Question about hardi-board skirting

Guest · Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:51 pm

OK, well on to the next project to help mom save some money. Its time to do the skirting and she is thinking about hardi-board. She was told that is was more efficient and doesn't have wind problems. We looked at the prices and for me to install it versus someone else coming in and doing it will save almost 1000 dollars. about 500 savings over the vinyl. My question is how to you run the base for attaching the hardi-board. I read the instructions on the metal skirting, would you do it the same way? Just rope off the perimeter and then put some 2x4's down and then screw them to stakes? It sounds like it would work, but cant find instructions on how to do the hardi-board. Thanks so much again. Gonna have to run for daughter of the year award!!

JD · Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:43 am

Hi,

It is just my opinion that wood or hardi-panel skirting is not the best way to go on mobile homes. The frame work for the panels will be a solid wall from the ground to the mobile home. The mobile home will settle, but the skirting framing will be holding up the rim joists of the home. You could try some creative design that will allow the skirting to float behind the top trim. Or you could trench below the bottom of the framing and fill the trench with pea gravel to allow the side of the home movement.

All that being said, many people have wood or hardi-panel skirting. Many of my customers have had us install this type of skirting even after this explanation. None of these customers wanted to go the extra contractor expense to be creative or do the trenching.

Sooooo.... How we do this is to set the bottom pressure treated wood with stakes as with other skirting and attach uprights every 16" from the mud seal to the rim joist of the home. You can go 24" oc, but the screws won't match the groove pattern on the panels. You can just toe nail the upright pieces into the mud plate and rim joists with ACQ wood rated nails. I would highly recommend renting a framing nailer for this job. It is not only much faster and easier, it also more accurate. Banging that many toe nails in with a hammer is torture, will split the uprights and the banging makes it harder to set them exactly where you want them. Even using screws, you will split most of the uprights. For the wood, I will use redwood 2x2s. Ripping a pressure treated 2x4 down the middle to make 2x2s will leave one side without the pressure treated protection.

Well, there is my method for installing the wrong kind of skirting for a home.

Again, a DIY can take their extra time and money to install floating wood skirting. It is just not what happens with me as a contractor.

JD

PS In your post, you did not mention uprights for the framing. Hardi-panel or mushboard, I mean hardboard siding will require the uprights. I have always found that the cost of materials were cheaper with vinyl skirting than wood skirting, considering the paint, framing and everything.

Yanita · Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:32 am

Hi,

JMO here but typically wood skirting always requires alot more maintenance. As JD pointed out painting will be needed. Also wood skirting rots from moisture/humidity, warps and can promote termite infestation.

Not saying that it can not be done, it has many times and will always be done, just not the best choice.

As I said JMO,

~Yanita~

Harry · Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:06 pm

Hi

Around here perforated vinyl skirting is king. And yes we do get strong winds...knocking on wood.

Here's what James Hardie says about installation:
http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/faq/default.php#22

Harry

JD · Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:32 pm

Wow. When the Hardi-panel first came out, they told me it cuts just like wood. Use any saw. Now the instructions are chocked full of disclaimers and warnings for health issues. Use a Hardi-panel blade in the circular saw? OK, now I know.

The 6" off of the ground issue has always been there, just as it is with hardboard and vinyl siding. I always saw it as the same disclaimer infraction that everyone ignored when using hardboard or SmartSide for skirting. Still figure it should last longer, but we will see.

JD

Guest · Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:34 pm

thank you all for your advice. I have looked into both vinyl and hardiboard. mom will save more money of course with the vinyl than the hardiboard, but if I install the hardiboard myself, she will still save more money than if we had the vinyl put up professionally. I agree with you guys that the vinyl is probably easier to install as well as weather and settle, but this is apparently what mom wants, as it looks better. I was FULLY intending on digging the ditches around the bottom of the skirting and then filling in with the gravel. I have a double wide with vinyl and know the pains in the butt you get with the settling, and that is with bendable plastic, so yes I agree that the wood would be harder to settle. I have looked into prices and compared, and as mom has to repaint the entire mobile anyway (people are complaining it looks bad) so we were going to rent a paint sprayer anyway. I didn't intend at all to secure it to the bottom of the trailer. I intend to lay the frame on the ground, then use the stakes and then the vertical supports between the sheets every 4-8 feet. I wont really have to do any cutting, as I am looking into the sheets that are 4 by 8 and the trailer is almost exactly 4 ft from the ground all the way around. I was trying to figure out how to make a support that can keep it upright but not needing to be screwed or nailed to the actual frame of the trailer for support. I have dug so many ditches just for the water supply and septic system, that another one around the house will not be anything to me. Thanks again. All this is very helpful. Even doing it myself will save hundreds over having is done by someone else vinyl or hardiboard.

Harry · Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:55 pm

Hi mrssmith2b

You are welcome.

Just wanted to add that Mark's Repair Manual Chapter 24 has lots of info and tips on skirting.

Good Luck and I'd like to see a photo or 2 if you can.

Harry

Guest · Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:50 am

Not a problem. I actually am going to take some pics of the septic job too. Im so proud of it!

Im actually really enjoying doing all of this work. I will also check out that manual. Thanks

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I love it when someone around here looks at me funny when I tell them some of the repairs that im doing or have done. I had a guy look at me crazy when I told him I was retiling my kids' floor!? Imagine the crazy looks I get when I said I was digging ditches and running plumbing on a mobile home!! I love to prove them all wrong. Just because Im a girl doesnt mean I cant work hard!![/img]