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Have you Considered Fiber Cement?
If you’ve been researching alternatives to vinyl siding, you might have come across HardiePlank and HardieShingle products. They are fiber cement siding produced by James Hardie, one of the top manufacturers of fiber cement siding.
Fiber cement is a siding material made of Portland cement reinforced with wood pulp and fly ash or silica sand. This composition allows for a product that’s durable, yet flexible enough to be nailed to your home’s exterior. Fiber cement planks and shingles are typically painted or stained by the manufacturer, but can also be painted on site, which offers many design choices.
Fiber Cement Benefits
- Long lifespan and a limited lifetime warranty offered by some manufacturers.
- Unlimited color options and a variety of style choices.
- Unbeatable fire resistance.
- Excellent resistance to the elements.
Fiber cement has only been around for a little over 20 years, but it has already earned respect and praise from many Maryland siding contractors, home builders and homeowners as well. Fiber cement siding can last 25 years and beyond, depending on the specific product and the care you provide, including occasional re-painting.
Fiber Cement vs Vinyl
One of the key differences between fiber cement and vinyl is that with fiber cement you get many different looks, colors and styles that vinyl can’t offer. Of course, vinyl has also come a long way since boring, plastic-looking panels, but for certain applications fiber cement provides a greater authenticity and the desired color choices.
In terms of durability, both materials are likely to meet your requirements. One aspect where fiber cement might perform better than vinyl is tolerance of cold weather and freeze-thaw cycles. Maryland winters can be brutal, so if you notice your vinyl siding cracking more and more each year, fiber cement may be a better alternative. This however, comes at a cost and you should expect to pay a bit more for fiber cement than vinyl, although it’s still less if you were to use the real wood or stone.
Other Alternatives to Vinyl
Of course, fiber cement is not the only other siding material than vinyl. Depending on the type, style and age of your home, you could also install siding made of:
- Wood
- Cedar shake
- Stone
- Stucco
- Aluminum or steel
Over the years working as a siding company in Westminster, MD and surrounding areas, we’ve learned a good bit about these vinyl alternatives!
Most of these materials are more costly than vinyl and fiber cement, as well as not as durable or energy-efficient. In many cases, they are used for their looks rather than function. For that reason, we don’t work with stucco, wood or masonry, as we want to ensure that your siding is durable and easy to maintain.
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