[tom h]

I have been reading posts for a while to find out what to use as a base for my building, and was going to use hardi board because of recommendations on some of previous posts. Then a friend of mine said it was a fiber board cement product and if you put it outside it will break down, is that true? I know some of you guys have used it before, what is your experience.


Thanks for the help,


tom h

 

[NW Jim]

I've used it with a quick and dirty paint job and it holds up just fine up here year-round in Western Washington. As an added bonus, it's nice and heavy so your buildings don't tip over (or fly away!) in a storm.

Good Luck!

 

[Burl]

I don't understand that logic... I have some buildings I used it in that have been out two years, and I can't tell it's degraded at all. I also left some scrap out, un-painted & un-treated in any way, and it hasn't degraded either.

Isn't this stuff related to the cement-board type siding that people use on their houses anyway?

Burl

 

[Rod Fearnley]

I have some pieces outside as bases for a trial for two years. They have been there under sun,rain, snow and frost. There dosn't appear to be any degradation at all. I shall use more of it.


Rod F.

 

[tom h]

Burl thats what i asked him when he said it because i have customers of mine in the construction business and they use it as siding. i did not know if there was something different that i did not know about.  Well its off to Home despot to get some.


thanks for the response.


tom h

 

[sheepdog]

The backer board I used has failed. I can't remember the exact name of it and the tags are long gone. I picked it up at Lowes. It was rated for full water contact and was laminated not concrete.


I used one long piece for a base for my little town. After about a year and 1/2 in full contact with damp earth, it delaminated. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif


I put another piece on top of my picnic table to work on my projects. After a summers worth of rain, it has gotten real fuzzy. When it rains, the fuzz splahes the buildings just like dirt. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif


Wish I could remember the name... Don't want to give all backer board a thumbs down. Avoid the one that looks laminated.


Craig

 

[altterrain]

I have used lots of Hardibacker for buildings and bases. I give it a couple of coats of paint and no problems going into its second winter. I'm not sure what Craig used (some type of greenboard?) but I'd stay away from it.

-Brian

 

[ohioriverrailway]

Had the same problem as Craig, and, no, I don't remember the brand name either!

 

[altterrain]

Posted By Burl on 01/05/2008 7:50 AM

Isn't this stuff related to the cement-board type siding that people use on their houses anyway?

Burl


 


Yes, Hardiplank, also made by Jame Hardie is similar. Its a harder, denser product.


Burl,


What's with the ninja look? Are you the stealth caster?


-Brian



 

 

[Dougald]

Hardiboard may work ... judging from teh comments above one may need to carefully examine before giving it a try.

However, plexiglass is known to be pretty much impervious to water and rotting and would be my recommendation. It is easily cut and drilled as a bonus.

Regards ... Doug

 

[BnEgscale]

I have used both Hardi Backer Board and Durabound outdoors.
The Durabound eventually crumbled in wet applications and the Hardi does not. The only problem I had with the Hardi Backer Board is a large base that supports two buildings (the Brewery, smoke stack and powerhouse). Moles tunnelled underneath it and when I stepped on the yard area it gave in a bit where I stepped on the area covering the mole tunnel. I don't blame that on the product. Now if someone has a sure fire method to get rid of the moles they could quickly become millionairs. BTW, the mole has also uprooted my track in the same area several times which alwasy causes problems.

Bob

 

[altterrain]

Posted By BnEgscale on 01/05/2008 5:13 PM
 Now if someone has a sure fire method to get rid of the moles they could quickly become millionairs. BTW, the mole has also uprooted my track in the same area several times which alwasy causes problems.

Bob


Bob,


Before we got our terrier, I used this product - www.gardensalive.com/product.asp  with pretty good results. Its corn cob bits impregnated with castor oil.


-Brian



 

 

[Burl]

Re: Moles: Someone posted on here a few years ago about using an oxy/acetylene torch to get rid of them. He stuck it in the hole, turned the gas on, waited a few minutes & lit it. If that guy is reading this, I wish the guy would repost the story... cause it was like something out of Apocalypse Now.

 

[John J]

I think I saw  people using  hardi Board/backer board  as skirting on a   manufacturedhome/ tempoary office building.    They painted it the  same color as the trim.  

 

[jbwilcox]

Home Depot sells two versions of hardibacker.


 


I have used it and it works well here in soggy washington.  I cannot remember which ot the two I used.  One I think was more laminated than the other.


 


John

 

[Dr Rivet]

ALL

I am constructing a 1:1 scale storage building next to my railroad. I am using James Hardie vertical siding sheets that are visually similar to T1-11 wood siding. The installation instructions specifically require that the bottom edge of the siding be at least 6 inches from the ground surface to prevent water absorption and recommend that it be painted within 6 weeks of installation. The Hardie backer is a thinner product that is designed for an underlayment for tile floors, but is in much smaller sheets [3x7 I think]. Go to ==>http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/ select "products", then "siding" or "backerboard". I know one person near Roanoke VA who has usedit as a track surface on elevated portions of his layout for several years. He would not stand on it, but it was able to support his live steamers without problems.

Cheers
Jim

 

[rkapuaala]

Everything breaks down eventually. Nothing can escape the decay of time, not stone, metal or concrete. The question is how long does it take and how can the process of decay be impeded.

 

[John J]

I used it for the roof  of my tunnels.   I poured concrete on top of it.     Two inches thick. 

 

[Duncan]

Posted By Burl on 01/05/2008 8:01 PM
Re: Moles: Someone posted on here a few years ago about using an oxy/acetylene torch to get rid of them. He stuck it in the hole, turned the gas on, waited a few minutes & lit it. If that guy is reading this, I wish the guy would repost the story... cause it was like something out of Apocalypse Now.




Might that have been a propane story?


And how you could find out if the gophers had tunneled into your neighbors yard also (by detecting the, um, "flash" in their yard, too)??  /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif


http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=15363&whichpage=1&SearchTerms=propane


http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2605&whichpage=1&SearchTerms=propane


 

 

[rkapuaala]

Not that I advocate the distruction of small fury critters that burrow underground and destroy gardens and layouts, but, I curred a gopher problem once with left over cans of foam insulation. I found the newest gopher hole (the one with the freshest pile of dirt around it) emptied the remaining contents of the insullating foam can into that hole. found the older holes and did the same. Then I waited twenty four hours and looked for new holes,,, none appeared, so I pulled on the cured foam that was popping out of the ground like a mushroom and lo and behold, up from the newest hole emerged not just the foam but embedded in it was a gopher, up to his hind quarters in foam. One of the other holes had a small gopher in the foam, but I imagine the rest of the gophers either got the stuff in their eyes and mouth and died somewhere in the tunnel system, because I didn't see hide nor hair of them again.
Cruel yes, safer than gas, definately