The Advantages of Fiber-Cement Siding
Choose fiber-cement siding for your house and you may not have to paint it again for 25 years.
If you’re constructing a brand-new home, garage, addition, workshop or barn– or if it’s time to replace the ancient, weather-beaten siding on your home– think about fiber-cement siding.
Exactly what is fiber-cement siding, and what are your choices? Like conventional siding, fiber-cement siding is applied to the exterior of buildings to safeguard them from the aspects. This product comes in a vast array of colors and styles that appear like traditional siding products, notably stucco, cedar shingles, and wood clapboards. It’s made mainly from cement, sand, and wood fiber (commonly a recycled wood-fiber waste product), a combination that leads to an incredibly long lasting product.
Fiber-cement siding typically costs a bit more than vinyl siding, however less than stucco. It likewise outlasts its rivals– often by decades– due to the fact that it resists lots of common dangers, including fire, wind, bugs, and rain. Fiber-cement siding is suggested in all environments, however is ideal for hot, damp areas. No matter how damp it gets, it will not rot. And because of the cement and sand material, it’s termite-resistant.
Because of its sturdiness, fiber-cement siding minimizes maintenance expenses, and it’s less likely than traditional siding to wind up in garbage dumps. Sadly, there are currently no recycling programs in place for fiber-cement siding. However, it is an inert material that, if ultimately sent to a landfill, should not endanger the environment.
Although lots of builders and house owners are just finding its advantages, this product has been around for fairly a long time– nearly 100 years– so you will not be try out a brand-new product.
Fiber-cement planks made with a wood-grained or a smooth finish are popular. These come in widths of 4 to 12 inches, so you can match existing siding if you’re developing an addition or garage. Wall panels with vertical grooves and soffit panels for the underside of overhangs are likewise readily available.
Fiber-cement siding can be primaried and painted at the factory or on the building website. (Some manufacturers prime all their items.) I suggest factory-primed and painted siding, which typically carries a guarantee of approximately 25 years. For those who want to do the priming and painting themselves, makers usually suggest an alkaline-resistant primer and a 100-percent-acrylic leading coat.
If you wish to change the color at a later date, no problem. Water-based acrylic paints adhere well. And fiber-cement siding does not expand and contract as much as wood siding, so paint remain in location much better. It hardly ever peels or blisters, reducing upkeep time and cost.
Fiber-cement siding is commonly readily available and can be purchased in the house enhancement centers and lumberyards. Maybe the best-known manufacturer is James Hardie, which offers 3 items: HardiePlank, HardieShingle and HardiePanel. Other manufacturers consist of CertainTeed, Cemplank, and Maxitile. CertainTeed produces items in 16 color options.