Would it be silly to replace old redwood siding with Hardie plank siding?

[Tommy2000GT]

Currently my house is under construction for a rear addition. The framing for the addition is complete and sheathing installed. All it needs is felt and siding.

However the existing part of the house has redwood shiplap siding that are directly nailed onto the studs. Some areas are rotted away. I know people say redwood doesn't rot but mine sure is.

Originally I planned to use wood siding for the addition and to fix some rotted areas in the existing part. However now I'm thinking I should take this opportunity to install sheathing in existing part so the redwood siding has to be torn down. Instead of using redwood or even cedar siding, I was considering using Hardie plank siding since that seems popular now and my contractor recommended because it's a cheaper and lasts longer.

 

[DrPizza]

Pics of the job?

 

[herm0016]

if you can afford it.

it will make your house stronger to have real sheathing, use a good house wrap and install hardi plank. it will last longer, be better insulated and be stronger.

 

[jaha2000]

No downside IMO. As long as you can afford it.

 

[Greenman]

If you're going to strip off the old siding it would be foolish not to bring the electrical up to code and insulate. Also be sure your contractor uses the pre-primed HardiPlank and 100% acrylic paint. The paint job should last at least 15 years if you do it that way.

Edit: Take a look at the beaded hardiplank, it might look nicer on an SF house than the plain face.

 

[NutBucket]

Definitely depends on budget. As Greenman mentioned there are so many other upgrades that could be done at the same time. If budget is an issue I would simply fix the damaged areas and leave the rest alone until you need to replace a significant amount of siding.

Anyway, to me nothing beats the look of real wood siding. Of course, I say that since I've never had to maintain it

 

[Tommy2000GT]

Actually all of the interior walls were ripped part because they were wood paneling so I had already planned to upgrade the K&T wiring to romex and add insulation.

I just ok'd the contractor to proceed with changing the entire house to Hardie planks. I went with the Hardie Select Cedarmill non beaded which gives it a wood look.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

........

 

[Tommy2000GT]

Shouldn't the doors and windows be installed first? The odd thing is the workers are installing the siding first. I will have to ask the contractor when he gets back.

 

[Greenman]

Completely wrong! They're going to place the window flange over the siding then trim it out. They're also going to use hog troughs on the outside corners. Make them stop work now. Someone on that crew needs to read the manufacturers instillation guide.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

Completely wrong! They're going to place the window flange over the siding then trim it out. They're also going to use hog troughs on the outside corners. Make them stop work now. Someone on that crew needs to read the manufacturers instillation guide.

I just spoke to the contractor and here is why he did those things

1. Originally the house had big window sills outside. He was trying to make the windows the same style as before instead of using new construction windows with flanges.

2. Also the original redwood siding had the trim on top of it. He was trying to recreate this too. But the Hardie planks are so thin so this doesn't seem like a good idea.

So he is going to stop the siding installation and get the doors and windows first. In the mean time he is going to fix the corners so the siding will butt into the trim. That one window with the siding installed on the outside, he will try to cut some siding off and install new construction windows that has flanges. I'm ok without having a sill on the outside.

 

[Greenman]

Make them read the installation guide anyway. Installing the windows as your contractor intended is wrong no mater what kind of siding they planed on using. There is no condition where the window goes in after the siding. Also, they obviously don't understand how to flash a window, or how important proper flashing is.

Trimming that siding back to install a window is going to be very difficult.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

Make them read the installation guide anyway. Installing the windows as your contractor intended is wrong no mater what kind of siding they planed on using. There is no condition where the window goes in after the siding. Also, they obviously don't understand how to flash a window, or how important proper flashing is.

Trimming that siding back to install a window is going to be very difficult.

It's all a big mess but he assured me he can install the windows, doors, and trim the typical way by carefully trimming the siding. He said he watched the the installation video and knows of the procedures from Hardie.

It's fortunate that I caught this early before they installed siding on the entire house. I will have to keep a sharp eye on them.

 

[Greenman]

It's all a big mess but he assured me he can install the windows, doors, and trim the typical way by carefully trimming the siding. He said he watched the the installation video and knows of the procedures from Hardie.

It's fortunate that I caught this early before they installed siding on the entire house. I will have to keep a sharp eye on them.

It's a good thing you were on the ball, they were building an enormous latent defect into your house.
You should read the hardiplank instillation guide yourself. Then look at the tyvek site. They have very specific details for window flashing that have to be followed. It's not complicated, but I'm pretty sure your siding crew has never been instructed on how it's done. I don't think it's possible to retrofit the flashing once the siding is in place, I just don't see how they are going to get the flashing slid behind the siding.

 

[Greenman]

I'd like to know how this all worked out, any updates?
Don't make me drive by your house to find out, I'd be annoyed if I couldn't see it from the street.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

I'd like to know how this all worked out, any updates?
Don't make me drive by your house to find out, I'd be annoyed if I couldn't see it from the street.

They were able to trim the corners of the siding that have been already put up and install the trim the correct way.

The have stopped putting up siding on the rest of the house because they are waiting for the windows and doors to come which will be another 2-3 weeks. They're going to trim the siding around two window openings that have siding installed once they get the windows.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

I'd like to know how this all worked out, any updates?
Don't make me drive by your house to find out, I'd be annoyed if I couldn't see it from the street.

Here are the results. Pic are not good because I took them last night while it was almost dark.

This image has the siding trimmed away, windows installed and flashed but trim not installed yet.

This image is another window done the same as above but with the trim installed.

So the contractor was able to trim the siding as he promised.

The only gripe I have is after he ran out of Tyvek wrap, he used Lowe's home wrap to finish the rest of the house. It seems crappier than Tyvek, like the material that bulk bags of rice comes in.

 

[Greenman]

It looks like he used self stick flashing over the window fin and the tyvek. It's not a method I would use, to easy to get a leak at the head.

 

[waffleironhead]

Looks like he sealed the bottom fin off. I always thought that was a no no. If moisture comes in from above, it needs a place to weep out.

OP, this is the install detail I'm familiar with. Most common way windows are installed here in the midwest.

http://www.pella.com/support-center-assets/images/New_Construction_Installation_Xploded.jpg

 

[waffleironhead]

It looks like he used self stick flashing over the window fin and the tyvek. It's not a method I would use, to easy to get a leak at the head.

I see that as well. Might run into infiltration issues since the house wrap wasn't cut back and lapped over the top flashing tape.

 

[Greenman]

Looks like he sealed the bottom fin off. I always thought that was a no no. If moisture comes in from above, it needs a place to weep out.

OP, this is the install detail I'm familiar with. Most common way windows are installed here in the midwest.

http://www.pella.com/support-center-assets/images/New_Construction_Installation_Xploded.jpg

It's by no means a good idea to lap over the bottom fin. These are the sort of problems you have when you do things ass backwards, and don't understand basic waterproofing procedures. It's easy to properly flash a window when you install it first. It becomes a real pain when you try to do it after the siding is installed. The contractor should know this, it's construction 101. If he's nor familiar with the flashing details used with tyvek he should have read the directions. Whenever you install anything on the exterior of a build the one question that you should be asking yourself again and again is, WHERE IS THE WATER GOING TO GO?
The point is for the installer to decide where it goes, and that should be a controlled path from the top to the bottom of the wall, and it shouldn't rely solely on a bead of caulking.

 

[Greenman]

So what's the last word on this tommy? Did your contractor incorrectly flash the windows or is there something behind the foil tape we can't see?

 

[Tommy2000GT]

So what's the last word on this tommy? Did your contractor incorrectly flash the windows or is there something behind the foil tape we can't see?

One window couldn't be fix as the trim was put already on. As for rest of the windows he removed the bottom flashing tape over the flange. He couldn't cut the house wrap the top of the windows and tape it on the flange because the windows are already nailed on.

The main problem is he was not familiar with installing new construction windows. He usually builds a windows frame and sill then puts in remodel windows that don't have the nailing flange. This was the other reason why he initially installed the siding first and put the siding up to the window openings.

Although I pushed him to install the siding and trim the way I want (the official Hardie way), he still insists his way is better at preventing water from getting behind the siding.

 

[Greenman]

One window couldn't be fix as the trim was put already on. As for rest of the windows he removed the bottom flashing tape over the flange. He couldn't cut the house wrap the top of the windows and tape it on the flange because the windows are already nailed on.

The main problem is he was not familiar with installing new construction windows. He usually builds a windows frame and sill then puts in remodel windows that don't have the nailing flange. This was the other reason why he initially installed the siding first and put the siding up to the window openings.

Although I pushed him to install the siding and trim the way I want (the official Hardie way), he still insists his way is better at preventing water from getting behind the siding.

The part about building a a frame then putting a box frame window into it is nothing short of bizarre. I can't think of one reason why he would want to do that. He's adding several steps to the process, and complicating the entire instillation, for no benefit.

So very strange.