Cutting Fiber Cement Siding Tips

If builders don t use shears for cutting the panels they should use a circular saw with a fiber cement blade.

Cutting fiber cement siding tips.

Even a carbide tooth blade will last for only part of the day. There are many cost effective circular saw and vacuum options that meet table 1 requirements for cutting fiber cement. From traditional lap siding to modern farmhouse from cape cod to craftsman socal siding has you covered. For a slow but virtually dustless way to cut siding use power shears.

It s best to stagger the joints in each successive course to avoid noticeable patterns. At home centers you can buy diamond blades made specifically for cutting fiber cement. These blades cut quickly and create less dust. When you cut fiber cement it s important you cut it on the back side explains tim larson with allura.

I have found that the shears cut better from the back side. Using a cost per square foot metric it s less than a penny per square foot. When cutting fiber cement siding with circular saw use a blade that has only four or six teeth. How to stagger lap siding for walls longer than 12 feet you ll need to butt additional lengths of siding together.

Socal siding is one of the premier family owned and operated construction companies in southern california. When cutting fiber cement panels using the right protective equipment and tools is crucial. Cut the frieze board to length photo 3. These are specialized to reduce the dust caused from cutting these planks.

Even if you do invest in higher end tools the total cost per job is low. Fiber cement siding averages 4 per square foot for standard siding for a total of 770 for the project. To keep dust to a minimum use a circular saw that s equipped with either a dust collection bag or electric fan that blows dust into a bucket. You can make your own fiber cement starter strip by ripping a piece of hardieplank lap siding into 1 1 4 inch strips.

We use the bullet tools cutter and a shear for dust free cutting. Use a specialized blade used with the saw such as mikita hardiblade or dewalts filber cement blade. Fiberboard cement siding is highly abrasive. You have to make the cuts very slowly.

Use your eyeware and ear protection. From concept to completion let socal siding earn your business each step of the way. However insulated as well as more decorative options such as panels and fillers board and batten shingles 1 octagons and half rounds will cost approximately 6 8 sq ft.