25 years ago, fiber cement boards were introduced to the siding industry. Now architects and builders commonly use this siding choice because of its cost savings and wide variety of styles and options. When choosing a siding product most homeowners are concerned with:
Fiber cement is made up of a resilient mix of wood pulp,fly ash filler and Portland cement.
Wood Pulp
Fly Ash Filler
Portland Cement
To fix a fiber cement board it is best to understand how fiber cement siding is installed. In general, lap style fiber cement siding is nailed at the top of the plank and each subsequent row allows the nails to be covered. In high wind zones, both the top and bottom are nailed. Boards are further held in place by waterproof caulking around the edges and in the gaps and butt joints.
Fiber cement siding that have cracked, have huge holes, or have delaminated and been stripped of painting, should be replaced as it is the best long term fix option. We carefully remove the offending boards as to avoid causing any additional damage to the surrounding boards or underlying materials.
If the reason the damaged board needed to be removed was because of constant water exposure, we will inspect the underlayment and backer board behind the siding to make sure it too hasn’t rotted or become vulnerable. There’s no sense in making repairs until any problems have been alleviated. We then work to install the new boards making sure the fit and finish of the work is exacting.
There’s no doubt that removing entire sections of board risks damage to corresponding areas but in many ways it’s the only tried and true way of how to repair cracked fiber cement siding. To repair hole in fiber cement we use a special putty that can be used as a patch. The patch is mixed, formed, and spread to match the contours of the board. We then let the patch dry and sand it to blend into the surrounding parts of the plank. Finally, we paint the area to match the current paint.
Fiber cement siding comes either pre-finished or primed for painting in the field. Although it is more expensive, most people opt for the factory finish because it is baked on and more resistant to weather and UV rays but perhaps most importantly covered by a warranty. That being said, there are times when either factory or field paint can fail. If you need your factory painted boards repaired or repainted, give our team a call so that we can inspect the boards and provide a free estimate on a proper repair.
There are two main reasons that cause fiber cement siding to become loose, both of which are caused by faulty installation of either missing a stud or nailing too high on the pieces. If you have loose fiber cement siding, give our team a call right away for a free inspection. The quicker you get the boards repaired the less likely there will be additional damage to your home that could be far more costly.
Did you know that the gaps in your fiber cement siding are left there on purpose. Although the material expands and contracts less than wood, best installation practices still allow for some movement and to respond to shifts in the home. Edge gaps are filled with caulk to prevent water damage and every siding butt joint should have flashing behind it to do the same. The flashing should be a non-discreet color so that it is barely noticeable. If there are significant gaps that are destroying the aesthetics of the siding (board too small to begin with, too large of expansion gaps) the best practice is to remove and replace, both for cosmetics and moisture prevention.
