How To Install Hardie Siding On A House [Step By Step Guide]

Hardie sidings provide protection and a beautiful exterior for your home for many years, especially when properly installed. Would you like to know how to install it? To help you, we did extensive research on this topic, and this is what we discovered. Let's dive in!

Following are the step-by-step for installing Hardie siding on the house:

Put on proper safety gear.
Take old siding off.
Sheath the walls.
Place the house wrap.
Mark the locations of the studs.
Cut the siding.
Mark the siding placement.
Install the corner trim.
Install the siding.
Make siding joints.
Caulk the corners.
Finish the installation.

We'll go into more detail on the steps above in this article. We'll also go over some advantages of having Hardie siding, reasons to choose it, how much they cost, and more. So keep on reading!

How To Install Hardie Siding On A House?

James Hardie is, without a doubt, the industry pioneer when it comes to creating and manufacturing fiber cement products from which the Hardie siding derives its name.

The company takes pride in producing the most rigid fiber cement siding available, providing stunning and long-lasting solutions for any home style.

Despite how intimidating it may seem, with the assistance of the steps below, you can install siding for a whole house by yourself.

1. Put On Proper Safety Gear

Wearing a mask, gloves, and a long sleeve shirt is necessary, especially when removing old siding boards and cutting the new siding.

Asbestos may be present in some old siding; you don't want to breathe it in or get it on your skin.

Check out this mask on Amazon.

Check out these gloves on Amazon.

2. Take Old Siding Off

It is better to scrape off any siding that has already been installed before putting in the new board.

Several structural issues with the board may arise when installing new Hardie boards over worn-out, rusted, and damaged siding.

Scrape the old siding off, starting at the highest spot possible and working your way down using any prying tools. Make sure to remove all of the nails too.

However, if the current siding is in good shape, you can use it as the base.

Check out this pry bar on Amazon.

3. Sheath The Walls

You must first sheath the walls with foam, plywood, or oriented strand board to correctly install your sidings.

Check out this plywood on Amazon.

The walls are kept from racking side to side when the sheathing is fastened to wall studs per the manufacturer's specified specifications and the minimal requirements of the building code.

A worker can secure a finished product to the wall by driving a nail anywhere due to the wall sheathing.

4. Place The House Wrap

When removing the old siding from most houses, you'll either damage the existing house wrap or have none. Everything is reliant on the house.

House wrap establishes a barrier that prevents air and moisture from entering the wall cavities. Through this, the home's energy efficiency increases, and it fosters a comfortable indoor environment.

Check out this house wrap on Amazon.

5. Mark The Locations Of The Studs

Marking the location of your studs is essentially necessary.

When nailing the siding, you must always make contact with a stud. Locate a stud and use chalk to mark a line to indicate where the studs are. Do this for each stud placement.

Check out this chalk on Amazon.

Marking studs is tiresome, but if done incorrectly, you risk running into the water and electrical lines when installing siding.

6. Cut The Siding

If cutting is needed, a circular saw is the most common way to cut siding. But it also generates the most dust. Just keep in mind, if you do so, adhere to the safety precautions of using the equipment.

Check out this circular saw on Amazon.

You could also use a jig saw and a snapper shear. Cut the siding to fit the wall you are working on.

Check out this jig saw on Amazon.

Check out this snapper shear on Amazon.

7. Mark The Siding Placement

Make a mark of 6” space between the ground and the planks. You also need to add a 2” distance between finished surfaces like concrete, deck boards, sidewalks, or steps.

This elevation will protect the Hardie siding from seeping water on the floor or ground.

To do the markings, position a laser level pointed at the next corner. Mark the following corner with a laser, then draw a chalk line connecting the marks.

Mark the next corner along the chalk line you extended around the house.

Check out this laser level on Amazon.

8. Install The Corner Trim

Place a corner trim piece flush with the corner's edge up against the corner. Secure it with two siding nails at intervals of 16”.

Check out these siding nails on Amazon.

Place the second piece of corner trim on the other side of the corner, flush with the outer edge of the first piece. Same process, two siding nails every 16”. Before moving on, finish all the corners.

9. Install The Siding

Hold a Hardie siding board ⅛” away from the corner trim and its top edge against the chalk line. Along the nail line shown on the top of the siding board, secure the board to the wall every 16” to 24” using roofing nails.

Additionally, clips or siding mount kits are available that hold siding boards in place with a one ¼” overlap and detach once the planks are fastened.

Check out this siding mounting kit on Amazon.

You can securely nail the siding using a siding nailer or hammer. Stainless steel nails, hot-dipped galvanized nails, or corrosion-resistant screws are also options for siding fasteners.

Check out this siding nailer on Amazon.

Check out this hammer on Amazon.

You can use either face-nailing at the bottom or blind nailing at the top. The perfect nails for face and blind nailing are siding and roofing.

10. Make Siding Joints

Joints between the planks are necessary for Hardie board installation. After joining the factory edges, put the cut edges against the corner trim boards.

Joint caulking is not necessary, but joint flashing is. Place a piece of 6” wide steel coil trim behind the joint that is 1” longer than the width of a siding board.

Then, using a roofing nail, affix it to the house sheathing.

Check out these roofing nails on Amazon.

11. Caulk The Corners

Caulk where the corner trim and siding meet. Utilize an exterior-grade, paintable latex caulk. Fill the gap between the frame and the lap siding with a 1/4 “ bead of caulk.

Check out this caulk on Amazon.

12. Finishing The Installation

To complete your Hardie siding installation, paint it. Start painting Hardi siding within 180 days (6 months) of installation if it’s already primed and 90 days if it’s not.

This is the case for any siding since it begins to decay if not maintained or treated.

Check out this James Hardie ColorPlus paint kit on Amazon.

To see how the processes are done, see this YouTube video:

What Are the Benefits Of Hardie Siding?

Hardie siding is considered an environmentally safe building material due to its lack of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and off-gassing. Additionally, its minimal moisture absorption does not expand or compress across the grain.

Hardie siding doesn't fade since it has no fading-prone waxes or resins on the surface. Last but not least, it is highly resilient to impact damage and has a high level of rot resistance because it is essentially a sort of cement board.

Why Choose Hardie Siding?

There are many benefits to choosing Hardie boards over any kind of sidings. Here are the other sidings to compare:

Vinyl Sidings

Hardie sidings are five times thicker than vinyl and look more elegant, especially in older homes. Vinyl may easily catch fire when used for its intended purpose, even from the sun's reflection.

Because Hardie sidings are fireproof, they keep your house from warping, sagging, and melting.

Wood Sidings

Compared to wood sidings, Hardie sidings are significantly better at preventing your property from melting in the event of a fire. They also withstand the effects of moisture and mold damage.

Hardie boards can survive for years due to their resilience, while wood sidings can eventually split, break, and decay.

Engineered Wood Sidings

Engineered woods are not weather-resistant, and prolonged moisture exposure can cause them to expand and leave ugly gaps.

Contrarily, Hardie sidings are made to shield your home from hazardous weather conditions, dampness, fire, and pesticides.

How Much Does Hardie Siding Cost?

Hardie siding is more expensive than other siding choices, but the investment is worthwhile. Costs for Hardie plank range from $5 to $14 per square foot.

Hardie panel siding costs between $0.67 and $5.00 per square foot, making it slightly less expensive.

Are Hardie Sidings Termite Proof?

Hardie siding is pest, and termite-resistant, one of its key benefits and selling features. Termites consume wood, but James Hardie siding has a cement infusion that prevents bugs from getting to it.

This is perfect for southern houses because termites are more active during the warmer months.

However, it can be a good idea to have a pest inspection done if you are worried about termite damage before installation of your Hardie siding.

Final Thoughts

Hardie siding is a good material option for a sturdy home exterior as long as it is installed correctly. Though installing this might not be simple, if you follow the above steps and are persistent and determined, you will succeed in your task.

Made it to the end? Check out these related articles below!

Does Board-And-Batten Siding Come In Vinyl?

Exterior Corners – Should They Be Painted Trim Or Siding Color?