Cutting Fiber Cement Siding Tips

You can make your own fiber cement starter strip by ripping a piece of hardieplank lap siding into 1 1 4 inch strips.

Cutting fiber cement siding tips.

However insulated as well as more decorative options such as panels and fillers board and batten shingles 1 octagons and half rounds will cost approximately 6 8 sq ft. Using a cost per square foot metric it s less than a penny per square foot. How to stagger lap siding for walls longer than 12 feet you ll need to butt additional lengths of siding together. When cutting fiber cement siding with circular saw use a blade that has only four or six teeth.

Socal siding is one of the premier family owned and operated construction companies in southern california. There are many cost effective circular saw and vacuum options that meet table 1 requirements for cutting fiber cement. These are specialized to reduce the dust caused from cutting these planks. Use a specialized blade used with the saw such as mikita hardiblade or dewalts filber cement blade.

At home centers you can buy diamond blades made specifically for cutting fiber cement. When cutting fiber cement panels using the right protective equipment and tools is crucial. Even if you do invest in higher end tools the total cost per job is low. When you cut fiber cement it s important you cut it on the back side explains tim larson with allura.

It s best to stagger the joints in each successive course to avoid noticeable patterns. Even a carbide tooth blade will last for only part of the day. Plus you could potentially cut costs by using a vacuum to extend the life of your tools and reduce cleanup and housekeeping time. Fiberboard cement siding is highly abrasive.

Fiber cement siding hardiplank cutting tips. If builders don t use shears for cutting the panels they should use a circular saw with a fiber cement blade. Cut the frieze board to length photo 3. These blades cut quickly and create less dust.

I have found that the shears cut better from the back side. You have to make the cuts very slowly. From concept to completion let socal siding earn your business each step of the way. For a slow but virtually dustless way to cut siding use power shears.

Use your eyeware and ear protection. Additional materials such as nails saw and caulk 2. To keep dust to a minimum use a circular saw that s equipped with either a dust collection bag or electric fan that blows dust into a bucket.