When it comes to protecting the outside of your home, HardiePlank® Siding is a popular choice today. Its reputation is billed as being a hardy, low-maintenance, and long-lasting siding material. The question homeowners often have, though, is this – does it measure up to its reputation? To consider just how well it stacks up to other siding products on the market, homeowners should look at the strong list of advantages associated with HardiePlank® products.

HardiePlank® Siding: The List of Pros

• Appearance – HardiePlank® Siding can be made to mimic just about any other siding material, including wood lap boards, cedar shingles, and wood shake siding. In addition, the ColorPlus® Technology offers a complete palette that makes color options virtually unlimited. Thanks to the ColorPlus® Technology, the final result is a durable, low-maintenance finish that lasts up to two times longer, has 30% better fade resistance, and adheres better than any other paint available.
• Fire Resistance – No building material can ever guarantee a fireproof home, but there are some measures that a homeowner can take to better prepare for an unexpected fire, like installing a non-combustible home exterior. HardiePlank® Siding is a fiber cement product comprised of mostly sand and cement, basically making it resistant to the damaging flames of a fire.
• Storm Resistance – Whether you’re looking for a siding material that can withstand the possible devastation from the next Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricane, or one that can fend off the next major wind or hail storm without sustaining damage, fiber cement siding is a proven product when it comes to resisting potential damage caused by airborne objects during any type of storm.
• Longevity – Most HardiePlank® Siding comes with a minimum 30-year guarantee. HardiePlank® Siding resists the warping, cracking, buckling and swelling that can be caused by hot and humid weather conditions. It can even handle the corrosive environment of salt spray on homes near the ocean.
• Green Building Material – In today’s world of creating a greener, more sustainable environment, HardiePlank® Siding is at the top of the line. The cellulose fibers that are used in HardiePlank® Siding do not come from endangered species of wood, not to mention the fact that the other materials used (cement and sand) are certainly easy to get. Toxic materials (such as vinyl) are never used in the production of a HardiePlank product.

So, the question you have to ask is this:  what’s not to like about HardiePlank® Siding?

A Few Additional Considerations

First of all, because of its sheer weight, fiber cement siding requires more resources to install than other siding materials. Secondly, it’s not a completely maintenance-free siding material. Over time, you will find that it may need a repaint job to spruce it up.

• High Installation and Labor Costs – Fiber cement siding requires more planning, a larger labor force, and it takes longer to install due to its composition.  Fiber cement siding weighs about 300 pounds per square (100 square feet), compared to 60 to 70 pounds per square for vinyl siding.  More employees are needed on site to properly move and support the boards as they go up.  The additional manpower does increase the associated labor and equipment costs over and above the cost of installing vinyl or aluminum siding.
• Maintenance – Because it resists fading, you will be able to enjoy your beautiful new siding for many years without needing to repaint it, unless you simply want to change the color of your home’s exterior.  It is good to note that, unlike vinyl siding, a HardiePlank® product can easily be painted, if a color change is desired.

Allied Siding and Windows understands that your home is a very special place and that you want to provide your home with the highest quality products, including siding. If you are building a new home or if you need to replace your existing siding, then HardiePlank® Siding is an excellent choice. HardiePlank® Siding offers a number of benefits that you simply do not get with any other siding material on the market today. For more information, call the expert team at Allied Siding and Windows today.