Home Improvement Today?

Doesn't Hardie plank have all of the same maintenance of traditional wood siding without the rot?

 

While it is not completely maintenance free, it will hold its looks much longer than wood siding. The factory applied paint is extremely durable and color fast. I know of several homes with over 20 year old Hardie that still looks good and has never been touched.
If Hardie is not installed properly, there can be issues. And rot is one of them. Proper clearances must be maintained near roofs, and especially hardscaping. If it is kept wet, it will disintegrate.

 

Trying to talk my next client out of Hardie Panel siding

 

Very interesting. I'd like to hear more from @OZ-T for the past decade I have been drooling over the day I could have a lower maintenance wood-like exterior.

 

Idk why older houses never thought to put lights in the bedrooms. Spent the last two days mounting ceiling boxes, running wire, and mounting new wall boxes and switches. Good thing is now I have a ceiling fan in the master and flushmount lights in the other two.

 

I have been researching and have decided to use roxul instead of closed cell spray foam in barndominium. The foam would've been only 2"-2 1/4" . That's an r10 at the most. The roxul is r15 at 3-1/2". With a 2x4 stud wall up against 2-1/4" galvanized channel frame I could actually use roxul 5-1/2" at r23.
My question is do I need a vapor barrier over roxul if I'm using t-111 siding as interior walls?

 

Probably answered my own question. I think I'll put up vapor barrier against metal exterior walls first before building wood stud walls.

 

By vapour barrier do you mean an air barrier like housewrap or an actual vapour barrier like 6 mil poly because generally in heating climates the vapour barrier should be on the interior side of the insulation

 

It's hot and humid here. Barn was built by others as I was involved in other stuff. Didn't dawn on me to wrap it in tyvek before the sides went on so I thought poly directly over metal sides on inside first before I build my wood stud walls?

 

I'm in the same boat! The house I'm just finishing up had no overhead fixtures except in the hallway, bathrooms, entry and kitchen. But there were still switches in all the rooms. They ended up being tied to outlets for lamps. I replaced all the interior swing doors with pocket doors and of course the switches were in the way. So I had to move them anyway. But it was still a PITA. The house was built in '72 or '76. Can't remember.

 

I would consult your local building inspection jurisdiction but I would be hesitant to introduce poly against the metal

Roxul is unaffected by moisture so thats not really a concern

 

Thanks.
That's what I've been reading about roxul. I can get more insulating for less the price of spray foam.
There's a home improvement radio show on right now but can't get thru lines are jammed.

 

Roxul is a great product , but where in a wall assembly that a vapour barrier is OK is dependent on the wall assembly and whether you are in a heating or cooling dominated climate , if you get it wrong you can have real problems with condensation accumulating in your wall so I would ask a building official that is local to you for the most reliable info that is relative to your situation

 

I totally understand. Radio show is a local guy. I know a builder to ask but he doesn't get up early. Thanks

 

Typically it was an added-cost option so it was commonly not done. And of course development / spec houses were built to an often brutal price point and so anything which could be eliminated - was not installed. <g>

PHM
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Boral> hardi

And I trade you milling mdf vs routing morties over head

 

Disclaimer: all my construction experience is in a heating dominated climate lol. That said:
I'd be concerned that the side of the t111 facing into the wall cavity would be a cool condensing surface for any warm moist air moving thru the wall cavity from outside. Accordingly, I would airseal the crap out of the exterior wall to keep ambient air out. This alone would make spray foam appealing. Also talk to a building official like ozt said lol

 

Just talked to builder friend and he suggested I spray foam. So I guess I'll be doing that. If I do more insulating that barn will be a big red and white yeti.