How do I cut Hardie Plank?
How do I cut Hardie Plank? As an Installer I have had that question asked to me more times than I can count. The actual task of cutting hardie plank is in itself, not very hard at all. There are many different tools that can be used to cut hardie plank. The key to finding the best way to cut hardie plank, is to find a way to cut the hardie plank in the space you have to work with.
It is important to remember that when hardy plank is cut, it produces a ridiculous amount of dust. For this reason, companies have started making saws, and blades specifically for hardy plank to help reduce the amount of dust produced while cutting hardy plank siding.
As an installer I would have to recommend hardy shears as my number one pick for cutting hardi plank. You can pick up brands like Hilti hardi shears at local hardware stores such as Lowes and Home Depot. Hardy shears are easy to handle, they are compact, and are virtually dustless. A small draw back or con to using hardie shears, is that if you cut too close to the edge of the hardi plank, it will break or crumble. If you know this prior to cutting your hardie plank, it should not pose a problem.
Hardy plank can even be cut without power tools. A simple method that is also virtually dustless, is to use a utility knife and a straight edge. This method is known as the score and snap method. Simply score a line with a sharp utility knife, lay the hardie over a straight edge, and press down on the section of the hardy plank you with to break. Its just about that simple.
When it comes time to make an intricate cut in your hardiplank, such as a cut to go around window or door trim, the cuts can become tricky to make. For these small intricate cuts, I would recommend two different tools, one would be a jig saw, and the other would be an angle grinder. Keep in mind that you will need to replace the blades on a jig saw often. A metal cutting blade will last longer than a wood cutting blade, but do not cut as fast.
The second tool I was referring to use for these kind of cuts is the 4″ angle grinder. The angle grinder equipped with a diamond cutting blade is a great way to cut hardie plank siding. It is fast and compact, and can be maneuvered easily to make smaller cuts. It does have a large draw back though. An angle grinder will produce alot of dust as well, so I recommend using it outside, or in a well ventilated area.
If you do not want to spend the money on a pair of hardie shears, and already have basic hand and power tools, the last method of cutting hardie plank that I would recommend is with a traditional circular saw. If you use a basic saw blade, you can expect to see a dust cloud large enough to cover your home. However you can now pick up low dust saw blades, that dramatically reduce the amount of dust produced while cutting hardie planks. These hardie plank saw blades can also be placed on a table saw and used to make longer rip cuts, or angled cuts.
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4 Responses to “How do I cut Hardie Plank?”
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I am having hardie plank installed on my house.
When the hardie plank was delivered, it was delivered in the rain. The hardie plank was not covered, and it has rained on it again, and again.
My question is: Can this hardie plank be safely installed, or should I have it returned and ask that new and dry hardie plank be delivered.
PLEASE reply soon. Men are supposed to install this ‘wet’ hardie plank Wednesday.
Thanks so much.
Fred Londene
256-851-0791
The score and snap method is really only possible hypothetically. It is nearly impossible to do in practice. The best way to cut Hardiplank is to use a shear type tool used to cut laminate flooring planks. It has a wide blade (12″ - 16″) with a perpendicular fence to ensure a straight end cut. A long handle is used to press the blade straight down through the face of the plank producing a clean and straight end cut without any dust, so it can be used indoors. This is important as the material must be kept dry and cannot be installed wet. This becomes tricky if you are installing siding on a rainy day as you cannot cut the siding indoors if there is dust produced by the method of cutting.
In fact, your whole article fails to mention anything about the stated health risks related to cutting of the material. The material cannot be cut indoors using any of the dust-producing methods. Also, there is no way to cut notches (like around windows) without using a method of cutting that will produce dust, so being aware of the dangers is vital.
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