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Pros and Cons of Hardie Board Siding

When your siding is deteriorating, it dims your home’s curb appeal and jeopardizes its protection. The integrity of your home’s siding needs to stay intact to function properly. So when it’s time for new siding, where do you turn for recommendations? James Hardie fiber cement siding protects over 8,000,000 homes in America, and there’s good reason for their popularity.

At American Way Exteriors, we understand how unsettling it can be to hear about the benefits of multiple siding products and not know which is best for your home. Products that last are important to us; that’s why we install James Hardie siding (also known as Hardie board). It’s the strongest siding available, and stands up against Ohio’s harshest elements. Its outstanding warranty gives homeowners confidence.

Durable, attractive Hardie Board siding stands up to the weather and looks fabulous for years to come. It’s made of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers which combine to create a thick, protective siding product homeowners love.

Hardie Board Siding—the Pros

Extreme durability

Hardie board siding, also known as fiber cement siding, is the toughest siding product in the industry. The most widely used brand of Hardie board siding is James Hardie. Its track record gives you peace of mind that it will last. It withstands high winds, storms, snow, ice, and rain. It protects your home by resisting moisture penetration, saving you the hassle of repairs due to rotting, warping, or swelling. It can withstand the change of seasons and temperature extremes.

Want to learn more about James Hardie Siding?

Check out our Hardie Board Siding Guide

Multiple style options

You deserve the perfect siding to complement your home, and James Hardie has something for every home from Craftsmen to Contemporary.

  • HardiePlank Lap Siding—Top-selling HardiePlank lap siding gives you timeless design, custom color, and gorgeous texture.
  • HardieShingle Siding—The distinct look of cedar merged with the durability of James Hardie products to create this siding.
  • HardiePanel Vertical Siding—Vertical siding with simple lines perfectly complement a farmhouse look or contemporary home.
  • HardieTrim—You can beautifully accent your home’s front door, windows, and more with colorful, attractive HardieTrim.
  • HardieSoffit—Protect your home from moisture penetration and pests by fortifying the space between eaves and exterior walls.

Outstanding warranty

Some siding companies decrease warranty coverage as the years after installation increase, but not the James Hardie company. The James Hardie warranty provides homeowners a 30-year, non-prorated, transferable warranty. Additionally, James Hardie’s ColorPlus Technology is warrantied against chipping, peeling, and cracking for 15 years.

Fire resistant

Siding products such as wood will fuel a fire. But fiber cement siding won’t contribute to a fire because it isn’t combustible. Hardie Board siding gives you and your family the added protection you need so you can have confidence about the safety of you and your loved ones.

Low maintenance

Fiber cement siding requires almost no maintenance year-round. Simply take your garden hose and a medium bristle nylon brush to clean it twice a year, and it will keep looking gorgeous!

Pleasing aesthetics

Hardie board siding is gorgeous and boosts your home’s curb appeal. It can do beautiful things like mimic wood siding (minus the high maintenance of wood) because it is so thick and textured.

Pest resistance

Hardie board resists unwanted pests like termites and carpenter ants. It’s also woodpecker resistant, so there is no need to be concerned about the time or money it takes to repair termite or woodpecker damage to your home.

Environmentally friendly

James Hardie siding is the most environmentally friendly siding option in the industry because of its ingredients and the James Hardie Company’s sustainable practices.

Third-party tested

It’s tough to beat the highly esteemed Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, and James Hardie siding received this honor after rigorous testing by the Good Housekeeping Research institute. Popular HardiePlank lap siding was tested for moisture resistance, color retention, fire resistance, and more.

Fresh options

The latest line of James Hardie siding products is the New Aspyre Collection. Ideal for contemporary or modern homes, this luxury collection combines the thick distinctive patterns of Artisan siding with the smooth, geometric Reveal® Panel System. It provides creative siding design for homeowners who want distinct style.

Trained installation experts

The James Hardie company takes the guesswork out of which contractor to hire to ensure your siding’s long term performance. They train contractors themselves on how to install their product. American Way Exteriors is the only James Hardie Elite Preferred contractor in the area, and we install James Hardie siding according to the strict reliability standards set by the James Hardie company. Your outstanding warranty will be honored because the siding was installed by a qualified Elite Preferred Contractor.

The Cons of Hardie Board siding

Lengthier installation

The heavy weight of Hardie board siding makes it more difficult to handle than other siding material options, so it takes more time to install. And its installation should only be done by James Hardie trained professionals to ensure the warranty is honored.

Initial investment

There are so many pros about fiber cement siding, they offset the primary drawback for this siding material: the initial cost. Hardie board siding is a greater financial investment, but it lasts longer than other siding materials like vinyl. Understand that you will enjoy this exceptional siding for up to 50 years, so the initial investment pays off. And the investment boosts your home’s resale value and gives you one of the highest returns on investment (ROI) in the remodeling industry.

James Hardie siding is more expensive than vinyl, less expensive than brick or stucco siding, and equal to or less than composite siding materials.

Repainting after 15 years

The James Hardie’s ColorPlus Technology warranty covers your siding’s color for 15 years and keeps your color looking vibrant. After approximately 15 years, your Hardie board siding may need to be repainted, but by then you may desire a new look anyway.

Don’t settle for an inferior siding contractor

Get the home exterior upgrades you need from the experts at American Way Exteriors. Take a look at our recent projects and dream a little. Contact us today!

Read Our Rave Reviews

American Way Exteriors has earned numerous positive reviews for our outstanding service. Read about our customers’ pleasant experiences working with us, then contact us today to learn how we can improve your home with new siding and roofing.

"Jake Preston is amazing! We had wind damage to our roof. Jake assisted us through every step. Making sure we had no unanswered questions. His professionalism and kindness is unmatched. The crew was respectful and detailed oriented. Thank you Jake and American Way!"

Michelle G.

"Replaced the existing siding on my home. Contact and price were discussed thoroughly during the initial discussions. Workers arrived at the scheduled time and were professional in the removal, new installation, cleanup, and onsite conduct. Communication between supervisors, installers and myself was on a daily basis and any issues were addressed immediately. Would not hesitate to use this company again or recommend them."

Beecher R.

"We chose American Way Exteriors to replace our old vinyl siding with Hardie board siding and trim. Throughout the entire process we found the team to be very professional and receptive to our questions about the project. They were constantly in touch with us about when work would start, what to expect each day of the project, and followed up to see if we had concerns. As the project began it was very apparent our house had suffered from poor installation by the builder years ago. The American Way team worked to fix the problems, keeping us well informed along the way. We could not be happier with the finished project both cosmetically and structurally. This is definitely a company we highly recommend exterior projects!"

Kathy G.

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