Chipping Hardie Siding Trim?
If you’re siding your house with James Hardie fiber cement siding, one of the issues you can run into is chipping. That’s especially true for the siding trim around door openings during construction. Today, we will show you how we prevent that so that when you turn the house over to the painter and homeowner, it has a nice, crisp line without needing to be patched.
How It Works
I have a five-quarter James Hardie Rustic Trim in my hand. The top edge has texture, while the backside is smooth. During construction, people going in and out often hit the edges while carrying boards, dragging cords, or moving air hoses.
Let’s say someone pulls a 2×4 through and hits the trim. Then, you can see how it frays the edge and even chips the Hardie siding trim. The more it gets hit, the more rounded the edges become, and it just doesn’t look as clean. If a sharper object hits it, it can chip the edges outright, making it harder to get a smooth, finished look.
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How We Protect Hardie Siding Trim from Chipping
The product we use to protect the trim is cheap: Owens Corning ProPink ComfortSill Seal. It is typically used on top of a stem wall before placing the sill plate and bolting it down.
You can buy it at Home Depot for about $10 per roll. It comes in 5 ½ inches wide and 3 ½ inches wide. Looking at the back, you’ll see ribs allowing it to bend and fold easily.
Application
When the guys install the Hardie siding trim, we attach the Owen Cornings sill sealer just below the height where materials are likely to hit it. You don’t need to go all the way up—just high enough to cover the vulnerable areas.
We secure it using blue painter’s tape and ZIP tape. Blue tape doesn’t stick well to fiber cement, but ZIP tape adheres firmly to the sealer and the siding. At the bottom, we ensure it covers the areas where cords and air hoses tend to rub.
We also tightly cut and tuck the foam around the edges to protect the trim. This simple method prevents wear and tear before painting.
In Conclusion
I hope this helps explain how to protect Hardie siding trim while building your house. Request a project consultation if you want more information about building a custom home.
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