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James Hardiplank™ cementboard siding product information. On the James Hardiplank cement board siding shown at the top of this page stain was found flaking off of the siding - a subject of consumer complaint about this home located in central Nebraska. Building paper was installed below the siding, there was no evidence of delamination or water damage, and the siding was delivered to the builder (Wardcraft) already stained.

James Hardiplank™cement board siding is a cementious product (also see SIDING, ASBESTOS CEMENT SHINGLES). This material is NOT the same composition as hardboard siding products sold by Abatibi Corp, Masonite Corp., Boise Cascade, and Georgia Pacific Corp, all of which experience failures of delamination, swelling, softening, and general deterioration when exposed to water and weather, depending on the quality of installation, exterior coatings, and maintenance.

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James Hardiplank Surface Coating Failure Investigation & Case History

Reader Marie Carr provided the page top photograph along with the following case history as part of a an investigation into the most-likely cause of a stain flaking problem observed on this building's siding: (See PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION for a detailed paint and stain failure analysis guide.)

We have James Hardiplank siding that was stained. When we tried to make a claim against the company, they indicated that they recommended their siding not be stained. So then we are trying to make a claim against the company that stained the product, and they indicate that it was moisture in the board that is causing the siding to flake.

So as you can see, we are going in circles at this time. The stain company suggests we paint over the siding as a correction and we would like your opinion on that corrective measure. We would like an independent company determine, if possible, what is actually causing the siding to flake off.

We are looking for independent lab to test siding to see why stain is lifting from the cement board siding.
It is also spider web cracking. Here is the picture of the area we removed the siding from. We are not sure how the stain was applied. From what we know, the siding was delivered to Wardcraft stained. We purchased additional siding from them when we completed our garage and it was wrapped with packing material between the pieces.

The home was assembled in doors at their factory in Minden, NE, siding was placed on the home there, for the most part in Feb 2005, with the remaining siding placed on the home once it was set at our site, March 2005. The only siding that was put on the home at the site was the top peak on the north side. Weather, from what I can remember, was sunny. As I indicated, the siding was stained when they placed it on the home.

When we picked up the siding we bought for the garage from Wardcraft, we asked for some stain at that time, and they told us that we could use stain that we purchased from a local supplier, they didn't have any stain there.

Typical Steps in Diagnosing & Curing Hardiplank™ or Other Cementious-Siding Flaking and Cracking Problems

We also want to inspect or otherwise see photos of all sides of the home, showing distant and closeup images of the failures. We want to know how the peeling varies by location.

We will also want to know the age and leak history of the home – any leaks of any kind that have ever occurred, and where water passed.

HardiPlank® siding instructions require that the surface be painted; they recommend a combination of factory primer and an acrylic topcoat. They are within their rights to object to coating with a stain.

Once a siding coating failure has been observed, we would not paint over the stain before we have some confidence that we know the cause of the failure, and further, that we have some assurance that the paint-over coating will bond with the surface adequately (special prep may be needed) and that it is chemically compatible with the existing stain. Else you may have a new failure.

A very careful collection of surface samples of peeling material as well as some tape samples of the surface right under where a fresh peeled stain has just come off might be diagnostic.

In the forensic laboratory we can examine, and dissect a short piece of siding that is representative of the failure. To examine a failure such as that described above we would need to study a sample in the lab using several methods including by stereo microscope.

Then we would need to prepare a sample of the peeled-off surface, collecting several samples of the peeling material. Those paint chip samples are then examined in cross-section forensically using high powered microscopy – that can tell us whether or not the stain was coming off due to moisture or from another cause. The fee for that level of analysis was (2010) typically around $500. and of course includes a written report and photographic documentation as well as discussion if you have questions about the report and its findings.

A detailed examination of paint or stain thickness on the siding may tell us if the siding was sprayed, and if it was pre-coated before assembly on the home – that might explain, for example, why the stain is very thin on the upper ridges of the material and thicker between them in the simulated wood grain.

See PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION for a detailed series of diagnostic steps in paint or stain failure analysis.

If you have additional siding product failure examples or questions that are not found addressed at InspectAPedia.com you are welcome to contact the author to provide additional field photos or information that may assist others in identifying and repairing siding failures.

James Hardie Company, Asbestos, Fiber Cement Siding, & HIstory

As we also noted at SIDING HARDBOARD, fiber cement building siding (like James Hardie Products (Hardiplank®)) may indeed be a more durable alternative to wood-fiber-based hardboard siding, though certainly some fiber-cement products have been the subject of failures and class actions see AMERICAN CEMWOOD ROOFING. Other fiber cement siding product lines include Maxi-Panel, Maxi-Plank, Cemplank, & FortaFiber.

James Hardie & Asbestos-Cement Product Claims - Fibro

James Hardie Building Products is a Melbourne Australia company founded in 1888. Hardie mined and distributed asbestos as well as asbestos-containing products including asbestos material referred to in some products as "Fibro" that ultimately led to significant litigation and mesothelioma claims. Hardie began labeling asbestos-containing products with a warning notice in 1978 and ceased using asbestos in its products in 1987.^[2]

Hardie manufactured asbestos-cement building products (Hardie's Fibrolite Asbestos Cement Building Sheets" (until March 1987)) and other fiber cement products.

In Australia, driveways and garage floors of certain homes built in the 1970's contained asbestos waste from James Hardie.^[1]

Also see Asbestos in Carpet Padding? at CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY for other asbestos materials from Hardie.

Also see AMERICAN CEMWOOD ROOFING, and see other cementious siding materials such as JamesHardie HardiPlank Siding and cementious roofing materials such as Corrugated Cement-Asbestos Roofing and ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT SIDING. Also see Environmental Issues - Asbestos Roofing/Siding. (Also see Hardie's Fibrolite™ or Fibro where used in Australia). Also see ASBESTOS ROOFING / SIDING DUST.

Readers should also see Vapor Barriers on and in buildings - needed behind vinyl siding, see SIDING WOOD, FAILURES OVER FOAM BOARD for wood siding failures over foam (EIFS isn't the only system that might have difficulties), and readers may want to review POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION.

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AIR SEALING STRATEGIES
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
MOISTURE CONTROL in buildings
MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE
PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION

SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS

SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide
SIDING, ALUMINUM
SIDING, ASBESTOS CEMENT SHINGLES
SIDING ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES on WALLS
SIDING ASPHALT SHINGLE or SHEET
SIDING DAMAGE by SPLASHBACK
SIDING EIFS & STUCCO
SIDING, FIBER CEMENT
SIDING HARDBOARD
  Abatibi Siding Claims
  Boise Cascade Siding Claims
  JamesHardie HardiPlank Siding
  Masonite Siding Claims
SIDING STEEL
SIDING VINYL
  VINYL SIDING INSPECTION & REPAIR
  VINYL SIDING INSTALLATION
  VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings
  VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO
SIDING, WOOD PRODUCT CHOICES
SIDING, WOOD INSTALLATION
SIDING WOOD, FAILURES OVER FOAM BOARD
SIDING WOOD, FLASHING DETAILS
SIDING WOOD SHINGLE INSTALLATION

SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
SOUND CONTROL in buildings

STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG
STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS

• Thanks to reader Marie Carr for James Hardiplank siding photograph and case history information. 06/01/2008
• JamesHardie Hardiplank® Lap Siding information can be found at the company's web page on this material:
  http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/products_siding_hardieplankLapSiding.py
• James Hardie Building Products, James Hardie CustomerLink™ Service Centre, 10 Colquhoun Street, Rosehill NSW 2142, Tel: 13 1103, Outside Australia 61 2 8837 4709, Fax: 1 800 818 819. Hardie has operations in Australia, Asia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, United States, and the Philippines. The company is a significant producer of fiber cement siding and backerboard. Email: info@JamesHardie.com and Website http://www.jameshardie.com/
• JamesHardie Corporation, in the U.S. can be contacted at 26300 La Alameda, Suite 400, Mission Viejo, California 92691 - 1-888 J-HARDIE
  1-888 542-7343 or by email to info@JamesHardie.com
• Instructions for application of HardiePlank lap siding can be found at http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/products_siding_hardieplankLapSiding.py?openTab=jsnavLink4
• [1] "James Hardie's Mesothelioma and Asbestos Legacy Continues, 2009", web search 03/01/2011, www.survivingmesothelioma.com
• [2] Killer Company, James Hardie Exposed, Matt Peacock, Harper Collins Australia, ISBN: 9780733325809; ISBN10: 0733325807

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Analysis of Modern Paints, Thomas J.S. Learner, Research in Conservation, 2004 ISBN 0-89236-779-2 [Chemistry of modern paints, overview of analytical methods, pyrolysis-gas chromatography signatures of basic modern paints and their constituents, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for paint analysis, direct temperature-resolved mass spectrometry, and analysis in practice - technical reference useful for forensic paint science, focused on art works -DF]
• Art, Biology, and Conservation: Biodeterioration in Works of Art, Robert J. Koestler et als. Eds., Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2003, ISBN 1-58839-107-8
• Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF - ** Particularly useful text **
• Understanding Ventilation, John Bower, The Healthy House Institute, ISBN 0-9637156-5-8, 1995 [General building science-DF - ** Particularly useful text. Mr. Bower has retired from the field but his book continues to be important]
• Dampness in buildings, Diagnosis, Treatment, Instruments, T.A. Oxley & E.G. Gobert, ISBN 0-408-01463-6, Butterworths, 1983-1987 [General building science-DF]

• Carson Dunlop's Home Study Course for Home Inspectors can be examined online at that company's website. More about home inspector education and other educational materials is organized at InspectAPedia.com at Home Inspector Education.
• Certainteed Weatherboard fiber cement siding and trim products - see certainteed.com/ or see certainteed.com/resources/sidingandtrimspecsheet.pdf
• "Moisture Control in buildings: Putting Building Science in Green Building," Alex Wilson, Environmental Building News, Vol. 12. No. 5. [Good tutorial, "Moisture 101" outlining the physics of moisture movement in buildings and a good but incomplete list of general suggestions for moisture control - inadequate attention given to exterior conditions such as roof and surface drainage defects which are among the most-common sources of building moisture and water entry.--DJF]
• Masonite Woodruf® Roofing or Masonite OmniWood® Siding Lawsuit Settlement Notice - PDF file
• Paint Handbook: testing, selection, application, troubleshooting, surface preparation, etc., Guy E. Weismantel, Ed., McGraw Hill Book Company, 1981, ISBN-10: 0070690618, ISBN-13: 978-0070690615, [Excellent but a bit obsolete paint theory and practice, also a bit light on field investigation methods, out of print, available used-DF]
  How to select and apply the right paint or coating for any surface. The first major reference to help you choose the correct paint or other finish to do the job best on a particular surface exposed to a particular environment. Experts in the field give full advice on testing surface preparation, application, corrosion prevention, and troubleshooting. The handbook covers wood, metal, composites, and masonry, as well as marine applications and roof coatings. A ``must'' working tool for contractors, architects, engineers, specification writers, and paint dealers.
• Paint and Surface Coatings, Theory and Practice, R. Lambourne & T.A. Strivens, Ed., Woodhead Publishing Ltd., William Andrew Publishing, 1999 ISBN 1-85573-348 X & 1-884207-73-1 [This is perhaps the leading reference on modern paints and coatings, but is a difficult text to obtain, and is a bit short on field investigation methods - DF]
  Provides a comprehensive reference source for all those in the paint industry, paint manufacturers and raw materials suppliers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and industrial paint users. R. Lambourne was in the Research Department at ICI Paints Division and the Industrial Colloid Advisory Group, Birstol University, UK.
• Seeing Through Paintings, Physical Examination in Art Historical Studies, Andrea Kirsh, Rustin S. Levenson, Materials in Fine Arts, 2000 ISBN 99-051835 [ forensic science, technical reference, focused on art works - DF]
• Sealants, Durability of Building Sealants (RILEM Proceedings), J.C. Beech, A.T. Wolf, Spon Press; illustrated edition (1995), ISBN-10: 0419210709, ISBN-13: 978-0419210702
  This book presents the papers given at the RILEM Seminar held at the Building Research Establishment, Garston, UK in October 1994. The book provides an opportunity for researchers to review up-to-date progress towards the achievement of the objectives of the standardisation of laboratory techniques of sealants in the variety of service conditions to which they are exposed.
• Soiling and Cleaning of Building Facades (RILEM Report), L.G.W. Verhoef (Editor), Routledge; 1 edition (November 3, 1988), ISBN-10: 0412306700, USBN-13: 978-0412306709
  The report of a comprehensive investigation by RILEM which examines all aspects of the cleaning of facades, subject to soiling by both biological and non-biological agencies. The contributors are international authorities working in this field giving essential advice to all those who need to know how to approach the problems connected with the soiling and cleaning of building facades.
• Staining, Prevention of Premature Staining in New buildings, Phil Parnham, Taylor & Francis; 1996, ISBN-10: 0419171304, ISBN-13: 978-0419171300
  The appearance of ugly staining early in a buildings life, ruins an otherwise pleasing appearance, tarnishes the image of the owners and gives rise to costly refurbishment works. In this book Phil Parnham raises a number of questions that should be considered whenever a new building is being designed or built. These are: * why has staining become so prominent; * what causes premature staining; which parts of new buildings are likely to be affected; * how can it be avoided? By using a number of highly illustrated case studies, the author answers these questions and ends by suggesting measures that should be taken by all design and construction professionals to prevent premature staining.
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
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