Two essential ingredients contribute to your siding’s long-term high performance: the material it’s made of and who you hire to install it. By choosing Hardie siding and trim products, you’re halfway to the optimal long-term results you need. Now it’s vital to select a reputable contractor who will abide by James Hardie’s strict installation guidelines.
Look for a local company with raving online reviews who is trained by James Hardie. As America’s most popular siding material, James Hardie trains the contractors they vet and then requires ongoing high performance to ensure you get the results this siding was engineered to deliver.
The Critical Role of Proper Installation Techniques in Maximizing the Long-Term Performance of Hardie Siding
Following the manufacturer’s guidelines prevent a host of issues and ensures your siding looks and functions optimally for decades! Hardie siding lasts up to 50 years with correct installation and upkeep over its lifespan.
Proper Preparations Are Vital to Successful Siding Installation
Once your current siding is removed, it’s essential that your contractor prepares the underlying wall structure accurately before Hardie planks are installed. The surface should be totally dry, and all traces of your previous siding must be removed. If moisture damage was found under your siding, it should be repaired fully before your new siding is installed.
If a contractor doesn’t prepare the installation surface properly, siding could be misaligned, which may allow water to seep in from the day it’s installed! When moisture leaks into new siding, it causes swelling, unhealthy mold growth, and eventually—rot.
How this costs you in the long run: Your siding won’t last as long as it should. It won’t protect your house from the elements as it was designed to. Your home won’t look as beautiful as it could, and you may even end up incurring structural damage if moisture penetration goes undetected.
Following the Manufacturer’s Guidelines Is Fundamental to Your Siding’s Longevity
James Hardie guidelines include things like storage conditions (to prevent warping), specific techniques for handling and fastening panels, and how to finish the edges properly so they endure. When James Hardie’s procedures are unheeded during installation, it leads to less-than-optimal outcomes. Their standards were created intentionally and should be followed!
How this costs you in the long run: Ignoring James Hardie’s guidelines could create major problems with your siding such as incorrect panel overlapping, inadequate clearance from the ground, and improper joint treatments. Your siding’s durability, longevity, and weather resistance will be compromised, and it will likely deteriorate prematurely. This dampens its aesthetic appeal, diminishes its protective qualities, and voids its outstanding 30-year warranty.
Improper Nailing Techniques Will Cost You!
When a contractor drives nails too deeply, siding panels can crack. In contrast, nails that aren’t driven in deeply enough (or are too short) won’t adequately secure siding to your exterior. Improper nailing patterns, spacing, or using the wrong kind of nails can cause siding to loosen. It will keep panels from being able to expand and contract when temperatures fluctuate, and cause warping or buckling.
How this costs you in the long run: Wrong nailing techniques create immediate damage, and at times cause the gradual decline of your siding’s stability. This increases the risk that your siding will be damaged by precipitation when it invades through vulnerable areas caused by improper nailing. Siding may become loose or detach, producing the possibility of structural damage to your home.
Incorrect Measurements Hinder Siding Outcomes
Precise measurements and cutting are essential to your siding’s performance. Poor measurements are usually due to unsuitable tools.
How this costs you in the long run: Measuring errors lead to unsightly gaps that undermine its ability to defend your home from precipitation, opening the door to damage.
Protect Your Siding Investment by Ensuring It Is Installed to Perfection
Don’t settle for a subpar siding installation when it impacts the lifespan of your new siding! Get detailed installation done according to the manufacturer’s strict standards by hiring a Hardie-vetted contractor (us!).
At Lakeside Renovation and Design, we are the St. Louis area’s most experienced James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor. We are proud to have won this prestigious award, which means you get the best siding installation available, including a 30-year non-prorated warranty. Learn more about how our Hardie siding installation services can turn your home exterior dreams into reality with stunning siding and trim that elevates your curb appeal and stands up to the elements with ease.