Place a carpenter's level across the top of the straightedge and observe the bubble in the center vial to determine if the room is roughly level or is noticeably Check out some of these great articles! WebFlathead screws long enough to penetrate the subfloor into the floor joists Wet/dry vacuum On a plywood or wood subfloor, check for loose nails and seams; remove any nails, screws, and staples that stick up above the surface. 10 Most Common Install Errors with James Hardie Siding, How to Maintain your Hardie Siding in Edmonton, Hardie Board Colours Edmonton - and 7 Things to Consider When Selecting Your Colours, Blue Jay Exterior Renovations, 4214 99 Street Northwest, Edmonton, AB, T6E 5B4, Canada. Yes, you can use quartersawn boards for your tabletop. You can flatten warped MDF out by simply weighting down the board. Concrete? He is expertise in technical aspects, woodcraft and furniture building projects. It is also advisable to support the wood at the top and bottom to keep it from bowing. These stiffener boards will resist warping even under great stress. The furniture they make is rustic in characteristics. Warping is a defect in timber products caused by uneven changes in the moisture contents of different parts of the lumber. Knowing both moisture content in your storage and lumber will prepare better and prevent warping. Most of the James Hardie installation requirements in Canada are designed to deal with excess moisture. Even worse, siding could start falling off! The goal is to keep the moisture content to the barest minimum to prevent warping in the wood. Warping in lumber occurs as a result of differential stress, which the uneven drying process causes. The first in a series of 2-minute carpentry tips by Scott Earl Smith owner of Finishing Touch When the nails countersink, it leaves a hole that the installer either has to fill or paint. When your installers are getting started, make sure you take a look and confirm that the nails they are using are stainless steel or at least hot dip galvanized, not electro-galvanized. They are also more expensive. Lets say you arrive at a jobsite and you see something that no one wants to see: a floor that has peaks and valleys. For one, it means that you can get the wood you need at discounted rates. Use an iron, hair dryer, or ceramic bowl to flatten out your bent trading cards. By curing your timber until it is completely dry before you store it, you increase its resistance to warping. Place heavy weights on piles of lumber to prevent it from cupping. We will tell you in a few moments. But you may apply the knowledge to any wood stack. If your boards are not straight and warped, they wont be able to take the weight of the finished product. After that, put a bunch of heavy objects on it to keep it flat. RELATED: Can You Install Hardie Siding Over Existing Stucco? This happens because the boards are wet almost all the time, and the water in the board will start to expand and contract as the temperature changes. Yes Sure, Reducing cut dust is good for the health of the workers as well as the look of your home! Besides, it becomes stronger. Any lower and you might see a few nail heads poking through the bottom of the next board, any higher and your siding is likely to be loose and could even rattle in the wind. The process of fixing an uneven subfloor depends on the type of material youre dealing with and the cause of the problem. Many contractors still havent adjusted their caulking style, and sometimes you will see some very large and unsightly beads. WebStep 1. Also, you will need to take readings of the moisture content in the wood itself. I am surprised. Moreover, they are not prone to cupping. The classical approach to this would be that you have 7 face boards. The center one gets holes that just fit the screws, the ones to either side ge Otherwise, you may negatively affect the quality of the other dried timber. This method works because the moisture in the air can evenly distribute to all parts of the wood. But first, let us start from the basics what exactly is wood warping? So, I would suggest you to store them in the upstair rooms instead. Since every full Hardie Trim board should have at least 18 finish nails, you can expect between 5 and 10 nails per trim to countersink and leave a mark. Therefore, if you want to give your stored wood the best chances of retaining its quality, we recommend clean and dry storage. If youre new to the woodwork scene, youre probably wondering what stickering is. Making sure that your final product is up to par and then ensuring that there are no moisture problems waiting to rear their ugly heads will help to prevent callbacks, and will leave you with happy customers. You are probably wondering how, and rightly so. Last time I saw a batten it was being used as a fence. In other words, one piece of lumber can experience multiple combinations of the types of wood warping. This will ensure that moisture does not move from one end of the wood to the other. To flatten a warped piece of wood, youll need to change the moisture content on one side of the board. If it's only cladding just put them up, unless they are really warped they will become flat once you nail them to the studs. On average, wood shrinks by 8% to 10% tangentially and 4% to 5% radially. Re: Oriented Strand Board (OSB) Warping. Otherwise, you may prevent your lumber from being able to breathe, which may cause warping. (Click here to read our guide to testing moisture in hardwood floors.). Kiln-dried wood will likely expand in width from 1/8 to 1/4 for every foot. However, if the lumbers immediate environment is wet or humid, the wood will absorb moisture from the air. However, you must note that all thermo-hygrometers have an error margin (sensor tolerance). Read our Homeowners Guide to Siding Renovations, an indispensable tool for anyone planning to replace their siding. I had some warped plywood that I needed to use. Here are some tips to ensure that your curing process is very effective: Aside from knowing the different tips on how to prevent warping of wood, it will also help if you are familiar with the various FAQs about how to prevent warping of stored lumber, for they might also be the questions you have in mind: Wood usually shrinks and alters its shape when it dries. The bowing that occurs is actually the plywood shrinking. In the next few paragraphs, we will give you pro tips on storing your lumber while ensuring it does not warp. Work the iron slowly over the warped area, allowing the heat WebStep 4. Heres how to fix a few common types of subfloors: Step 4: Use a flooring underlayment to smooth out any remaining inconsistencies. Improve this answer. Hardie Plank siding is almost always installed with air nailers, which are the best tool for quick installation. 8y Hobbyist- Gluer of Sticks I think I need some anatomy lessons. High nails are very common from inexperienced James Hardie installers, because they think the nails can go anywhere above the nail line. However, if you cannot ascertain that the area will stay dry, dont panic yet. If you are able to pinpoint the problem and determine that you must rip up the old subfloor and install a new one, or repair the joists that hold it up, let your customer know that the scope of the project includes more than just installing a new floor. James Hardie recommends that nails be hot dip galvanized (at a minimum) or stainless steel (as a best practice). strips to the board's edger that are wider that the board's thickness plus the gap between the board's bottom surface and the top surface of the bench and run it Your email address will not be published. This way, you can relate to the various tips on preventing warping in lumber that we will share. HD x 1-1/2 in. This can lead to the finish nails sinking into the board. Note: If youre working in an older house, remember to test for asbestos before ripping anything up. If the panel still pulls up, take the panel off the wall and reglue it. Just keep in mind that you may be replacing some of the boards in the first row much sooner than you thought. RELATED: 5 Ways Other James Hardie Contractors Cut Corners. If the room is located above another floor in the house, your best option is a sound-resistant barrier. This may not only lead to the loss of quality in the lumber, but it can also affect your project and cost you lots of money. Preferably in a garage or shop that has To solve this issue, James Hardie came up with a hidden fastening system for their trims. Licensed under Flickr Creative Commons. Let your customer know about this possibility as well. The first stage is when you cut a tree and reduce its trunk into manageable sizes, the saps are still there, and the wood remains the same in size. The wood must be completely dry. When this happens, it is all too possible that the dried wood absorbs this moisture, which may cause them to warp. Experienced Hardie board installers know that messy caulking is the easiest and fastest way to ruin a perfectly good exterior. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Youll want to make your decision for an underlayment based on the location of the room and whether its above-grade or below-grade. This indicates that wood of varying sizes will tend to shrink differently, depending on how the wood has been cut. The longer the dust sits on the board, the tougher it is to remove. Essentially, a warped piece of lumber will not remain straight or lay flat. It might take a little longer, but you could screw a 2x4 along the face with the drywall in place to force the board back against the studs until the all screws are in - One board centered in the middle should do with just securing it at 16" & 80" then pull the board and move on down the line. With some work, your old trading cards can become like new again. Thanks for reading! Brazilian Ebony: Properties, Colors, Uses & Workability. Heat an iron to high heat. 3) if that doesn't work and there is room to hide them, first reinforce the support boards with boards attached to the support boards at a 90 degree angle and out of sight. In this case, some areas of the lumber will experience an increase in their moisture content (%MC), which will also lead to warping. WebWhat should be done, possibly, is to find a flat surface and place the board on it. roofing nail (0.121 in. Besides, wet wood is usually more susceptible to rot or decay if you leave it untreated. However, some woodworkers tag themselves asgreen woodworkers. The process will depend on the type of subfloor and the nature of the problem. Also, youd have extra lumber in wait for your next job. Give it a light spritz with water and press for a few seconds, flipping if necessary. It should say right on the box. shank x 0.371 in. The wood begins to shrink, and it becomes harder and denser. Moreover, air-drying indoors will only extend how long the drying process for the lumber takes. RELATED: Check Out This Crappy Project Estimate. shank x 0.221 in. Furthermore, it ensures that the lumber stays in a state of uniform moisture content for as long as possible. Then again, it may exhibit only one. Indeed, one such reason is an excess amount of moisture in storage. 2023 Blue Jay Exterior Renovations Inc. All Rights Reserved. This brings us to our next point. This is especially important if your storage area has a relative humidity of 80% or more. I never knew that an uneven subfloor could be fixed in this way. Hardie board comes with a 30-year manufacturers warranty, but that means you need the nails to last at least that long too. By curing your timber until it is completely dry before you store it, you increase its resistance to warping. Then, you find the average. This one isnt a mistake so much as a pet peeve of mine, but it still can make a big difference in the look of your home. There is a lot of wisdom to buying and storing lumber in bulk. Interested in more information about James Hardie Fiber Cement siding? During my time working for James Hardie, I very rarely got calls from homeowners that wanted to submit a warranty claim for their Hardie siding. Thank you for the helpful tips. You can wrap your lumber in a material that is vapor-resistance. Therefore, take good care not to stack too much lumber in one horizontal pile. Do not stack too much wood on one shelf as excess weight is never good for wood. HD x 2 in. Quad caulking is UV resistant and flexible, and when it cures it shrinks about 30%. Ugly Touch-Ups Touch-up mistakes are by far the most common error that Edmontons James Hardie installers make. But heres a point to note. They also provide more precise readings, especially in a dense wood, where pin-style meters have difficulty penetrating. The wood fibers on this Another essential tip to prevent your lumber from warping in storage is to keep track of the humidity levels in the storage area. Otherwise, your wood may not be able to lose as much as it should. The best method is to store plywood flat by Once you fasten the MDF on top and bottom of it (glue should be sufficient) it should overcome your warping. Carpenter Vs Woodworker: Whats the Difference? This means that Hardie contractors are used to overapplying their caulking and letting it shrink over time. Be the first to know about our latest sales & promotions. WebCan You Really Flatten Warped MDF? Have you ever wondered how much to budget for a siding renovation? Because almost all of the James Hardie product installed in Edmonton is prefinished ColorPlus siding, the caulking will be available in all of James Hardies colours. But before that, let us show you the various types of warping that exist. By wrap-proofing the lumber, you prevent it from absorbing excess moisture from its surrounding. In the next few paragraphs, we will break down the how and why of warping in timber products. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ad525b0d929771e775b8c9b063538655" );document.getElementById("b043678aab").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The other issue with James Hardie dust is that it sticks to ColorPlus paint. You will also discover valuable insight into the causes of warping in wood. Finally, while storing wood vertically, the best practice is to keep it off the ground to reduce the chances of water damage. This can compromise the quality and integrity of the bottom one. Laminated cards can also melt under Besides, the quartersawn boards are less likely to contract and expand across their width. WebThe solution is surprisingly simple: the most effective way to store plywood is by lying it flat. Its really nice way to fix the flooring like this, Great work, Your email address will not be published. You can flatten them again with hot By now you probably know that Hardie siding is made of fiber cement, which requires installers to take care when cutting to make sure that they dont breathe in small sand (silica) particles. Method 1 Ironing Your Cards 1 Place a heat-safe cloth over the cards. To avoid this change, you need to keep the boards in a controlled environment wherein humidity and temperature are kept from fluctuating. Nevertheless, they dont leave behind pinholes in the wood. OSB roof panels should always be installed with the grade stamp facing into the attic and the screened surface (with the nail guide lines) facing up. Then, if the moisture gets extracted over time, the wood starts shrinking. Our project gallery shows more than 75 recently completed projects, each of them with a detailed description of exactly what makes each home unique. and a material cost of $100 for 500sq.ft., for a total of $590, professionally installed, or $100 for a DIY installation. If you dont have a lumber warehouse, you can use your workshop. Do not overdry your lumber as this may induce cracking. So, you need to pay attention to. This stage brings the moisture content of the wood down by 30%. WebPlywood pieces can warp if they have been improperly stored or exposed to moisture. an hour by a skilled contractor, for an installation cost of roughly $490 for 500sq.ft. Drying and warping happen faster at the end of wood pieces. Now let us look at some of the reasons lumber in storage ends up warping. Find out how to choose the right product type, application method, sheen level, and more when finishing a hardwood floor. James Hardie developed ColorPlus paint so that it sticks very well to fiber cement. Most large factories with large timber stocks in storage use hygrometers to keep track of their moisture contents. Warping usually implies the absorption of moisture, or a difference in temperature between one surface of the board and the other. Hardie Trim has grooves on the backside to give it more strength when workers are carrying it. Do you work with wood frequently? The best way to store lumber is to keep it in a horizontal stack if you have space. MDF Board Vs Plywood Board: Which is Better For Your Projects? And should I wrap the hardwood panels in material from a hardware store? Your garage or other covered storage units will also do the trick. While stacking horizontally, ensure that you place support brackets between every 16 inches of wood. Begin by dipping your towel in water and draining the excess. The towel should be big enough to cover the entire surface area of the warped wood that needs to be flattened. Place the wet towel over the wooden tabletop, wood cabinet door, or other item and wait for the iron to reach its maximum heat. Moisture from the drying and unseasoned wood will escape into the air and influence the storage areas humidity. How to Install Oriented Strand Board The majority of the claims that I did see were from people who had their siding installed so it was touching the driveway, or sometimes right down into the dirt of their flower beds! There is a solution. Now that you understand what warping is and why it occurs in lumber, let us show you how to prevent it. Look at your warped board and identify the inside face of the C or cup. Its important to determine the nature of the situation before youdecide how youre going to fix it. Almost all nails and screws have some kind of rust-resistant coating, but they are not all created equal. Most of the Hardie Trim installed across Canada is flat and smooth, and installed with finish nails. Even if you manage to flatten most of the subfloor, you may still end up with some bumps in the finished floor if the problem is severe or originates in the foundation of the house. Because we get so much snow and ice in Edmonton, these requirements are very important. Iron. The measurement you get is usually indicated as moisture percentage. Joint placement: James Hardie states that all joints must land on a stud, unless you have minimum 7/16 wood structural paneling as sheathing. However, basement environment might regain moisture on the wood, which will cause warping over time. Apply damp heat to the concave or cupped face of the board with a towel dampened in clear water. I am really in love with the content of this blog. But, by putting the right measures in place, you can extend the woods longevity and preserve its quality. To flatten the hexes themselves, stack them and bind them tightly with rubber bands in all 3 directions across the six sides. WebSo after a few hours in the sun and some water, It's flat again.Music: Incompetech.com Carefree. James Hardie siding is made of cement, so it will absorb moisture if it is installed like this. James Hardies warranty is in effect for each individual piece, which means that if you decide to ignore the installation instructions for a few Hardie boards, you still have a full warranty on the rest of the pieces that are installed correctly. OK. Great because that means much less This number usually revolves around +/-2% of the indicated humidity level and the actual one. HD x 1.25 in. While creating a horizontal stack of lumber on a shelf, you need to be wary of stacking too much lumber in one pile. Furthermore, there is typically less humidity. Besides, it tends to reach equilibrium (EMC) regarding moisture content. Photo Credit: Sean Gillies on Flickr. So, if you want to prevent warping in your store lumber, an effective strategy is to control the woods moisture content. Jason is a 40-year-old woodworker, carpenter and author who have been involved in the woodworking and woodcraft industry with 17 years of experience. Heres how to keep your lumber the right way. This means that the butt joints may develop a pattern if the installer is not paying attention. If the room is below-grade, a moisture-resistant underlayment is the best choice. Does the problem run the length of the entire room, or only certain parts of it? Pin-style meters come with pins you can insert onto the wood to measure its electrical resistance. If you want to air-dry your lumber, it is best to do it outside. They use fresh wood in their woodworking activities and when building furniture. So, if you look at the rate it shrinks, you will see that the boards point where the grain intersects the surface perpendicularly is the point with the maximum shrinkage. For attaching to wooden framing, they recommend: Siding nail (0.09 in. Moreover, arranging too much wood on top of one another will place excess weight on the bottom. For years Quad caulking by Lepage has been the standard Hardie caulking in the Edmonton market. So, no more delays in projects due to the unavailability of wood. The first step to prevent warping in the lumber you have in storage is understanding why it happens. Once the Hardie siding is installed, there is no health risk for the homeowners from silica. So, if its surrounding is warm, wood will release moisture (dry out). 2) biscuit it to support boards on either edge. It is best not to expose curing lumber to humid conditions. By stickering your lumber, you ensure that it stays flat and supported. 2015, Lepage introduced Quad Max which can be applied in wet and freezing conditions, but hardly shrinks at all. This change might not be that much, but it can be problematic when this wood expansion and contraction add up. Step 5: Install the hardwood floor to NWFA standards and take some final moisture readings. Installers can staple aluminum tabs to the back of the trims and then nail the tab to the wood sheathing on the wall. Generally, the moisture content of most indoor storage areas is usually lower than the levels outside. Finally, if youre curing your lumber yourself, how well you do can make the difference between warped wood or not. Another option is to suggest that the contractor use a dust free fiber cement tool, like a shear or a guillotine. I can be contacted via email or phone. Drive screws through the subfloor into floor joists to replace any loose nails or to secure seams. Heres our guide to fixing an uneven subfloor: Step 1: Assess the situation. Is the foundation of the house itself uneven? Hardie siding requires a minimum 2 gap from all hard surfaces like decks or rooflines, and at least 8 from any soft surfaces like grass, dirt, or gravel. Is the subfloor made of plywood? Anything less and the nails may start to rust, leading to stains on your beautiful siding. So, it is a win-win to dry unseasoned wood outdoors. Now, if this occurs excessively, the wood may swell to achieve an equilibrium with its environment. To rule out the floor covering, test itwith an appropriate moisture meter to determine if its the source of the problem. Straight and unwarped lengths of wood are essential for making good furniture. Hardie Plank siding has a nail line across the top of the board that is 1 down from the top, and nails are supposed to fall between and 1 from the top of the board to give the best hold. When too much of this happens, the lumber may contract or crack. Hardie Panels weigh 2.3 pounds per square foot and are only 5/16 thick. Heat Press. Stickering is a method of creating horizontal stacks of lumber in which you support all your boards with 1-inch scrap woods. Its recommended that you should store the unopened pre-finished hardwood indoor. 1) clamp it flat. Freshly cut timber is usually heavy or twice as heavy as its weight when dry. Pin-less meters, on the other hand, utilize radio frequencies to get the moisture levels. It may also happen when there is too much humidity where you store your wood. Then knowing how to store lumber without it warping is a skill that will come in handy. Are you in the lumber manufacturing business? Wondering which materials are the best fit for your priorities? This means that in some places on the board, the nail has about 20% less material to get through. But when it reaches EMC, the point where it no longer absorbs or gives off moisture, it reaches its most stable point. The prices of these moisture meters range from $50 to $200. WebInstalling a click-lock floor over a flooring underlayment. In doing expert reports I see lots of swollen OSB, and it's usually because it's getting wet from housewrap behind stucco, and improperly flashed windows and roof/wall When measuring moisture content in your storage area, do not test in areas with restricted airflow (corners).. Cold wall, warm room, bow toward the wall. The reason is simple. In practice, this is very difficult for installers to do. That is not all. For most people though, trim tabs give a more predictable result with smooth trim. If you are interested in learning more about Hardie installation, give me a callor text and I will be happy to help. James Hardie has tested and approved many nail and screw patterns for their panels, just make sure that your contractor knows them. So, most woodworkers want to ensure that their wood has already dried and reached its maximum shrinkage. In other words, it warps. A flooring underlaymentcan help to smooth out any remaining peaks and valleys in the subfloor and prevent problems down the line. Bolt some angle iron to the backside of the door. Unfortunately, some contractors dont realize that Hardie Panels need to be fastened to the studs in a consistent pattern, with full headed screws or nails. For good measure, add some weight on top of the sheet after pressing, just like in the methods outlined above. Lumber is naturally hygroscopic. For example, if you are planning to replace your windows a few years after replacing your siding, tabs will make the trims much tougher to remove. Remember, wood is a natural resource subject to influence by many conditions, including the weather. Do not dry your lumber too slowly as this may allow moisture to remain long enough to wreak warping havoc. You see, where you store your lumber has the most significant effect on its moisture content and subsequent changes. Where should I store it in my home, in the finished basement with carpet or in the upstairs rooms of my home in the boxes? Maybe you could wet it down real good, lay it flat, put some heavy weights on it, and let it dry out flat.I did that with some 3/4" ply one time that warped..when it dried, it was flat.just leave it for a day or two and see what happens.worked for me.Good luck either way. " There's a better way..find it" Thomas Edison.