Concrete siding: description, advantages, scope

Concrete siding: description, advantages, scope. In the decoration of the facade of houses, various types of siding are increasingly used. Due to its strength and durability, concrete siding has gained popularity. For this reason, many began to wonder how to finish such siding with their own hands.

In addition, many are captivated by the fact that the material is easy to install and does not require special care during use.

Siding from cement mortar

Some types of decorative concrete siding, which are imitations of various materials, cost an order of magnitude higher than standard options. Concrete fiber siding is made up of cement and cellulose fiber. Fiber additives are needed to keep the material strong, especially for bending parts.

Composition

• Sand.
• Cellulose fibers.

• Mineral additives.
• 80% cement.

Types of surfaces

During production, panels are subjected to high temperatures. The industry produces several types of siding with different types of surface:

• Polyurethane.
• Smooth.

• Imitation of brick, stone and wood.

Most often they come on sale in a gray color with a surface that has been primed for further painting. After installation, the buyer can choose the shade and type of paint himself.

Working with siding

Painting

To protect against negative environmental phenomena, concrete siding for the façade should be painted, even if you like the original gray color of the panels. This will help extend the service life.

The paints should be selected so that they are resistant to alkalis. They must allow air and water vapor to penetrate inside. Ideally, the use of latex paints or solvent-based acrylic paints is recommended. Instructions for using the paint are described on the packaging.

Installation Features

Concrete siding can be installed on both brick and wood surfaces.

If the installation is carried out on a stone wall, then in this case, the manufacture of the crate will be required. It can be made both wooden and metal. The installation of siding on the crate is slightly different from the installation of other types of materials.

Before starting the installation of concrete siding, the surface of the house should be sheathed with polyethylene film and plywood. Siding installation is carried out from the bottom up.

Each panel should be overlapped with the previous one. A special template should be used to ensure uniformity.

The first panel should be placed horizontally using a building level. First, put a bar that will provide a given angle of inclination. All panels should be fixed to the frame (lathing) using galvanized or anti-corrosion nails.

An indent of 1.5 cm should be made from the edge of the panel.To avoid chipping under the nails, drill holes in advance.

Under the influence of weather and temperatures, the panels can shrink and expand, so leave a gap of 0.4 cm during installation.

After installation, fill the gaps with sealant, as well as all the gaps between the panels. Cover mechanical damage and chips with putty.

Tools and fixtures

To install the siding you will need tools for working with concrete, so we recommend that you arm yourself with the following:

• Electric drill.
• Carbide drills.
• Carbide saw.

• Electric jigsaw with carbide saw blade.
• Electric scissors.

Remember to observe safety precautions when working with cement! When cutting, dust will appear, so try to protect your eyes and respiratory tract in advance with special glasses and a respirator. If you have a special saw that extracts dust generated during work, use it.

Advantages and disadvantages

Concrete siding for the facade has a lot of advantages:

• Does not grow moldy.

• Does not rot.
• There will never be insects in it.
• Does not deteriorate due to precipitation.
• Does not burn or melt.
• Does not fade in the sun.

• Gives only slight expansion with temperature differences.
• Has a modern style.
• Decorative.

It would be unfair not to mention the disadvantages:

• The cost is higher than for plastic siding.
• Heavy weight.

• A massive sheathing is required that can support a large weight of siding (metal only).
• Brittle, even with the addition of cellulose fibers.
• Dust formation when cutting.
• Complex tools are required.

Stages of installation

Facade cladding is performed on the lathing.

The frame can be wooden and metal, but in the case of concrete siding, the first option is undesirable.

Sheathing materials

Metal profile sheathing is reliable and much stronger for heavy concrete siding. It will be easier and faster to attach to the surface.

The profile rails should be installed at a distance of 0.5 meters.

Hangers should be used for wall mounting. So you can fix all the profiles evenly, even if there are surface drops.

Lathing made of wood will be cheaper than from a metal profile, but in this case, you should take into account the quality of the selected wood.

The bars should be:

• Not deformed.
• Do not flake.

• No signs of rot.
• Not have bluish spots.

Before fixing, the bars should be treated with a fire retardant and antiseptic. Wooden wall surfaces should also be treated with these solutions.

Preparing the base

Preparing the base is no less important than installing panels.

To attach the lathing, first prepare the base. Remove all parts from the facade that may interfere with the work (bars, tiles, platbands, gutters, etc.).

Set the guides

The panels should be attached horizontally to the surface. Fix the bars or profile vertically.

The lathing should be fixed to stone or brick walls with dowels through pre-made holes. Use nails or screws on wooden walls.

Good advice! if you plan to lay a layer of insulation, then you should make two battens, one of which will be for siding, and the other for the layer of insulation.

It is already inconvenient to lay the insulation after the crate is mounted.

Fasten the first guides evenly, as this will affect the overall quality of the sheathing.

• Using the building level, find the lowest point on the batten. Step up 50 mm and mark. In this place you need to screw in a self-tapping screw.
• Place similar marks around the perimeter of the house.
• Also screw the screws into the corners of the building.

• Pull the twine along the marks.
• Mark the boundaries of the installation of the profiles on the rails. Take the profile and attach it to the corner of the frame, and then put marks on the edges with a marker.
• Make a gap of 6 mm from the edge of the corner profile and attach the guide to the battens.

Good advice! Ideally, a 10mm gap should be left between the planks in case the material is deformed by temperature.

Be sure to follow the evenness of the structure according to the building level. If the guides are crooked, the cladding will be completely skewed. In this case, it will be simply impossible to correct the error.

Corner profile installation

An important role in the installation of concrete siding for the facade is played by the installation of corner profiles.

You will need decorative elements for different parts of the facade:

• Mark the spotlights.

• Attach the guide rail to the corner of the structure, and do this with a 3 mm gap to the soffit. Fasten everything with a self-tapping screw, and so that the lower border is 6 mm below the profile.
• Check that the framework is flat. If all is well, you can start fixing the bottom, and then fix everything else.

Installation of door and window openings

Installation of door and window openings sometimes causes difficulties even for those who have experience in construction work.

The process differs depending on the shape of the openings.

Technology:

• Make waterproofing.
• Attach J-profile or trims. The first consists of two horizontal and two vertical profiles.
• Connect everything.

• Make a bridge cut on each side of the top profile.
• Remove pieces of material from the parts so that the profile is connected at the top.
• Connect the top and sides so that the bridges are inside the profile.

Connect the lower platband using the same technology.

Installing the first panel

The cladding should start from the less visible part of the facade:

• Insert the panel into the corner profile , and the lock connection into the starting profile.

• Attach the panel to a profile or bar. Be sure to leave a small margin.
• When installed in warm weather, the gap is 6 mm, and in cold weather it is all 9 mm.

When installing the panels under the heads of each nail / screw, there should be a space of 1 mm. If fastened more tightly, then under the influence of the sun and moisture, the panels can go in waves.

The rest of the panel installation process is similar to the first one. Remember to constantly check the level of the panels. Near doorways and windows, remove unnecessary pieces that fall on the openings.

Finishing Panel

To install the last panel, follow these steps:

• Measure the distance between the locks of the last two panels.
• Subtract 1 mm from this distance.

• Mark the panel and cut off the key piece.
• Make holds - for this make cuts every 0.2 meters and bend them.
• Insert the trimmed piece into the penultimate panel and click the profile connection lock.

Installing the gable

And finally, we went directly to the installation of concrete siding.

Mount the fasteners in the center of the holes. Install the top fasteners at the top of the holes. Do the cladding as you like - you can use a profile for the inner corners, or you can also use a starting profile. Installation is the same as fixing the panels. Cut the edges of the parts and connect to the locks of the receiving profile.

Do not forget to leave gaps so that there will be no distortions in the future.

The last piece should be fastened through the panel, not the lock. But this can only be done in the case of concrete siding, and in other cases it is unacceptable. Siding fastening technology is the same as for any other type of siding. The only difference is in the material and tools.

For a complete picture of the work, we recommend watching the installation video tutorial.

Concrete siding requires handling skills and the use of special tools. If you are not sure, then it is better to invite an experienced specialist.

Conclusion

Building your own house is not only interior decoration, but also facade cladding. The most popular solution today is siding, namely panels made of various materials with imitation of wood and stone, which have locks and edges.

The material has a lot of positive qualities, excellent performance and an attractive appearance.

Siding can be glossy and smooth, imitating the structure of wood / stone, so it is suitable for any home and landscape design. The most important thing is to select the material and install it according to all the rules.