Cutting Hardie Board Siding With Jigsaw

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva shares his secrets for working with fiber cement siding.

Cutting hardie board siding with jigsaw.

Keep a firmer grip on the board than with regular wood. The bosch carbide edge jig saw blade provides 10x life versus standard bi metal blades featuring a carbide tipped edge designed for cutting abrasive building materials. So this one jig saw blade really provides the confidence to make clean cuts in hard material. Mark where you d like to cut the board.

Always be sure to wear dust and eye protection when cutting cement backer board. Lay your cement board out on a work table or between two saw horses. It also snaps the end of the cut so the siding has to be cut face up with the bottom toward you. To keep dust to a minimum use a circular saw that s equipped with either a dust collection bag or electric fan that blows dust into a bucket.

Wait for the saw blade to warm up and come to full rpm before. Havent tried the jigsaw blade or an actual hardi blade for circular saw. James hardie has collaborated with a number of installers to identify easy setups that are effective affordable and will help you meet osha s compliance standards. To cut holes in cement backer board to use under tile equip a portable jigsaw or sabre saw with a metal cutting blade.

11 12 2017 02 34 pm. Cutting station best practices. When cutting fiber cement siding with circular saw use a blade that has only four or six teeth. For those who want to ensure the cutting line in the hardie board or a beginner you are able to try a jigsaw.

You should take a jigsaw with a metal blade or a carbide grit blade. Like the score and snap method set a straightedge across your sheet. Make sure to go slower than with a normal blade and wood. No way would i rip fiber board of any kind without dust collection.

A thin blade kerf reduces material extraction reduces heat and adds to performance. Cut the trim board with the saw. To start the saw in cement backer board drill a hole though the backer board large enough for the jigsaw blade or make a plunge cut with the blade in the backer board. The hardi blade only has four teeth.

Setting up your cutting station correctly is just as important as selecting the right tools.