Hardie Panel installed on interior walls

[Carey]

I do use barely moist sponge - the primed Hardie Panel is a different beast than drywall, and unprimed Hardie Panels are even more different (have used all three...)

I like smoother walls & pearl luster paint, so the smoother the walls the better the results.... amazing how a little glitch that you can not even see on the flat primed wall shows up with pearl luster paint...

[bjbTay]

Hi Carol, and Carey,

first - Carol, thanks for the reply. Well, sounds like you have a great friend...lucky you! I went through high school in Ashland Oregon! Where in Oregon is he from? Who knows maybe this winter we would be ready to hire and perhaps there could be something he would enjoy doing on our house. Never know....???

second - Carey, Ah so the Hardie panel acts differently from drywall, interesting. Might be a learning curve there if I decide to take this on. I think we will go with the primed Hardie panel, is it easier or harder to finish than unprimed, in your opinion? I probably will use a good quality flat paint (a little more forgiving), except in the bathrooms of course then perhaps eggshell. I read somewhere, perhaps in a design magazine, that this one guy who was really particular, would only do drywall finishing at night, where he had lights on the wall coming from every direction. I wonder if his price reflected his perfection tendancies.

Barbara

Hawaii Dreaming

[Carey]

Night time drywaller.... just make sure your neck is protected around the guy! (I have noticed the light angle stuff... but this house is not ever going into Arch. Digest.... so.... I let some of the imperfections slide)

Unprimed Hardie Panel wicks water much more than primed panel (take note: you still must prime all cut edges, according to the literature!), so your working time with wet/moist items is more limited with unprimed...

Primed Hardie panels do not wick any water, so even a more moist sponge can cause drips to appear, and drip through your nicely smoothed seams.... ARGHHHHH!

Both are much harder boards than drywall, so there is absolutely no deflection of nail/screw heads, or even the slight deflection you get with mesh tape on drywall... so you must build up more (or recess the attachment heads some....), add much harder to work with (the ZIP tool has become our very best paneling friend!)

[bjbTay]

Wow Carey, I get the picture... so both primed and unprimed have there own set of problems to be compensated for.

I also see what you are talking about regarding the hard surface of Hardie panel, that too has it's set of problems. Having to build up the mud higher than is typically required with drywall definitely puts another degree of visual irregularities to the surface and makes a case for what Rob has said, about skim coating the whole wall.... But then I think, how crazy do I want to make myself over this??? In the end I know I will also let some degree of imperfection slide, just how much is yet to be seen.

Now that you mention the water drips I remember having this happen when patching cracks with mesh & mud over our plaster walls, because the walls had paint on them. Seems simple enough, just make sure your sponge is not too wet so the water does not drip....and then lightly sand???? (I say this with a smile, just don't hit me.)

What is the zip tool and how do you use it?

Carey I sure do appreciate you taking the time to write!!!!!!

Take care,
Barbara

[Rob Tucker]

Skim coating isn't very complicated. Use a 12" blade and you can get a nice consistent thin coat on the wall. Dries rather fast too. I recommend this on drywall or hardipanel.

[Carey]

The Bosch Roto-Zip with the Dura Cut bit for cement board cuts that are not straight score & snaps (eta: utility outlets, odd shapes & such & to clean up messy score & snaps....not that I have EVER done that - yeh right!), and the Xcores for round holes (be aware that the dust should be contained & breathing apparatus is recommend when cutting the cement boards)

ETA: Rob, you also need a nice steady & practiced hand for skim coating... something I wish I had, but hope I do not get enough practice on...

[bjbTay]

Thank you Rob and Carey,

Now that I understand more of difficulties envolved with Hardie panel, I think you are right Rob, skim coating the whole thing now makes sense to me. Okay 12" blade, I have one, also have a steady hand. I am feeling much better about this. Just needed to be able to understand the why's and what for's of a project before deciding on the best method. However I still don't really want to do this, but will if I have to.

Rob do you know of any of the drywallers who do taping and skim coating...who are capable of doing this?

Carey, thanks for the info on the proper tool for precision cutting of detailed areas. Also I was not sure you could score and snap the Hardie panel, that is good news, as I was concerned about all the BAD concrete dust that would occur if it could only be cut with power tools.

MUCHO thanks to you both!
Barbara

Hawaii Dreaming

[Rob Tucker]

Drywall finishing is one of those things you either have some talent for or do not. Unfortunately some drywall "professional" finishers lack talent. I've always considered drywall taping and finishing to be one of those things where you ought to be careful what you learn - you might just end up doing it a lot.

Best advice I can give, since you have concerns, is to acquire a sheet or part of one and practice on it a little bit. I bet ya Honsador has some broken pieces in the yard they might just hand to you if you explain what its for.

The biggest problem with applying mud is applying too much. Not hard to add more and time consuming and messy to sand a lot off.

[bjbTay]

Thank you Rob,

It is not that I doubt I can do it and do it very well with patience and time. I do have experience with both plaster and joint compound. There is however always more to learn about anything one is doing, especially when new products are used.

It is actually about me being not a young as I used to be! We are planning on doing all of the tile work (well...that would be me), floating the shower floor (me again), installing the interior doors, building out the kitchen and bath cabinets, etc....so there is a lot to do. Taping and skim coating as you know is a big job, especially since the ceilings need to be done as well. That is the only reason I really don't want to do it myself, if we can find someone qualified.

Thanks again for all the advise, your opinion is very much appreciated.
Barbara

Hawaii Dreaming

[hotinhawaii]

When mudding drywall seams, you can use a blade about 10" wide on the tapered edges because the tapers will contain the tape and mud and allow for a smooth and flat finish when sanded. If you are taping butt seams, it is best to taper out the mud on 1' from each side of the seam to hide the buildup of tape and mud. If you are wanting to hide the seams on Hardipanel, you will have to taper out at least 1' from each seam because there is no tapered edge. This is a lot of work and it takes an artful finisher to hide those seams on a smooth-finished wall.