Why James Hardie Siding Is Just Like Q-tips
The Name James Hardie Is Synonymous With Fiber Cement Siding.
Here’s Why…
What did you ask for the last time you needed to clean something small and delicate? Did you ask for a cotton swab? Or did you ask for a Q-tip? Chances are, no matter the brand, you called it a Q-tip, and so would anyone else. Why? Because they were the first and, later, they were the best.
James Hardie fiber cement siding is the same way.
Not All Cement Fiber Siding Is The Same
To those who don’t know better, soda is the same as Coke. Lip balm is the same thing as Chapstick, and … wait … I’m about to sneeze… could you please hand me a Kleenex?
Do you see the issue? While flattering, becoming a noun can weaken the importance of the brand. And I assure you that a ‘Hardie-board’ is not the same as James Hardie siding.
James Hardie fiber cement came a long way back in the 1980s. Back when big hair ruled, greed was good, and pink mixed with aqua was considered a great idea. We’ve come a long way since then, and so has James Hardie siding.
You don’t become a noun simply because you were first. Does anyone remember Tab? You become a noun because you were the best, and you made sure that you stayed the best …for decades.
Constant Innovation
The folks at James Hardie have never stopped improving their product. As a result, today’s James Hardie siding is stronger and more resilient than what they produced in the ‘80s and is now formulated differently depending on where you live; to handle your specific climate better.
They’ve developed new ways to get color onto their shingles, ways to replicate the look of almost any other type of siding (but not the weaknesses), and even better nails for hanging their siding. And today’s James Hardie siding will most likely not be as good as the siding available 20 years from now because their engineers refuse to rest.
Don’t Buy Cotton Swabs When You Can Have Q-tips
You can get cheap cotton swabs anywhere, and you’ll still call them Q-tips when you get home, but are they? Or do the cotton puffs at the ends pull off too easily when you try to use them? The answers are: no, they’re not, and yes, they do. Why? Because they depend on the noun instead of quality to carry them through.
Hardie-boards are no different. Sure, they are fiber cement siding, but they don’t come close to the same performance as true James Hardie siding. Notice I say ‘don’t’ and not ‘can’t’ because they choose to make them less durable.
Why? Because their goal isn’t to provide the best, but rather to use the noun and a lower price point to sell low-quality material. You think Q-tip, but they hand you a cotton swab instead.
Looks the same. Sorta.
Feels the same. Kinda.
But the result is not the same.
Look-A-Like Materials Don’t Perform
Imagine pulling a Robert DeNiro look-alike off a Hollywood tour and tossing him in front of a camera. What would you expect to happen? Yes, epic failure. The same is true with building materials. Lookalikes just don’t perform like the real thing.
Deciding to go with fiber cement siding is a fantastic start. But if you want that siding to last for decades while keeping its color and staying in place, you need to take that extra step and go with the guys who have perfected the process over the last 40+ years. You need to go with the brand, not the noun.
Are you ready to put James Hardie fiber cement siding on your Central Massachusetts home? If so, Contact us for a free consultation. We are the biggest James Hardie installer in the state and know their product inside and out.