Non-galvanized nail question

[jimnmad]

I'm building a cabin and am to the point were we are putting up siding. We're using Hardie Plank which is kind of brittle. The problem is we got a bunch of siding nails which weren't galvanized, and before we caught what was going on we pounded about 5 pounds of them in. They are ring shanked nails but not galvanized. I don't think we could pull them out without doing more damage than good. Is there any kind of coating or process which would keep the rust from weeping through the latex paint we will be using? I know this isn't boat related but the cabin is at the lake where we use the boat. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

[paladin]

you might try a dab of rustoleum paint on the exposed parts.....worked on my outside work benches...

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by BrianM:
If you can't pull them, I'd set them deep and then "bung" them with epoxy (add microballoons to sandable consistentcy).Can't do that with HardiePlank. It's fibre-cement siding. Setting the nails deeper probably means shattering the siding.

[Dan McCosh]

A dab of zinc-based primer should help, although the shank of the nail which does the holding wouldn't get any. The main problem would be the potential for weeping rust stains through the paint.

[maa. melee]

I thought Hardieplank was supposed to be nailed only on the top edge where the following course of siding would protect the nail heads? I've seen hundreds of board feet go up on a house nearby my summer house, near the ocean, where steel nailes were driven into the top edge and nowhere else. Since its cement/fiber siding, it won't cup and you can get away with 'hanging' the siding.

[ssor]

What Maa. Melee said. Exposed nails could be painted with aluminum paint or zinc chromate primer and then sealed with Zinzer oil based primer and you shouldn't have any bleed thru.

Ross in Bel Air

[jimnmad]

The Hardie plank web site calls for butted joints and the ends of the planks to be face nailed . I found a Rust-Oleum product that is to be used in the repair or sealing of scratches and cut ends of galvanized products. I bought a couple of cans at $6.50 each and I'll see if it works. Thanks

[landlocked sailor]

Am currently haelping a friend side his house with HardiPlank. We are using SS nails in an air hammer; they are on the TOP of the clapboard and are covered by the next course. They are not exposed at all this way. Rick

[jimnmad]

Landlocked, we are amateurs at this and are going by the instructions on their website. We too are using the same set up you are along the top edge of the siding but experienced a little breakage on the butt joints and in the corners, so we were predrilling those and hand nailing. has it been your experience that not face nailing the butt joints and corners is adequate? If it works for you maybe we are working too hard at this and just need to nail the top edge. what do you think?

[ssor]

I have more than a little experience with fiber/ cement siding, Do not nail closer than three inches from the ends and you won't get break-outs. If you haven't yet done it make a couple of gage blocks that hook over the last board and set the place for the new board, nail from near the center out towards the ends, caulk the butt joints and wipe off the excess.

Ross in Bel Air

[Stiletto]

I have hung miles of hardiplanks over the years and have always nailed through the lap at the bottom of the weatherboard as per Hardies technical instructions, and unlike timber weatherboards which are nailed above the lap to allow for movement of the timber.

The nails shouldnt be punched, just nailed flush with the surface. The heads of non galv ones could be painted with a rustproofing paint .
I would use cold galv (zinc rich) or similar.

I have always used galv nails . When the odd mistake happens, it is best to punch the nails through and fill the holes, although this wouldnt be practical with five pounds of nails.

I did have a random thought that you could do this and invert the planks with the holes under the laps, creating a new bottom edge of the plank with the pass of a rasp to give the small bevel.
Practical for a couple of planks but not for a lot.

Good luck with the rest of the project.

[landlocked sailor]

Interstingly, the technical info we have recommends top nailing, with the nail heads proud of the surface. This is much like hanging slates on a roof. I used cedar on my house and nailed at the plank bottoms; unless the planks are all VG they will cup away from the house unless nailed on the bottom. Not a concern with the HardiPlank. Rick