By: Paul Bianchina
Q: The panel siding on our house is defective, and we have received a settlement from the manufacturer. We want to re-side using HardiPlank, and wonder if the defective panel siding has to be removed first (there is no sheathing between the siding and the studs)? If the defective siding is left on, can the expanded areas be cut away so they don't interfere with the new siding? -Tom J.
A: I would strongly recommend that the old siding be removed prior to installation of the HardiPlank, for a number of reasons:
The panels that are attached to the studs - whether they are sheets of siding or sheathing panels - act as shear panels to keep the building from racking (leaning over or moving laterally). In single-wall construction such as yours, where a home is built using panels over the studs, there is typically no other bracing installed for lateral support, so if you start cutting out sections of the old panels - even if you patch them back in - the shear strength of the building will be affected.
Also, if the old siding failed due to moisture problems that caused separation within the siding sheets, you may be covering over a moisture or structural problem that may come back to haunt you later in the form of problems with the new siding - it would be a similar situation to covering over dryrot or insect damage. It would also almost certainly void your warranty.
Finally, James Hardie (makers of HardiPlank) recommends in the installation instructions that HardiPlank be installed over "plywood or OSB sheathing." Again, to install it over anything else will probably void the warranty on the new siding.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our "
Our house is in the same shape as this one is. We are interested in the Hardieplank product line. However, I am concearned about the weight.