Masonite siding replacement? (Raleigh: buying a house, buying, asbestos)

[road runner]

We are looking at buying a house that has Masonite on the exterior. I've read enough here and online that makes me less than thrilled with this siding. If it needs to be replaced, what is it replaced with? Is Hardi-plank used since Masonite is no longer being made? Also, can you just replace certain areas with it?

Is there any chance that mold can grow under the siding from the water damage to the siding? Or does the siding/wood trim around the house just rot and need replacing?

I have a baby and mold is a huge concern to me. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has owned a house and could tell me about the upkeep or knows about this siding.

Thanks,
Lisa

[Lori1961]

We are looking at homes in NC and our realtor told us to stay away from homes with masonite exteriors. I never asked why but I will see if I can find out what the disadvantages and send you a message later.

[Stu Barnes]

replace with hardiplank/fiber cement siding...I would replace all or none. Not sure about the mold, but if an inspector is reading please comment...

[fester600]

You can vinyl side over the masonite as far as I am aware. Not that bad of an option. The house down the street from me just got it done.

[saturnfan]

Class action lawsuits abound over delamination of the masonite.

Many tradespeople refer to these laminates as sh--board.

Nuff said.

[thepizzaguy]

Ba a little careful, while looking at houses in NC, I found several that were said to have asbestos siding. Make sure you find out for certain that the house you a buying is what you think it is.

[VickiR]

There is a class action lawsuit against Masonite siding.

I have it on my house as well as most of the homes built in this area of North Raleigh in the early '90s. To say that you won't buy a house with Masonite siding is to really limit yourself, so I'd say you have to fully understand the issue before you go to this extreme.

The problem with masonite is that if it gets wet, it rots.

To keep it from getting wet, you must make sure its caulked around any opening and around any nail heads.

If you walk around your house twice a year and do this caulking, you'll have very few problems. Of course, just like fiber cement (hardi plank), it needs to be painted about every 6 to 8 years.

If you have rotted masonite, you will need to replace it. Hardi plank makes a board that looks like the masonite so you can replace and never notice it. Yes, I've had to do this a few times.

I recently found out thru the class action lawsuit that if your house is less than 20 years old and you have masonite, and you have not filed a claim, you can still fill out the claim forms and possibly get money back to do the repairs.

I did actually get about $1,000 back to do my repairs.

Like I said, google and find the information. Educate yourself and then make the decision as to whether or not you'll want to limit yourself to buying a house that has or doesn't have masonite siding.

Vicki

[southernlady5464]

Of course, just like fiber cement (hardi plank), it needs to be painted about every 6 to 8 years.

I'd rather paint than have vinyl MELT on me. Fire Damage (broken link) That was happened to our house because of a fire across the street from our house.

Yes, we have vinyl on the house we bought this spring...wish we didn't and as soon as we can afford to replace the siding, we will. Liz

[MrsSteel]

Vicki is absolutely right. I consider her a resident expert on masonite, since she's been through the whole experience first-hand.

We ended up buying a house that is just over 20 years old and is about 60% masonite & 40% hardi-plank. The previous owners did the replacement & you cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. The masonite that remains on the house is in fine shape and, luckily for us, has been well-maintained by the previous owner. In time, we may replace the rest of the masonite, but it definitely isn't a problem now.

I would not automatically dismiss a house because of masonite, but I would definitely tell your realtor and your inspector that it is a concern for you. There are some masonite-sided houses out there that are in miserable condition, but there are others that are fine.

[rfb]

My last home had Masonite siding. It was 10 years old when we sold it, and there were a few planks which needed to be replaced when we sold the home.

Unless the home has extensive Masonite damage, then I would just replace the few planks if/when it is necessary. If you have (near) complete failure, then I would replace with hardi-plank or another cement-based siding material.

I personally would not rule out a home just because it had Masonite siding. That would eliminate quite a few 10-20 year old homes, many of which are extremely nice.

BTW, when we replaced our planks, there was no mold. It had just begun to de-laminate a little bit from moisture penetration.