind nails - pffah! This stuff is getting face nailed with hot dip
galvanized ring shanks! Helps to mask the wavering wall line!
Compared to the phantom air nails in the middle of the planks that
"held" the GP stuff in place, it looks fabulous! No swelling, bubbles
or rot! Paint can cover the nail heads. As for cutting and fitting -
it hasn't been a problem, but I built a jig to make cutting it easier
and more accurate.

Removal of the old siding consisted of grabbing one side and pulling
hard - most of the nails never hit a stud and simply pulled out of the
cellulose sheathing and the strip fell to the ground. It's good we
never got a hard wind here, because most of this would have simply
blown away... They never would have allowed something like this be
built in Florida... Or would they?!

Well, it's back to the roof for me...


Greg G.