By investing in high-quality siding materials, like James Hardie fiber cement siding, you’re upgrading your home exterior to the most beautiful, most durable protective sheathing on the market. You have high expectations for these resilient materials to maintain their beauty and functionality for years to come. The products are designed to guarantee that, but only if they are properly installed. Here are some of the best practices when it comes to siding installation.
At Bellwether, all of our crews and teams are trained according to James Hardie’s best practices for installing fiber cement siding in Colorado.
James Hardie fiber cement siding is an ideal product for protecting Colorado homes against weather elements, baking sun, and the test of time. But in order for these products to perform and last, they need to be properly installed from the get-go. James Hardie demands the highest installation practices in the industry, and as an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor, all of our design and install teams at Bellwether are trained according to these strict guidelines.
Our guarantee to our customers is that their siding will perform beautifully for years to come because we know that we have installed the siding products as they were designed to be installed. When the siding is properly installed, it will outlive even the James Hardie warranty guarantees, which are some of the most generous warranties available.
Proper installation guarantees that your fiber cement siding will wick away moisture, keeping the home exterior and interior walls dry, without risk of cracking, peeling, bubbling, or other signs of wear-and-tear. Our installation practices also ensure that your siding will remain brilliant and in-tact, even after years of Colorado weather and baking sun. And most important, with proper installation, James Hardie fiber cement siding maintains a grade-A fire rating so that your home is protected from spark and flame throughout wildfire season.
What are James Hardie’s installation best practices?
In an effort to provide their installers with necessary information and recommendations, James Hardie has written an installation manual containing their best practices, from when the materials arrive on the job site, to installing complimentary products, such as trim and soffit. “The first sections of this manual provide a general product description and information about safe practices, and proper tools for working with James Hardie siding and trim products. Sections that follow describe design and general installation information for specific James Hardie products,” reads the introduction, indicating that crews trained in accordance with these best practices know exactly what to do from the start of the job to the finish.
The manual also covers how and where the products should be cut and handled to avoid unnecessary dust and guarantee a clean fit. This includes the appropriate tools for installing fiber cement siding and how those tools should be used on each product.
James Hardie’s best installation practices include a moisture prevention barrier system for added protection.
Fiber cement siding is designed to prevent moisture infiltration, but in order to better protect your home, James Hardie provides moisture-preventing installation instructions, including framing and sheathing, a water-resistive barrier, roof-to-wall flashing and valley flashing, and protections at windows, gutters, hot air vents, outlets, and other vulnerable spots on the sheathing.
At Bellwether, whether or not you choose fiber cement siding for your home, each siding replacement we complete includes our top-of-the-line moisture barrier system so that your siding products will last as long as possible in the Colorado climate and protect your home and keep it beautiful from the outside in.
Our installation practices reflect Bellwether values.
We believe that home exteriors should be both beautiful and functional and that an investment in high-quality products for your home is a worthy one that pays off over time. Our installation practices align with this belief, and we want your investment in a high-quality siding product like fiber cement siding, to ensure that your home remains stylish, durable, and safe for years to come.
