Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Can I get some thoughts from those of you who have a home with fiber cement exterior. Not familiar with it and I've read some mixed reviews. I am looking for a home that has a low maintenance exterior. Please advise.
As long as it's fiber cement (more recent) as opposed to asbestos cement (older), you'll be fine. I used it to redo some of the siding on my place. The main aspect was no chance for any (future) termites.
Right now we're looking to cover a few areas of cedar siding with Hardi-plank because it'll be lower maintenance that what we have now, and we don't like the look of the vinyl or aluminum options.
My parents and brother both have Hardy on their houses. Brother got the unpainted kind and had to paint it. Parents got the pre-colored variety. Both look very good and are asy maintenance. I have vinyl over my old asbestos fiber siding (which is still in very good shape after 60 years). The vinyl tends to get fungal growth on the north side of the house that requires cleaning every so often. It also does not hold up as well in hurricanes as I have had reason to learn.
I have the Hardie board one one side of my house and I think it is great. Looks good and appears to be pretty durable. Not quite as good as brick would be, but i think it is better than other siding options.
I have HardiPlank and I personally like the look better than vinyl but it probably depends to some degree on the architecture of the home in question. I haven't had any problems maintaining it...still looks new even after 8 years and a hurricane. The product resists damage and seems to hold paint well...I haven't needed to do ANYTHING.
The cement board products seem to have come a long way since they were first introduced to the market.
As with any siding...proper installation is key, so it isn't a good idea to cut corners in that area.
Vinyl: can come apart in wind or if not fastened properly. chips and cracks at lower laps if you get too close with a weed trimmer. keep the gas grill a safe distance as it will buckle and possibly melt. neighbor's house catches fire, the heat will melt it. cheaper stuff fades and becomes brittle. Re-sale value is less than HardiePlank or brick.
Fiber-Cement "HardiePlank" style lap siding: 50-year limited transferable warranty. Harder material than flimsy vinyl. Better re-sale value. Must be repainted within 5 years if new and builder grade paint applied. Afterwards, according to the quality of the paint you use.
Anothere vote for Hardiplank. We moved from an all brick house in Atlanta and I was tired of that look. Vinyl looks cheap to me and we have heard so many positive comments about Hardiplank. We love the look and so far no maintenance.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
