Many homeowners ask for suggestions on new siding that doesn’t require upkeep, and we always suggest fiber cement to them. The main reason is that fiber cement is better formulated than wood or vinyl siding, allowing it to resist everyday and extreme weather very well. If it’s difficult to invest the energy or cash towards maintaining the siding of your home, fiber cement is the low-maintenance solution you need.
What exactly is fiber cement? It’s a combination of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers that mimics the appearance of wood siding, clapboard, and shingles. So, if you want the look of cedar wood shingles but don’t want to deal with the splitting, cracking, and yearly paint job, fiber cement shingle siding panels are for you.
Some cool features of fiber cement siding:
- It’s fire-resistant. Fiber cement meets hurricane-zone building codes for homes in areas prone to hurricanes and wildfires. It has high dimensional stability and a class A fire rating. Your fiber cement siding will resist melting, burning, fading, and sagging. It also won’t rot, crack, warp or burn.
- You have a ton of choices in the shape, size, color and texture of fiber cement sidings. You can paint your cement board siding in any color you like, from classic hues to a wood-stained look. Its design versatility is bound to satisfy even the more demanding homeowner.
- Fiber cement sidings are primed in a factory prior to purchase. They are coated with a final paint to prevent moisture penetration.
- Installing fiber cement sidings is more affordable than wood, natural stone and hardboard installations.
- On an average, sidings made from this building material maintain the freshness of their paint for seven to 15 years. The sidings themselves are maintenance-free, and come with a 50 year warranty in most cases.
Payoff from fiber cement siding:
According to moneytips.com, a fiber cement replacement can return 84.3% on a $14,014 investment. The report states that curb appeal is a critical factor in a successful home sale, and as most exterior improvement projects cost less than interior remodeling, their value benefit is doubled. Also, door, window and siding replacements offer better returns in comparison to full home remodeling projects. The payoff for a replacement project can be up to 12.4% higher than a remodeling project.
Keep in mind that with all their advantages, fiber cement sidings are complicated to install. Only a qualified installer can be relied upon for a thorough, professional job.
