Fiber-Cement Siding Pros and Cons
I like fiber-cement siding (Hardieplank, etc.). Though fiber-cement siding looks like the solution for many homeowners, find out the ups–and the downs–of this building material.
Fiber-Cement Siding Pros
- More fire-resistant than vinyl siding. It is non-combustible.
- Unlike vinyl siding, it can be painted–giving you far more design options than the limited number of colors provided by vinyl siding.
- Looks very much like wood siding even on close inspection.
- Thicker than vinyl siding–resists impact better.
- Lower cost than most wood siding.
Fiber-Cement Siding Cons
- Substantially more expensive than vinyl siding. Prepare to spend at least twice as much with fiber-cement siding than with vinyl siding.
- Slower installation time than vinyl siding.
- Unlike vinyl siding, it must be painted–meaning more initial installation costs and more maintenance costs down the road.
- Caulked joints often need re-caulking.