Maybe you have dreamt of owning your very own beach house, a lovely home near a sunny coastal area to lounge in whenever you need a well-deserved break from your busy life? It sounds like the perfect dream to invest in, but if you do not know the basics of maintaining your coastal house, your experience might be short-lived. Starting with the binder of your home is a good idea. Which cement is best for coastal areas?
Fiber cement is the best siding material for wet coastal regions because it’s durable, water-resistant, and offers long-lasting protection. ASTM E-84 (a test that determines surface burning characteristics) rates fiber cement as Class A (fireproof structural steel frame) construction material.
If you consider building or buying a house in a coastal area, you need to make sure that you use the best construction materials to protect your home from the humid climate and moist air. Let’s find out which cement is the most suitable and how well it can safeguard and protects your beach house.
Which Cement is Best For Coastal Areas?
Fiber cement is made up of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers. It is sturdy and very durable. Not only does it protect your house from sustaining water damage, but it has a high fire protection rating, is wind resistant, and because it comes in various designs, you can let your imagination run wild!
Fiber cement siding might sound challenging to install, but it is pretty easy. Use the proper tools and materials, find the best construction workers to build your dream beach house, and you will indeed have a sturdy and long-lasting coastal home.
Instructions on how to install fiber cement siding:
1. Prepping
- Cover the walls with foam or plywood
- Wrap covering with house wrap
- Use chalk to mark the placement of the studs
2. Trimming Siding
There are four ways you can trim fiber cement siding.
- Circular Saw (A speedy saw with a rotating abrasive or toothed disc)
- Jigsaw (A fine-bladed machine saw that cuts curves in metal, wood, or plastic)
- Fiber Cement Shears (You can attach fiber cement shears to electric power drills to make straight or irregular curved cuts)
- Scoring(Snapping the fiber cement to the desired length. Scoring can be difficult and might not be even or smooth)
3. Securing Siding
Fiber cement can be nailed by hand, with a pneumatic nail gun or fastened with corrosion-resistant screws. When nailing fiber cement, you must use stainless steel nails or hot-dipped galvanized nails.
- You can face nail the siding at the bottom or blind nail the siding at the top.
- Siding nails must be used for face nailing and roofing nails for blind nailing.
- Puncture the covering 1” through the studs.
- Nails should be placed
“ to 1” from the border of the fiber cement siding.
4. Installing Trim And Siding
- Install the inner and outer corners on the wall(you can use wood, thick fiber cement products, or vinyl)
- Install fiber cement at least 6” above the grade level of the coastal house. Horizontal surfaces should have an opening of 1” or 2”. Make sure to leave a gap of
“ between the siding and the flashing (weatherproof material to avoid water damage). Flash doors and windows.
It is a smart idea to have someone assist you but use overlap gauges to hold up the siding while nailing it if you are working by yourself.
5. Finishing Fiber Cement Installation
You need to paint fiber cement immediately after you install it. Check that it is free of dust, dry, and clean before painting. Primed fiber cement siding can last six months without painting.
Seal ends and joints with top-quality latex caulking and primer for exposed, uncovered cuts. Use 100% acrylic latex paint topcoat.
What Are The Best Materials For Coastal Construction?
Coastal homes require specific building materials to ensure durability and protection from the humidity and moist air in coastal areas. Here are the best, essential construction materials to buy when you want to build a beach house:
- Metal Roofing: Not only is it weather-resistant and durable, but it also helps cool down your house. Metal roofing lowers the cost of maintenance and lasts much longer than other types of roofing.
- Corrosion-Resistant Materials: Saltwater can severely damage specific construction materials. Treated wood and concrete are the best corrosion-resistant materials to use. When framing, use hot-dipped galvanized or stainless-steel nails, stainless-steel strapping, and through-bolts for any outside air-exposed parts.
It is essential to know where to use treated and untreated wood.
- Glass Doors and Windows: Use impact-rated glass for glass doors and windows. It secures and protects your home from storms and hurricanes and maintains pressure.
- Brick Siding: Brick siding can be expensive; although there are lower-priced options, brick is the better choice when you want to protect your house from rain, sun, and the salty beach wind. It can last for over a century, provide effective insulation and effective thermal.
- Low VOC Paint:When choosing paint for a coastal house, the quality choice is low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint as well as low VOC (volatile organic compounds) primer.
- Exotic Hardwood Flooring:Go green with exotic hardwood flooring! It is long-lasting, modern, and comes in a variety of colors and designs.
- Closed Cell Insulation:Hardwood floors can easily shrink and discolor when exposed to humidity. Closed-cell insulation seals and protects hardwood. It is recommended that you use closed cell for the walls and floors.
Conclusion
The key to a beautiful coastal home is quality material. Fiber cement is one of the most modifiable building materials, and you can make your beach house look as modern and contemporary as you want. It is eco-friendly, durable, and requires less maintenance. The design process is the most exciting.
Installing and sustaining fiber cement is easy if you use the right tools. Although some materials can be expensive, it is better to buy high-standard material that lasts for years to come. It is best to get quotes from various construction and hardware companies to budget and start planning your coastal home.
References
- https://www.nichiha.com/blog/the-benefits-of-using-fiber-cement-in-wet-coastal-areas
- https://askinglot.com/open-detail/416504
- https://findanyanswer.com/goto/387192
