How do I know if I have hardboard siding?

The best way to determine what kind of siding your home has is to go to an unfinished area, such the attic or garage. Then pull back the tar paper from the back of the siding and see if there are any markings – either the manufacturer's name or AHA (American Hardboard Association) code.

What is hardboard siding look like?

Hardboard siding is typically stained and textured to resemble wood, and from a distance, it looks just like wood siding. It's most often found in horizontal lap designs. What is this? This is not to be confused with oriented strand board (OSB), plywood or fiber cement siding.

How do I know what type of siding I have?

The best way to tell what type of siding it is, is to go to an unfinished area like the attic, and look on the backside of the board to find the manufacturer's name or an AHA code (The American Hardboard Association). This will help you determine the manufacturer of the product and where it was made.

What is another name for hardboard siding?

Pressboard siding, also called synthetic wood siding, or hardboard (not to be confused with HardiePlank®) siding, is mainly comprised of wood fibers, flakes or chips that are held together by glues and resins.

When was hardboard siding used?

This product was invented in 1924 by William H. Mason. It was quite popular in the 1930s and 1940s and was used doors, roofing, and walls. After the Second World War, it was being used for residential siding.

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Do they still make hardboard siding?

After about 20 years and class-action lawsuits, it is no longer manufactured. So, now that Hardboard siding is discontinued, what do you do? Not to worry! While there is not always a one-for-one replacement option, here are strategies you can use to fix your siding problems.

How do I know if I have Masonite siding?

See if you can locate either the manufacturer's name or AHA code from the The American Hardboard Association. From there, you can search the code to see if it is masonite siding. The two largest manufacturers are Masonite Omniwood and LP's Inner-Seal.

How do I know if I have fiber cement siding?

The key to tell if you have fiber cement siding is to check for a wood-grain pressing. Older models of asbestos siding used a similar approach to make the siding look natural—which makes sense, because fiber cement siding was made to replace asbestos.

Can you paint hardboard siding?

Hardboard siding is not ideal for paint adhesion and requires multiple coats of primer to help prevent future paint failure. In addition, because hardboard siding is smooth, you will need to employ a specific application strategy to help prevent unattractive roller marks in the final finish coat.

Can you powerwash hardboard siding?

The manufacturer recommends that you do not pressure wash your Hardie siding. The hard spray of water from the power washer can damage the surface of the siding. In fact, pressure washing fiber cement siding is one of the only ways you can damage this durable type of siding.

How do you replace hardboard siding?

To remove and replace damaged siding:

Cut the fiber cement siding to length (wear approved dust protection). Blind-nail the fiber cement siding in place, starting with the bottom piece. Face-nail the top piece of fiber cement siding through the old siding. Prime and paint new siding to match the old.

How do I know if I have vinyl or wood siding?

Does paint peel off of it in time? Chances are if you're having issues with rotting or swelling, you're dealing with wood siding. However, if your siding tends to stay smooth throughout the year, even resisting dents and scratches, you're probably dealing with vinyl siding.

What kind of siding was used in the 60's?

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From the 1940s to the 1970s, aluminum was the most common material for siding.

Can you paint hardboard?

The hardboard can be finished with paint as needed or desired. This can be perfect for any type of DIY project.

Does hardboard siding contain asbestos?

1. No asbestos: it is not likely that your hardboard "Masonite" type board that was painted-over in oil or acrylic contains asbestos - hardboard is a wood or cellulose product.

How often do you have to paint hardboard siding?

However, to keep your fiber cement siding looking and working its best, it's essential to repaint it every 10 years or so and performing basic repairs to cracks or splits in the fiber cement and caulking regularly.

Can you sand hardboard siding?

Sand the siding lightly with 80-grit sandpaper or a sanding block to remove loose bits of old paint. Scraping isn't recommended as it can loosen chunks of unstable siding.

How do you identify hardiplank?

Hardiplank – looks like weatherboard and common in single and medium-density homes for alterations and additions. Standard surface compressed sheet - either had a smooth surface on both sides or a non-skid patterned surface on one side.

Is fiber cement siding the same as Hardie board?

The James Hardie brand produces high-quality fiber cement siding products, often called Hardie Board or HardiePlank. These terms are often interchanged with fiber cement. However, these brand name James Hardie products typically cost more than lower grade siding.

How long has fiber cement siding been around?

Fiber cement is a siding material that was introduced to the market in the 1980's as a replacement for asbestos cement siding products. It has become common in some parts of the country, offering design versatility and a solid feel.

Is Masonite and hardboard the same thing?

Masonite is a type of hardboard, also referred to as HDF or high-density fiberboard, a type of fiberboard. As opposed to MDF or medium-density fiberboard.

Is hardboard siding the same as hardiplank?

HardiePlank is a brand of lap siding made by the James Hardie company. It features a 30-year limited warranty and is the siding on more than 4 million homes in the United States. Hardboard is a type of wood product available from many companies. The name hardboard defines how it is made.

When was Masonite siding used?

In the 1930s and 1940s, Masonite was used for applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, and canoes. It was sometimes used for house siding. Similar "tempered hardboard" is now a generic product made by many forest product companies.

What kind of siding was used in 1950?

Fiber cement, cedar ridge, aluminum and vinyl siding were popular in the 1950s. Short of re-siding your house, the best way to update the look is by repainting with more modern colors.

How can you tell if old siding has asbestos?

How do I know if my roofing or siding contains asbestos? Look for asbestos markings on the roofing or siding material or the packages in which they came, or call the manufacturer. Another alternative is to hire a Minnesota certified asbestos inspector to sample the material and submit it for laboratory analysis.