Hardie Board has a myriad of potential siding and color combinations, allowing great flexibility and design options. Some home owners look to go even a step further by adding window trim and mouldings to their home.
When selecting exterior window trim for James Hardie products, it’s important to select products that are compatible and will last as long as the siding itself. Wood trim products are a common, classical option – however they tend to rot, decay, warp or become infested with time. Precast concrete is another option, though structural reinforcing is typically required, and it is difficult to work in to your home’s design. A better choice would be a product that is inorganic and durable like the precast concrete, while being as lightweight as wood.
There is fortunately, a product that is made from a styrofoam core that is coated with fiberglass mesh and a durable cement coating. While technically manufactured for the EIFS/stucco industry, it matches Hardie Siding well and has no problems being attached.
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Use the form to the right to find James Hardie Siding Installers and Contractors in Toronto.
Hardie Board installers don’t typically install JUST Hardie products, but take it on as an added product line. While hardie siding installation is a little more complex than products like vinyl siding because of the special tools required to cut the product, it is something most siding installers will pick up quite easily.
Hardie Board installation involves measuring the square footage required to cover the walls of the home, and adding a waste factor. Installing hardie board goes fairly quickly, but you can count on the crews to be there for a couple of days. During the James Hardie siding installation, you can expect a fair amount of noise from the power tools, hammering and sliding pieces into place.
James Hardie commercial installations typically require the use of a scissor or boom lift to move the quantity and weight of material required. What the contractors charge for a lift is more than made up in the form of time/labour that would otherwise be required to carry the hardie planks up and down scaffolding, as well as potential material breakage.
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James Hardie is a manufacturer of fiber cement (sometimes known as composite cement) panels and boards in North America. Having been established in the United States for a few years, there are finally projects appearing around the Toronto, Ontario area. One of the key benefits to fiber cement siding is that it is rated at a huge (highest of any) – 86.7% – ROI, according to remodeling magazine’s annual Cost-Vs-Value report.
Composite cement products have been seen in a favourable light – in light of their higher impact resistance than EIFS (synthetic stucco) while being in the same price range. They also offer a different look than stucco – something more natural – as hardie board has the capability of imitating wood.
While there are just over a dozen or so standard colours, custom colours can be ordered in the Architect or Home Owner’s choice.
That’s not to say all is dandy in wonderland. Recently reports have arisen that the poor installation specifications and installations have resulted in water and moisture becoming trapped, causing rot and mould problems. Part of it stems from outdated building practices such as the use of Tyvek, and not creating a space for air to ventilate behind the siding. Another issue passed along by a local Toronto architect is that the wood fibers (cellulose) in the Hardie Board absorb water, swelling and once frozen (as happens in a Canadian climate) – essentially falling apart.
Just recently, the use of hardie board on a commercial project downtown resulted in vandalism – somebody testing the henceforth unseen product by putting a hole into it with a baseball bat. Being hardly 3/8″, the material gave way without too much indication of effort, resulting in the brand new cladding needing to be replaced.
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Trim for Hardie Siding
