James Hardie Front Facade - Craftsman Bungalow

For a smaller project, this home sure threw us a few curveballs!

The client decided to replace the original aluminum siding with new James Hardie fiber cement siding. She selected Timber Bark HardiePlank lap siding with staggered edge HardieShingle panels for a classic craftsman style accent.

The first issue that we ran into on the project was when we discovered that the home does not have a structural wood sheathing. Instead, we found fiberboard sheathing (also known as buffalo board). Fiberboard sheathing was commonly used in construction from the late 1960s through the 1970s – we find it on about one in five homes from this era. The only problem with fiberboard sheathing is that it doesn’t hold nails or screws, a bit like drywall. This means that we needed to add a layer of wood strapping in order to fasten the HardiePlank (and a layer of plywood sheathing for the HardieShakes).

The next problem for us to solve was the front railing. As you can see from the photos, the left railing is quite close to the front door return wall. Removing the railing would risk damage to the soffits, the front step, and the railing itself, so the client asked us to leave it in place during the installation. We made a plan to work around the railing by inserting our nail guns through the railing bars where we could, and installing with other approved fasteners where they wouldn’t fit.

The final twist was a question of design. The client decided to keep the original design concept beside the front door with a false sidelight. We supplied and installed an LP Smart Panel for this accent, which is made of exterior rated OSB plywood. The client approved this selection because the material is durable, paintable, and is better suited for the installation of address numbers! The client then painted the Smart Panel with a custom colour from Benjamin Moore’s collection.

As you can see, even a siding renovation that appears to be a “small project” takes experience and planning to execute perfectly. Now this older bungalow is ready to face the coming decades in style.

Interested in a quote for your own exterior renovation? Reach out to us today!