A mark parlee a general contractor in des moines iowa responds in my experience water that gets trapped against fiber cement sidingcan be absorbed by the material causing joints to swell and shrink during freeze thaw cycles.
Field joint on cement siding.
James hardie 8 25 in x 144 in hz10 hardieplank cedarmill fiber cement lap siding.
Install the next piece so its end butts lightly against the first photo 7 inset.
It is never acceptable to leave a gap of any size at a butt end joint.
Hardie plank which this siding does not appear to be is the most prominent of the fiber cement siding products but there are other manufacturers as well certainteed etc.
In the last few years all manufacturers all that i know of at least have moved to strongly prefer or specifically demand that the field butt joints be flashed not.
Hardiplank lap siding is a fiber cement siding product that looks like wood clapboards but outperforms it when it comes to weather resistance and finish performance.
Bearskin joint flashing is a plastic sheet for use as a joint flashing behind every butt joint in the siding.
Butt end joints should be installed with factory sealed or factory prefinished ends butted together in moderate contact.
Gap where the end meets the corner board photo 7 inset and make sure the other end lands on a stud line.
A common problem with cement board siding products and some other types of horizontal lap siding is that older installation guidelines called for caulking the joint instead of flashing the joint.
Each sheet is pre cut with a stick it adhesive for the fastest application available.
For pricing and availability.
Some instructions permit caulking at primed and smooth siding presumably because the caulk cosmetic defect will be hidden by the finish paint job.
For pricing and availability.
Caulk is usually used with fiber cement siding to prevent water intrusion at the butt joints.
However this detail may not be effective at sealing the ends allowing water to be absorbed and swell the board ends.
Fiber cement siding accessories.
This has proven problematic over time as caulking the joint results in unsightly surface appearances due to the different textures as well as resulted in failure of the caulk joint and associated ongoing maintenance.
Hardiplank lap siding field butt joint treatment.
Measure and cut to length the first piece of siding and nail it in place photo 7.
Quick and easy.
Generally the manufacturers do not recommend caulking at factory painted fiber cement siding butt joints presumably because it creates a cosmetic defect.