cement siding abuse

[Jim Baird]

The installer on this new construction used way wrong nails for both blind and face nailing.

It looks like about a 6 penny finish nail or brad, practically headless, in violation of manufacturer direction.  All the face nailing looked like the picture, penetrated and sunken, so when you strike a blow with the meat of a fist the material rattles back and forth on the shafts of the nails.

Installer face nailed way more than he should have.  Every course was peppered like this.  I declared the whole installation to be toast, because I cannot see how you could remove these wrong nails and put the right ones in, especially the blind ones, without spoiling the material.

Has anyone here seen such a botch level on this kind of siding?

Buyer not running away.  Buyer is sprinting.

[Les]

this was common problem abt 12-14yrs ago around Michigan.  Installers used brad nailers for installation.  I agree that it is "toast".  Some may disagree.

[Marc]

If it's a new construction and you get a deflection like you described on a majority of the courses, it's enough to call for it's wholesale replacement.  I absolutely would.

[BADAIR]

pneumatic 16ga finish nails are very common around here w/most installers for blind & face nailing

i expect on arrival & rarely surprised to include my boilerplate comment &

https://www.jameshardie.com/JamesHardieMainSite/media/Site-Documents/TechnicalBulletins/5-alternate-fasteners.pdf