|
If the issue of this Malco fiber cement siding gauge being made of flexible plastic wasn't annoying enough, it has another more serious design flaw:This gauge fails at it's most basic function.measuring an accurate exposure. When the gauge is SET for a 7 inch exposure, the ACTUAL exposure is 7 1/16 inch. This can be verified by measuring the gauge with a tape measure.Although 1/16 of an inch may not seem like much, after 16 rows, the cumulative error is 1 inch.
What works rather well is the.Malco FCG2 1-1/4 Inch Overlap 5/16-Inch Thickness Fiber Cement Siding Gauge, 2-PackJust bought another pair for the crew so I could get to use mine. Your corners have to meet. I had these gauges in my HardiePlank tool chest. Once it is nailed off and gauges released and back in your paws, hit the nails again with a hammer. However, they did it horizontal so the eye could not tell - and this is all trompe l'oeil work. They are worth the price. It is the bane of siding.
I went around the house today on another issue and the boys managed to insert a pair of 3/16 down ticks and a 1/4 down tick in five courses on a wall that was a mass of layout lines. I just gave them to Young Jack and wished him the joy of them. You must return to a surveyed layout line every four courses or. They hold the board while you fiddle about. Seems to get the board flatter.Tech Tip: You will be amazed at the cumulative error you can crank in. All they had to do was insure that the top of each course hit the chalk line.
It works as a gauge and I use it, but it can vary as much as 1/8 of an inch depending on how hard you are pushing on it. That can add up to quite a bit after 20 rows of siding with each row based on the previous. Would be much better, if it were more rigid.
|
