# Cardboard siding question



## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

Whats the old siding called that looks like its made out of cardboard? I think it was used in the 70s. Im working on a house and some needs to be replaced, the owner is a cheap skate. It has a 10" reveal, do they still make this stuff? If they do Id like to know what its called so I can call around and find it. I used to know its name but I forgot it now.


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## brushworks prof (Sep 1, 2007)

I belive you are asking about Masonite siding or medium density fiberboard. It is made from ground up trees and the fiber is formed into a mat that is then pressed into a board with a texture pattern on it. Well its a little more complicated than that but it is pretty soft and damages easily.
there are a few manufactures still out there but they are dropping fast, I think only 7 manufactures make it now like Collins Pine in the north, Temple Inland in Tx, and Weyerhauser that I can think of off hand.
I used to work for Templeinland making fiberboard siding. But from my stand point it is way overpriced for what your gettin.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 24, 2006)

Michaeljp86 said:


> Whats the old siding called that looks like its made out of cardboard? I think it was used in the 70s. Im working on a house and some needs to be replaced, the owner is a cheap skate. It has a 10" reveal, do they still make this stuff? If they do Id like to know what its called so I can call around and find it. I used to know its name but I forgot it now.


It is hardboard siding and the primary manufacturer during that era was the Masonite Corp, thus this type of siding became generally known as masonite siding,although they were not the only producer. There are still a couple of "next generations" of this stuff out there. I see advertisements for it, but since I have no desire to go anywhere near this stuff, I don't even pay enough attention to it to recall the names, but it should turn up in a search for "hardboard siding manufacturers".


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## Gordo (Feb 21, 2006)

If you HAVE to use it...make sure you back prime and caulk all nail holes.


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

Gordo said:


> If you HAVE to use it...make sure you back prime and caulk all nail holes.


Thats what the problem is, its on a dueplex and someone who lived there got behind on their rent and thought they would be smart and called a health inspector and showed them the dump thinking they wouldnt have to pay rent until it got fixed. Well the health inspector called the building inspector and they got everyone out of the house and gave the guy 30 days to get it fixed up. They had no gutters on it and water splashed back on the siding which all the paint flicked off so it was just like unprotected compressed paper getting soaked each rain. The inspector said any rotted siding needs to be replaced. I would go vinyl but the guy wont spend the money. Just wants it patched up and painted.


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## Gordo (Feb 21, 2006)

Get it done and make some money.:thumbup:


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

Gordo said:


> Get it done and make some money.:thumbup:


This house would take 30K easy to fix it up and he wants to spend less then 10k. My dad figures around $5000 to do the electrical on it. So that doesnt leave much left to play with unless I work for free and thats not going to happen. Monday Ill try to figure up what it will cost to do it half  and see if he wants to go for it.


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## Pearce Services (Nov 21, 2005)

I would run from this unless you get paid what the job is worth....mold issue, board of health, inspectors, whistle-blowing tenant, landlord not getting paid....you will get your butt handed to you if you cut corners to do this job cheap.


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

Pearce Services said:


> I would run from this unless you get paid what the job is worth....mold issue, board of health, inspectors, whistle-blowing tenant, landlord not getting paid....you will get your butt handed to you if you cut corners to do this job cheap.


 
Thats what Im going to figure out, first we told him to give us 20k. Well he wants to spend less then 10. He has a list the inspector gave him that he needs to have done before they will let him rent it out again. I have the list from the inspector and they have a new inspector now because the old one was a complete idiot. What Im going to do is say to fix the sideing I need $3000, to put in carpet, $1000. Something like that so I cant get screwed. Thats not how I want to do it but I think its the only way to go. I think hes going to call the fire department and tell them to burn it down when he find out its going to cost more then 10 grand. I can picture him when I say I need $12000.


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## kevjob (Aug 14, 2006)

run, don't walk away your price is your price period. 10,000 is ridiculously low:whistling


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

kevjob said:


> run, don't walk away your price is your price period. 10,000 is ridiculously low:whistling


Even the inspector said its going to cost around 24 grand to fix it. Im not sure where he thinks 10 will cut it but he does. After my dad said $5000 for the electrical he said go ahead but then he said well wait and Ill think about it. I took some measurement of the bigger projects and this weekend and monday Ill call around and get it all figured out. I ordered a computer program for building a house or remodling and I was hopeing to get it today and try it out. From what I read you could plan it out and it would even give you a estimate.


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## skymaster (Oct 23, 2006)

Michael: IMHO DO NOT REPEAT NOT EVEN TOUCH THIS!!!! If you do YOU WILL WIND UP BEING TOTALLY LIABLE FOR THIS MESS!!!!!!!. ANY future problems WILL BE YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!! MOLD WATER ETC. I will bet 500 bucks right now that building has a MAJOR mold problem:sad::whistling. RUN not walk away, this is a total disaster looking for somebody to hang with.
JackM


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