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Three “Issues” With James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding | Central MA

James Hardie Is The Best Siding On The Planet… But Nothing Is Perfect. Here Are 3 “Issues” Hardie Has…

BY JEFF BROOKS, OWNER

At Solid State Construction, we talk quite a bit about how James Hardie fiber cement siding is superior to vinyl.

But we can be honest—there is no such thing as a “perfect” product. Even best-in-class brands have their issues. Today, I’ll talk about three of James Hardie’s… and why they can honestly be a GOOD thing.

Let’s begin.

“Issue” 1: James Hardie Siding Is (Typically) Pricier Than Vinyl

James Hardie fiber cement siding is generally a bit more expensive than the average vinyl siding brand. If you want fiber cement siding, you’re looking at an initial investment that’s about 25% higher than vinyl.

So if you want the lowest cost siding in Central MA, HardiePlank isn’t going to be the best option. It’s simply a bigger upfront investment than vinyl (generally speaking).

Counterpoint: Why This “Issue” Is A Good Thing

Siding is a “get what you pay for” home improvement project. And if you pay a cheap price, you’re going to get cheap quality.

The reason Hardie siding costs a little more upfront? Because it’s a higher quality material that’s stronger, more durable, and looks way better. Should you choose Hardie over vinyl, your long-term return on investment will be MUCH greater.

“Issue” #2: James Hardie Siding Installation Is Tricky

Fiber cement is probably the toughest type of siding to install. This is especially true of James Hardie siding—the installation best-practices manual is well over 100 pages!

This means you can’t hire just ANY company to install James Hardie siding and expect a quality outcome. You have to find a company with plenty of experience installing James Hardie SPECIFICALLY. Otherwise, installation-related problems WILL occur.

Counterpoint: Why This “Issue” Is A Good Thing

Because Hardie is such a tough install, many low-quality companies won’t even work with it. This is good news for you since it automatically filters out a solid portion of substandard contractors.

It’s true that you can find companies that install Hardie that have no business doing so. That’s why it’s important to choose a company that, at the bare minimum, is James Hardie Elite Preferred™. Or, even better, a company that’s 1 of the 20 James Hardie President’s Club Members in the country. (Like us!)

“Issue” 3: James Hardie Siding Needs To Be Painted

When it comes to color, you’ve got two options with Hardie.

Your first option is to paint Hardie with acrylic latex house paint. Fiber cement is a very good material for this.

Your second option is going with James Hardie’s factory pre-finish called ColorPlus®. ColorPlus Technology is more durable and longer-lasting than house paint. It is also resistant to peeling, fading, and chipping.

The “issue” here is that Hardie siding doesn’t have the color baked into it like vinyl siding does. That means Hardie requires the occasional touch-up with paint to stay looking new.

This whole paint discussion, however, requires a little more context… which is what the counterpoint is for!

Counterpoint: Why This “Issue” Is A Good Thing

Saying you don’t “need” to paint vinyl siding is a little misleading. It’s more accurate to say that vinyl siding SHOULDN’T be painted.

House paint doesn’t adhere well to vinyl, so the end result is going to look lackluster. Also, vinyl siding expands and contracts quite a bit, which can quickly cause a new paint job to crack and peel.

Since Hardie CAN be painted, you’ll find it easy to retouch faded areas and even change the color entirely. That’s versatility you can’t get with vinyl. Period.

Get A Free Quote On James Hardie Siding In Central MA

Bottom line: James Hardie fiber cement siding has “issues.” But those issues can actually provide big benefits for YOU, the homeowner.

If you’d like to know more about James Hardie siding, get in touch today to schedule a free in-home quote or virtual consultation. We’re a company that prides itself on honesty, transparency, and customer education. We’ll provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your home.

No sales pressure. No dog-and-pony show. That’s our promise to you.