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Design Dilemma Building a Home Remodeling

Siding question: corners

2 years ago

Curious if people have recommendation on the corners of our siding. Our contractor is recommending the “clipped” style with aluminum clips (green house picture) over the corner boards (photo with white corner). Nearly every house I see has the corner boards. Supposedly the clipped style will not separate over time? Any experience with this?

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Comments (10)

PRO
PPF.
2 years ago
What does your house look like?
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
a better question would be, "what does the siding manufacturer recommend on installation w/THEIR product?"

You need to read those specs and read what they recommend. Doing it incorrectly could void the warranty.
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I mitered hardi-shingle around the corners of a 45* angled bay window. It's a nightmarish job. But it really looks like woven shingle corners. It took days to do the two corners, I think it was 15 courses tall. Would have taken hours with trim boards (or real wood shingles). After three years it is still holding up, so it can be done. Maybe you could use metal corner trims for the lap siding (same product that was made for masonite siding.) Corner boards are by far more expedient, and they will pay for themselves. Who is installing? Do they know how to do mitered corners? Did they price the job based on that detail? If they did they should be willing to keep the price the same and supply and install corner boards, and at least come out even. Use textured azek boards to match the texture of the hardi product. Why blend wood trim into a hardi job? Use hardi trim or synthetic like azek. Casey
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SmartSide is a essentially a thin zinc borate preservative treated aspen wood wafer board with a resin saturated MDO paper facing. The edges are treated with 3 coats of an undisclosed "edge sealer". The trick is to seal exposed cut edges well enough to keep them from absorbing water and delaminating. It won't be easy and you will be taking an unknown level of risk but I like the idea. Alternating lapped joints would be far easier than mitering and would not be as prone to opening up later. There may be more appropriate materials for achieving this appearance, like shingles.
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I've never seen mitered shingles and not share how it is possible to cut them in a compoundi bevel unless yo have some kind of jig and they would inevitably separate and leak. Traditionally shingles are lapped and trimmed with a knife. I guess I've seen panelized shingles but never while being installed. In New England shingles are shingles. LINK
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Photos would certainly help. But if materials are installed and are not in their original condition...then replace! It's what you are paying for...
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WestCoast Hopeful
2 years ago
Ours is like the second picture but it is all painted house colour so doesn’t stand out as a trim piece, because it isn’t. Here is ours. We have hardi planks.
cpartist
2 years ago
What is the style of your house?
Candice Lynn
Original Author
2 years ago
It is 100 year old cottage that is being redone.
Candice Lynn
Original Author
2 years ago
For the contractor, either style is fine for the warranty. This is a picture of the house.
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I would double check what your contractor has said is 'fine'. Wish I had a nickle for everytime they were wrong.

ALWAYS check w/the specs on the siding your getting.

What kind of siding/brand are you doing? What was the original corner finish of the house?

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/siding/21110808/how-to-choose-the-best-siding-for-your-house

https://thecraftsmanblog.com/5-worst-mistakes-of-historic-homeowners-part-3-siding/

types of siding

I like the pic that WestCoast showed.

Old cottage

The mitered corners? here's one from Hardie. Not the best finishing job. kind of janky. But if done correctly, I like this. I believe this is fiberboard/cement siding

seamless fiber cement siding

metal corners
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
I agree with the look of themitered look corners this is a small house with a lot going on so keep it simple if the warranty allows .
Candice Lynn
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you all! This is super helpful. We were leaning toward the mitered corners as shown.
Candice Lynn
Original Author
2 years ago
Oh and it is hardie that we are using!

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