Board and batten type shutters made with Hardiplank type products?

[Wakey]

Eddie, I hoped you would chime in! haha

I still didn't order the Hardi boards because I've been having trouble working out how to firmly attach the shutters to the brick without cracking a slat. I had planned on gluing the boards to the batens so it would be a nightmare trying to remove and replace a slat.

I wasn't aware of the Smart Siding so I looked online and reviews are generally excellent although it is a bit newer to the market.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[jenkinsph]

Wakey,
Do you have a table saw? That would make all of this easy if you can dimension your material to fit.

 

[bspeedy]

I used some kind of fiberglass board for mine - not hardy. Can't remember the brand name but I bought it at 84 lumber in 20' lengths. I used masonry screws into the mortar between bricks. Painted with good quality exterior paint. Easy job that took a couple days. Up for about 4 years and no discernible difference from new. Made a huge difference in the looks of my house.

 

[Wakey]

I'd probably go with Smart Siding trim.

I went with the 5\4 x 4 trim boards.When the rain lets up ill put the 2nd coat of paint on the cut to length boards.

I wanted to ask if you thought I should run some caulk where the boards cross the battens?

As I said, I will have 2 coats of SW paint on all sides before I screw these together.

 

[EddieWalker]

Yes, if it was mine, i would use caulking anywhere water might get between the boards

 

[Wakey]

Thanks Eddie!

 

[Budweiser John]

I'm a big fan of Hardie products, but probably wouldn't try to make shutters our of them. Instead, I'd probably go with Smart Siding trim. Lowes sells it. It's a high grade OSB product with a stamped finish that looks like cedar. It paints well, but you need to be sure to seal all your cut edges with paint to keep moisture out.

I love that stuff but use thinned Titebond 3 as an edge/back sealant (finish paint color over) and glue all joints with Titebond.
I think it would be a good choice for shutter material
I would suggest installing the shutters with spacers, say 1/4" between the back of the shutters and the face of the brick to provide some positive drainage.

B. John

 

[handirifle]

It could be done with Hardie boards. My entire house is done with Hardie. There are essentially 1x4 trim boards made by Hardie and you can attach them to the flat panels from behind by predrilling and using screws. You could mount them to the house using screws long enough to go through the 1x4 and through the house to a stud or sheathing. Contractors attached the trim boards and all others with nail guns. They use roofing nail guns for the siding, and a framing nailer would work to attach the shutter to the wall, but with all the work you'd be putting into them, I would predrill and use screws. Then use caulk over the screw and paint.

Hardie is resistant to many things but it does NOT hold up to any impact, so keep that in mind. We once got talked into letting painters replace our warping wood window trim (different house) with stucco over foam. BIG BIG mistake. If I even looked at that crap wrong, it flaked off and showed bright white foam. Hardie isn't that bad but do not hit it with a hammer.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I'm building my board and batten shutters out of Mira-Tec boards. I used it for the exterior trim on my new windows 2 years ago, and it still looks brand new.

MiraTEC Trim

Made from the patented TEC™ process, MiraTEC® Treated Exterior Composite trim combines the eye-catching beauty of cedar with the long-lasting performance of an engineered product. Because it is not hardboard, MiraTEC trim will not delaminate, is moisture, rot and termite resistant, and is backed by a 50-year limited warranty.

 

[Loaderman22]

IMO I would avoid the Hardie Board for the shutters. Yes it is a great product when used as directed, however it is not great if the ends gets wet. I understand you will paint them to seal it, but the top of the shutter is all end grain & exposed to the elements. If you don't stay with the upkeep, ie: painting, then those ends can be prone to water absorption. Their boards were not designed to be used in this way, & it disintegrates quickly if allowed to soak in moisture. I would lean towards a PVC product, like Azek or Versatex. All are bug free, rot free, no carpenter bees, & with Versatex it doesn't yellow, so you don't have to paint if white is your color of choice. You can find wide planks so there is less pieces & attachment points, comes in 5/4 thickness, can be cut with wood saws, & you can route a "V" groove or chamfer the edges with a router. Then use tapcon screws to lag it to brick. Versatex even has a plastic plug that covers the screw holes for a seamless look. It's worth a look, Just my 2 cents.