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.
Would appreciate any advice about Masonite siding.
I am looking to purchase a 1996 home and was reading about Masonite siding (which this property has ). It is freshly painted so it looks good right now but are there any recommendations or concerns about purchasing this house ? I have read a bit and find many mixed feelings about its durability , issues etc... Thank you !!
Would appreciate any advice about Masonite siding.
I am looking to purchase a 1996 home and was reading about Masonite siding (which this property has ). It is freshly painted so it looks good right now but are there any recommendations or concerns about purchasing this house ? I have read a bit and find many mixed feelings about its durability , issues etc... Thank you !!
I just replaced the Masonite on my mother's house with Hardiplank. It needed to be replaced but that was after 40 years. If the house is well detailed/flashed & maintained and doesn't have trees and bushes up against the siding, I'd think that you'd be safe for a good while more. The problems we had with my mother's house had to do mostly with moisture associated with too many trees causing shade and retaining moisture against the non-sunny side of the house. Good luck!
I have Masonite on my home. We built it 24 years ago.
Just like rnc2mbfl said, you do need to maintain it and have it painted about every 6 to 8 years. I believe fiber cement siding needs to be repainted about every 8 to 10 years so there is some maintenance with each.
The most important issues is not allowing water to penetrate the Masonite. So, holes need to be caulked, etc.
I'll be having mine painted in the next few months. There are some rotted pieces that need to be replaced (with fiber cement) before painting but that is just the norm.
I have Masonite on my home. We built it 24 years ago.
Just like rnc2mbfl said, you do need to maintain it and have it painted about every 6 to 8 years. I believe fiber cement siding needs to be repainted about every 8 to 10 years so there is some maintenance with each.
The most important issues is not allowing water to penetrate the Masonite. So, holes need to be caulked, etc.
I'll be having mine painted in the next few months. There are some rotted pieces that need to be replaced (with fiber cement) before painting but that is just the norm.
pretty much this. hopefully you find a qualified painter/contractor who will tell you what mine did - replace what needs to be, with hardiplank. otherwise, why spend an extra 10K for siding that's not an issue?
The main issue with Masonite that is instantly obvious is if the areas around the nails are all puffed up. you should be able to see that pretty easily.
Replace it with Vinyl. Vinyl has a bad reputation these days somehow, but it is unwarranted. It lasts a long time, is a lot cheaper (like, half the cost installed) and it is much cheaper to maintain since it NEVER HAS TO BE PAINTED. With Hardiplank, as with wood or masonite, you will be spending thousands of dollars at least every ten years to maintain it.
The only conceivable downside is that you're stuck with the color you choose and can't repaint it, but then again, if you want your house to be a different color in 20 years, just replace the vinyl! You'll still come out ahead regarding costs compared with Hardiplank, since you never have to repaint.
I had masonite on a home I lived in for a short time. It kind of freaked me out knowing that it was essentially foil over cardboard. If I bought a home with it today I would start saving right away for replacement siding.
IMHO the only real problem with vinyl is if the material chosen is too thin so that the sections bend easily and do not maintain the look of stiff wood boards. Sometimes newer homes are built with 'builders' vinyl siding which is too thin, and then the sections sag a little and look awful. But well-installed heavy vinyl siding is still an attractive product.
Some vinyl installed more recently on homes with tiny lots saw another problem. Windows from the neighbor house reflected a great deal of heat back on to the frst home's vinyl, which actually melted and warped the vinyl! I think builders now should know not to install the most highly heat reflective glass in this situation.
My favorite siding is still wood, which I have now, or stone, but not everyone has that option.
my childhood home had Masonite. it lasted for 35 years. Some of it is still there. I will reiterate the advice to keep the moisture out. the vulnerable parts are nail holes and the bottom edge. if you keep the moisture out it could last I don't know how long. 50 years? more?
First off, masonite/ hardboard is not foil over cardboard. It is comprised of woodproducts (wood fibers and pulp waste) that are combined with glues and then compressed under very high pressure. All manufacturers of hardboard made defective batches at one time or another and of course there have been lawsuits. The product that was poorly manufacturered (primarily in the 80's) failed very quickly-usually within a few years. That being said, the failures you are seeing now are primarily due to poor maintenance. This product should have 2 brush coats of paint or the equivalent of 2.5 mils thickness and proper caulking every 5 years or so to prevent moisture penetration. Most of this penetration comes from a failure to adequately paint the lower edges as well as poor caulking where the siding meets trim. There is nothing wrong with this product IF it has been properly maintained-----and that is a big IF!!!! If it is in good condition I would not replace.
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.
