You’re completely right about the safety issues when cutting this product, but I didn’t mention it in my list of installation defects because, well, it doesn’t belong. If you’re going to cut the product, the best way is to use a respirator. Maybe I’m being a little overly cautious, but with the amount of warning labels that James Hardie puts on their products about cutting, I won’t cut the stuff without a respirator, windy day or not.

Keep your original dated installation specifications staple them to the warranty. When purchasing the product ask If there is a JH inspector “inspecting” your installation. Let them know you want a written site inspection report included on your final installation as a requirement before signing the deal. This is not an attack on the product or the company and applies to any material warranty that is being inspected. Many companies offer this take advantage just have something in hand that stand up in court. Make sure the preferred contractor knows you want the signed documents in hand prior to you making final payment for the installation. If they have a separate contract form have them include it in the agreement. They will make sure it is inspected and will no doubt take better care of your installation.

Rain screen principles must be applied in any siding and it should never touch the sheathing membrane (house wrap). You want the venting and pressure equalization and let gravity deal with leaks. All siding leaks or should be thought to. Use proper dammed flashing at opening heads or trim caps, changes in direction at gables etc should have a formed drip and be lapped by the sheathing membrane . I would never spec or use the corner trims again I find solid poly works fine or good old primed all sides and ends wood.

I am currently building a garage project for myself and can experiment. I am using Hardi siding above, at and below grade. Below grade I am trying a high end penetrating encapsulation process. I will let you know how it goes more importantly I will let JH. At areas around entry’s and o/d doors where you can’t keep grade down I have installed a ceder clapboard, it will take the abuse and stained to match can’t be seen. All cladding needs maintenance and I recommend re-staining within the first 2 years of installation and it last many more before needing to be done again.

Safety has not been mentioned on this blog and should. Cement cladding usually contains silica and can cause http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis It should not be cut with power tools but one can’t score and break it in any fashion that is suitable to my taste. I cut mine with a hand saw holding my breath outside on a windy day. Installers be concerned of long term exposure in confine areas using power tools. It is an inert product otherwise so should not be a problem to home owners but then again we heard that of asbestos and urea formaldehyde.

Has anyone heard of this before? Any thoughts here?

The project got off to a slow start due to an issue with part of the product order not being available on the day we were supposed to begin, as well as a few days the crew which is supposed to work on our job has been finishing up another job, but other than that we’re in full swing. It has been a little irritating since I’ve called the local JH rep a few times requesting he come to our site to inspect as JH states they’ll do, however after two voice mails I’ve yet to receive a call back. After mentioning to our contractor that I had contacted the local JH rep requesting he could look over the installation, the contractor (who knows the local JH rep as I’m sure most who are on the JH web site listed as a JH “preferred contractor” do) told me a couple of days later he spoke to the local JH rep and has it set up for him to show up on site sometime before the project is complete. I thought it a little strange that the local JH rep has not returned my two voice mails I left for him yet he’s now available to view the project after the contractor doing our job got a hold of him. Again, just a little frustrating.

There are a few things I wanted to make sure with the local JH rep so the warranty would not be void, such as the use of carboard strips installed over the house wrap and under the lap siding in a few areas to have all the lap lay flat, and in several lap pieces securing the bottom of loose lap pieces with small nails. Just wanted to make sure we’re not spending all this money only to find out JH will not warranty their product later should be have any issues.