# screw it or nail it?



## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

scatterbrain said:


> ....Some say to use a nail gun and nail the siding in with stainless steel nails or masonry nails. Others say to predrill the holes then screw the stainless screws into the CFB. What have y'all done, if you could have done it differently, would you?


Here is information from the James Hardie website - on the installation procedures for their fiber cement lap siding. Screws may be used, no need to pre-drill. It is FIBER cement siding, not solid cement siding :laughing: :

*FASTENER REQUIREMENTS*

*FACE NAILING*
*Corrosion Resistant Nails (galvanized or stainless steel)*

6d (0.113" shank x 0.267" HD x 2" long)
Siding nail (0.089" shank x 0.221" HD x 2" long)
Siding nail (0.091" shank x 0.221" HD x 1-1/2" long)*

*Corrosion Resistant Screws*
Ribbed Wafer-head or equivalent (No. 8-18 x 0.323" HD x 1-5/8" long) Screws must penetrate 1/4" or 3 threads into metal framing.

*Corrosion Resistant Fasteners*
ET & F pin (0.100" shank x 0.25" HD x 1-1/2" long)

*BLIND NAILING***
*Corrosion Resistant Nails (galvanized or stainless steel)*
Siding nail (0.089" shank x 0.221" HD x 1-1/4" long)
11 ga. roofing nail (0.121" shank x 0.371" HD x 1-1/4" long)

*Corrosion Resistant Screws*
Ribbed Wafer-head or equivalent (No. 8-18 x 0.323" HD x 1 5/8" long) Screws must penetrate 1/4" or 3 threads into metal framing.

*Corrosion Resistant Fasteners*
ET & F Panelfast™ (0.100" shank x 0.313" HD x 1-1/2" long)
http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/installation/hardiplank_installation.php




Here is a video with more installation information:

http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/pac_ctnt/text/0,2595,HPRO_20196_55073,00.html?c=481&videoid=66953





scatterbrain said:


> Last but not least, a rather off the wall question...is Hardi Plank the same thing as cement fiber board? Or is Hardi Plank just a name brand...like Kleenex and facial tissue?
> thanks for the time.
> scatterbrain


*Hardi Plank* is a name brand of fiber cement board. There are other manufacturers out there producing fiber cement board lap siding like *Certainteed Weather Board*:

http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTeed/Homeowner/Homeowner/FiberCementSiding/


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## WNYcarpenter (Jun 19, 2007)

Fiber cement siding works, cuts, handles and installs completely different that other siding materials. The product itself is great, but takes some getting used to. 

I have two tips...use the nippers! and when using the nippers, mark and cut your piece upside down! 

People will tell you that you can use convential tools like a circular saw or miter saw to make your cuts, but the dust is as bad as asbestos and even using a diamond blade,you're putting unnecessary stress on a saw not intended to cut fiber cement.


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## warnerww (Apr 9, 2007)

WNYcarpenter said:


> Fiber cement siding works, cuts, handles and installs completely different that other siding materials. The product itself is great, but takes some getting used to.
> 
> I have two tips...use the nippers! and when using the nippers, mark and cut your piece upside down!
> 
> People will tell you that you can use convential tools like a circular saw or miter saw to make your cuts, but the dust is as bad as asbestos and even using a diamond blade,you're putting unnecessary stress on a saw not intended to cut fiber cement.


 Yep he is right. I used the stuff a whopping one time on a really small project and I loved the diamond blade. However I was to cheap to buy the nippers ( I never rent things I love to buy them ). I hear that the nippers are the best.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

For more information about Fiber Cement board lap siding, installation, tools, cutting, and the silica dust and glass fiber dangers - do a search on this site. 

There has been other discussions about techinques, etc....

Example:

http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=9118


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## scatterbrain (Jun 24, 2007)

thanks to everyone for your comments and responses. Y'all helped tremendously.


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