Whether you’re installing fiber cement siding on your own home, or adding a new skill set to your small business, finding the right tool to cut hardie siding with is key to the success of the job. Out of the many options for fiber cement cutting tools, we prefer siding shears to any other option. With many on the market, finding the best fiber cement shear can be a challenge.
In this post we will give you our top pick for fiber cement shears, what key elements to consider when choosing a siding shear, as well as explain how we came to this choice. We will also go over the best siding shear if you’re on a budget, as well as the best cordless shear according to online reviews.
Best Fiber Cement Shear
Corded. This is the brand we use and trust. PacTool is the premeir brand for anything related to fiber cement siding.
6.5 Amp motor allows for powerful, continuous cutting. According to pactool the blades will last a total of 20 houses worth of siding, and once they wear out the blades can be sharpened or replaced for less than the cost of the tool itself.
Siding Shears as a Cutting Tool – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Less toxic dust – fiber cement siding is made of cement, water and cellulose fibers. It puts off harmful silica dust when cut with a saw. Shears cut the siding in a less-violent crimping motion, eliminating airborne dust and saving dust free cutting, less hazardous, harmful silica dust, find the
- Precision – Since siding shears cut slower, they cut with more precision and tact especially when cutting around window trim. There will be many obstacles to cut around and a straight cut won’t do the trick every time.
Cons
- Waste – by design, siding shears always leave about a ¼” waste strip of siding that falls in between the two blades of the siding shears. This creates hundreds of little strips of fiber cement siding waste at the cut site. These can be a nuisance to pick up after the job is finished.
- Slower Option – Although more precise, fiber cement shears are also a bit slower than a typical saw or guillotine. Not by much, but if speed is necessary, it’s probably best to become well acquainted to your new tool
- Blades wear out – Like any blade, the blades on fiber cement shears eventually run out. They won’t wear out after the first or second house. It’s just good for contractors to keep in mind that eventually they’ll need to replace or sharpen the blades on their fiber cement shears.
Little colored snippet on harmful effects of silica dust
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Best Cordless Siding Shears – According to Reviews
Dewalt tools always bring quality to the forefront of their designs. If you already have a set of Dewalt Cordless tools, this is a great addition to the lineup.
Makita 18V tools are among the most powerful, long lasting 18V cordless systems on the market today. These shears also come with an LED guide light for when lighting is an issue.
If you have the money to spend, the Dewalt cordless Siding Shears are the way to go. Corded siding shears can become a nuisance when the cord hangs where your feet are working.
Dewalt and Makita are two of the best cordless tool brands on the market, and their fiber cement shears
Best Siding Shears on a Budget
If you're on a tight budget, the genesis 4.0 Amp siding shear will get the job done. Unlike some of it's pricier competitors, the Genesis 4.0 has a swiveling head, which can come in handy during complex cuts.
If money is a concern, the Genesis siding shears are the way to go. Although less powerful, hundreds of reviews state that this worked well for one job.
For contractors, professionals, or those installing siding on a large house, I don’t recommend this budget option as the blades tend to wear out quicker than other brands. Durability is also a concern, some consumers report overheating and overall malfunction with this brand.
Drill-Attachment Siding Shears
Another option on the market are drill-attachment shears. For those with a reliable cordless drill, there are a few variants of drill-attached siding shears. These attach to the end of a drill and as the drill spins, it spins the internal gears making the shears cut.
This is not our favorite option because the combination of the drill, and attachment provides a long, cumbersome tool that can sometimes get in the way. It’s also not as easy to make precise cuts with drill-attached shears.
Attaches to any cordless drill. The rotating action of the drill spins the gears inside and produces a siding shear on top of a drill. A unique option, but can be quite cumbersome.
Although this is a great idea, having an entire drill behind a siding shear can be quite cumbersome, cutting angles or around window trim seems like it would be a nuisance.
I would only recommend the budget options if you’re installing on a small outbuilding or shed.
Even if you’re installing on one house, the Pactool is your best bet to avoid tool failure and project delay.
Things to Consider – Buyers Guide
Power Source
If you’re installing siding on a house or in an area without power, its a good idea to opt for a cordless option. if you’re going to have a power supply
Brand preference
If you already work with dewalt or makita, adding the cordless option to your set , how many people will be cutting at the same time.
Durability
are you installing professionally as a contractor? Or are you installing on a small shed with no plans to cut siding again. These are two factors to consider when determining the quality of tool you’ll need.
Ease of use
Installing siding is no easy task. You’ll have long stretches where the cuts are all the same length, and progress seems to fly by, however, once a window, door or other obstacle enters the mix you’ll have to cut around it and things slow way down.
Conclusion
Installing siding is no easy task, the cutting can be monotonous, but when it counts it counts. Fiber cement shears are by far the best option for cutting siding. Their precision, combined with the ability to cut down on toxic silica dust supersedes their competitors. (by the way, who is still using a skill saw to cut siding these days?) I hope this guide was able to steer you in the right direction and help you choose the siding shears right for you and your job.
Max
Max Lowrie, founder of MySplitLevel.com® and author of The Live In Flip© bought his first split level house in 2016. During a lengthy renovation, Max noticed that there was little useful content online specific to split-level homes. Max now devotes his time to share his knowledge hoping to help homeowners avoid unnecessary mistakes, and provide a blue print for split-level owners nationwide.
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