There are many factors that come into play when trying to decide which kind of siding is ideal for your home. Such factors include the longevity, durability, maintenance, appearance and of course, price. You’ll find a few of these factors when choosing stone, brick, stucco or wood, but the cost will be higher. Vinyl is a competitively priced choice but the final appearance isn’t always as desirable as one might hope.
Fiber cement siding offers all of these factors in one choice and can be found installed on more than 5.5 million homes in the country. James Hardie® is the largest manufacturer of quality fiber cement siding in the country; another reason many Tulsa homeowners choose James Hardie siding.
But the question many homeowners have is, what exactly is fiber cement siding?
4 Simple, Sustainable Ingredients To Create James Hardie® Fiber Cement Siding
1 – Water – Water is necessary for dissolving the wood pulp, which in turn activates the cement so that it hardens.
2 – Sand – Sand helps enhance resilience and weather performance.
3 – Cellulose Fiber – Cellulose fiber is the filler and is more superior to the lower cost fly ash alternative.
4 – Cement – The cement is what binds all the other ingredients together. Clay, limestone, and iron make up the cement.
Benefits of Using James Hardie® Fiber Cement Siding
Durability – Fiber cement siding has the ability to resist damage that stems from undesirable weather (hail) and holds up in all climates; wet, humid, cold and dry. In addition, it’s flame resistant as well.
Longevity – Fiber cement siding comes with a limited, transferable 30-year product warranty and a finish warranty covering labor and paint for 15 years.
Lower Maintenance – Because James Hardie® siding won’t warp, rot or delaminate you can expect to undergo less maintenance to keep it looking like new.
Affordable – You will spend about the same price for high-end vinyl siding as you would for fiber cement siding, but less than 20-50% of the price of brick, stucco or stone.
Exceptional Appeal – Just take a look at Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value report and you’ll see for 7 years in a row this is the #1 return on investment of ANY home remodeling project.
Fiber Cement Siding and the Competition Comparison
Vinyl Siding – Vinyl siding has long been a traditional, standard siding used on many homes. It’s a product with a petroleum base so it’s pretty much plastic that is installed on your home. Because it lacks in durability, you may experience warping and even melting when under extreme temperatures; fiber cement siding is flame resistant. Also, fiber cement siding can actually have a lifetime of 100 years, only requiring a new coat of paint every 30 years or so; vinyl siding commonly fades after a short number of years.
Wood Siding – You can achieve the look and feel of natural wood without the cons and significant maintenance wood requires. Wood is not too compatible with moisture so it will eventually decay and/or rot over a period of time. Fiber cement siding won’t require frequent repainting so initially you are saving thousands when compared to wood siding.
Stucco – Many homeowners choose stucco because of its appearance; unfortunately it’s designed to uphold in drier climates like New Mexico or Arizona so it won’t uphold as it should in other climates. For instance, stucco on homes will experience cracking and breaking all because of the air’s moisture. With fiber cement siding you can be assured your siding is designed specifically for your climate to ensure it holds up well and lasts for many years to come.
Installing Fiber Cement Siding
If you’ve never used fiber cement siding and have gone with a more traditional option, you may have done the installation yourself. However, fiber cement siding weighs more than traditional siding and can break if not handled correctly. In addition, there are special tools required to cut and nail the siding so it’s better to let the professionals install it for you.
That said, you needn’t look any further for a professional Tulsa siding contractor than Tulsa Renew. We are an Elite Preferred Contractor with James Hardie, and our James Hardie siding is installed correctly the first time. Please contact us for any questions or to schedule a free consultation.