14
General
Product
Information
Working
Safely
Tools for
Cutting and
Fastening
General
Installation
Requirements
General
Fastener
Requirements
Finishing and
Maintenance
HardieTrim
®
Boards/Battens
HardieWrap
®
Weather Barrier
HardieSoffit
®
Panels
HardiePlank
®
Lap Siding
HardieShingle
®
Siding
HardiePanel
®
Vertical Siding
ESR-1844 &
2290 Report
Appendix/
Glossary
Refer to the appendix for more information on rigid foam insulation.
James Hardie
®
siding and trim products can be installed over braced
wood or steel studs spaced at a maximum of 24 in. on center or directly
to
7
/16-in. thick OSB or equivalent sheathing. These products can also be
installed over solid-foam insulation board up to 1 inch thick.
Irregularities and unevenness in framing, sheathing, foam and other
wall assembly components, including under driven nails, can telegraph
through to the finished siding and trim. These irregularities should be
corrected before the siding is installed.
When installing James Hardie siding and trim products over
Water-resistive barrier
7
/16-in. thick OSB
Maximum 1-in. foam
sheathing
Water-resistive barrier
Braced stud wall
Water-resistive barrier
FRAMING AND SHEATHING
power or too heavy for some fastening systems.
When using pins to attach siding products to steel, it is important to
hold the material tight to the steel framing when driving the pin as the
pin will not pull the material tight to the framing the same as a nail into
wood will. Once the pin has been driven into the steel stud it is also
important to not set or hit the nail a second time with a hammer. When
driven into steel, the ballistic-shaped point uniformly pierces the steel
instead of drilling it out or tearing the steel. The displaced steel rebounds
around the pin to create a strong compressive force on the shank of
the pin. When the pin is hit with a hammer it disrupts the compressive
and frictional forces holding the pin and significantly reduces the overall
holding capacity of the pin. If the pin does is not set properly during the
first attempt, the pin should be removed and replaced with a second pin.
General Installation Requirements
When using a screw to attach James Hardie products to steel, a screw with a self tapping
point should be used. A self tapping screw functions by having a cutting edge which drills
away the material, making a tiny hole for the screw to go into. Some self tapping screws may
be wing tipped which are intended to bore out the fiber cement (creating a pilot hole), and will
break off as the screw goes into the steel. Either type of screw is acceptable for use.
Refer to the correct code compliance reports when selecting a fastener for steel
applications and choose the corresponding tools from the tool section of this guide.
Steel Framing:
20 gauge min.
Sheathing
Water Resistive
Barrier
4.13
4.14 4.15
4.16
4.17
steel studs James
Hardie requires a
minimum 20 gauge
and recommends
a maximum of 16
gauge. Steel framing
that is outside of
this range may be
too flimsy to provide
adequate holding
