These days, fiber cement siding options such as Hardie Plank are being used more and more for residential and commercial siding. At this point, vinyl siding still tends to be the lowest-cost option for most situations. Why, then, are people choosing fiber cement over vinyl if it means a larger financial investment?
1. Combustibility
Since Hardie Plank is basically a long sheet of concrete, it has properties more like cement than plastic or wood. In this way, it is significantly less susceptible to fire damage than vinyl. Hardie Plank and other fiber cement products are considered to be non-flammable, while vinyl siding is merely fire-resistant due to the retardants with which it is treated. The flip side of Hardie Plank’s fiber-concrete nature is that it is more difficult to install — particularly because of the installers’ potential exposure to cement dust.
2. Lifespan
Both vinyl and Hardie Plank are more durable than, say, cedar shake or wood lap siding. Insects such as termites and carpenter ants tend to avoid both Hardie Plank and vinyl, increasing the durability of both. Both are significantly water, wind, and sun-damage resistant. Between the two, however, Hardie Plank tends to last somewhat longer than most vinyl siding options (which is very impressive).
3. Width
Compared with vinyl siding, Hardie Plank is much thicker than vinyl siding — more like wood lap siding. Most Hardie Plank is over a quarter-inch thick, often 5/16” or thicker. Vinyl siding is almost always less than an eighth-inch thick. The added thickness of the Hardie Plank is one of the reasons for its increased lifespan.
4. Embossing
Due to that increased thickness, Hardie Plank can handle deep embossing. This is why it looks more like actual wood, especially from a distance. Since a deeper texturing is possible with Hardie Plank, it is often mistaken for wood lap siding.
There are so many options available today in home siding. Call us today to learn more about the range of options for your home, and which might suit your aesthetic and budgetary preferences the best. We’re here to answer all of your home siding questions, be they about vinyl siding, Hardie Plank, or any other option.