Siding

Score and Snap

 Hardie plank was the cheapest acceptable alternative. It was also the most fire, rot and insect resistant material we considered. The main disadvantage is that it's difficult to work with. If they're allowed to sag while being carried the planks have a tendency to snap. It's also tricky to hold in place while fastening. There are special jigs which look a bit like roof jacks that hold a unit in place while it's being fastened. We did without. It is definitely a two-person job.

The manufacturer's best practices recommend a variety of fasteners attaching the siding to the sheathing and each stud every 16". Nails simply did not work. Even with the nailer set lower than the recommended pressure it shattered the hardie plank. Screwing into wood studs was fine. Screwing into steel studs, even with a pilot hole for each screw, broke the plank most of the time. A call to the company's technical support desk provided a good solution. Attaching to the sheathing every 12" and bypassing the studs worked well.

Manufacturer literature recommends score-and-snap or cutting with a specially designed $60 circular saw blade. Supposedly when it is done outside there is no need for a dust mask.

Score-and-snap worked, but tended to be a little uneven. We were able to complete the project with one $7 masonry saw blade. The amount of dust was significant. I was covered every time I sawed. A dust mask was not sufficient even outside in a breeze. A respirator really is required. Post-construction experiments with the approved hardie plank cutting blade created just as much dust as the inexpensive alternative.

Recommendation: Save your money. Masonry blades are just fine.