The Facts About Cement Board Siding

People often wonder; what is the difference between Hardie Board and cement board siding.  One particular contractor in Colorado Springs relishes the opportunity to expound upon the finer points of Hardie Board, but according to most contractors they are relatively the same thing.  Hardie Board is the best known brand of cement board siding, which is often called fiber cement.  The James Hardie product is so familiar in the building industry that people often forget that it is a brand.

Many people don’t realize that a home is made with cement board siding because it so closely resembles other materials.  For example, homeowners can choose from a wood grain finish, a stucco look, or a smooth plank that appears more like vinyl siding. All fiber cement products are waterproof and designed to hold up in extremely strong rain, winds, hail and salt air.  Hardie Board is also extremely fire resistant.

If you install a cement board siding product on your home, you can expect it to last a lifetime, and sometimes longer.  This has become a major selling point for the product because it increases the resale value of the home, but there are other reasons that homeowners choose cement board.   First of all, it is very low maintenance.  Unlike a lot of other popular siding materials, it resists mold and mildew, and doesn’t have to be cleaned any more often than vinyl or wood.

Before you start thinking that you will need to do a lot of prep work before painting fiber cement, each plank is pre-primed and ready to go.  You can also find pre-painted and/or pre-colored cement board siding at many contractors, which can be a real time saver after installation is complete.  Many contractors will recommend buying the pre-primed siding and having it painted to your specifications; mainly because it will never chip or peel later on.

Taking all of these benefits into account, it is no wonder that cement board siding is a trend that is sweeping the nation.  Homeowners have become more practical and they don’t mind spending a little more upfront to get quality that will last a lifetime.  Plus as we all know, resale value is a very important thing these days.  Remember that the exterior of your home is the first thing that people see when they drive up, so choosing a tough, good looking exterior product such as cement board siding, is a great way to make that first impression.