Advantages of Fiber Cement Siding

When it comes time to replace the siding on your home, there can be a lot of options to choose from. Should you choose the classic, vinyl siding, or something less conventional like cedar shingles? However, another option that you should consider, one that’s become increasingly popular lately, is fiber cement siding. James Hardie perfected their modern version of Fiber Cement siding in the 1980’s, although a version with asbestos has existed since the early 1900’s. Since James Hardie created the modern style, fiber cements popularity has taken off. If you’ve been considering installing fiber cement siding on your home, take a look at some of the biggest advantages that fiber cement siding offers.

Aesthetics: Fiber Cement offers the advantage of being available in a variety of styles and colors. Many homeowners opt for a design that resembles a natural, wooden appearance. Fiber cement’s immense design options mean that it can be designed to fit any aesthetic vision. Additionally, fiber cement can be re-painted with acrylic paint at any time. Since it doesn’t absorb moisture and deal with the expansion and shrinking that wood siding goes through, the paint on fiber cement siding tends to last far longer.

Environmental Impact: While vinyl siding requires the use of fossil fuels to construct, some fiber cement siding manufacturers use recycled and sustainable resources, and modern fiber cement siding is asbestos free and non-toxic, making fiber cement an environmentally friendly option when looking to re-side your home.

Durability: Another advantage of fiber cement siding is that it is very durable. It is crack, rot, frost, moisture, and fire resistant. It’s also termite resistant, meaning that no matter what environment you live in, you don’t have to worry about what damage your climate will do to your homes siding. In fact, many contractors recommend fiber cement siding because it is a wonderful option for any climate! Additionally Fiber cement siding also requires almost no maintenance, making it relatively headache-free option for homeowners. The most extensive maintenance you’ll likely have to do is re-painting your siding when it eventually fades.

Cost: This point may feel a bit misleading at first. While out of the conventional siding options, fiber cement is only cheaper to install than wood siding, it is just a fraction more expensive than vinyl and needs to be replaced far less. Over time, that makes fiber cement siding very competitive with vinyl siding when it comes to which option is cheapest for your home. If you take good care of your siding and don’t have any significant damage, it is very feasible that over the life of your home, fiber cement could be a cheaper siding option.

Have more questions about fiber cement siding? Interested in having it installed on your home? Reach out to our team at (207) 310 7659 or by filling out our online contact form today!