Homeadvisor s siding comparison guide explores the differences pros and cons of fiber cement and vinyl including information on james hardie s hardie board hardiplank fiber cement.
Hardy board vs vinyl.
Here s what you need to know may 12 2020 john mccarter when you re considering how to boost the value of your home exterior choosing the right siding can make all the difference.
Vinyl siding will typically come with a 25 year warranty.
While both vinyl and fiber cement are rot resistant and pest resistant unlike traditional wood planks hardie board siding is inflammable warp resistant engineered for climate and impact resistant.
Which one is right for your home.
By contrast james hardie fiber cement siding is more durable and up to 5x thicker than vinyl siding.
Like vinyl it s very durable.
Lower price point vinyl siding has a lower price point than hardie board but it doesn t carry the life span of hardie board siding.
Eco friendliness hardie board is more eco friendly than vinyl siding.
Contractors sometimes complain because the fiber cement board kicks up clouds of cement dust.
Compare costs easy of installation colors painting options durability thickness r value length of life and more to decide which is the best siding for your home.
It is also quickly becoming a popular option for housing exteriors.
Vinyl siding is more affected by fire and extreme heat than hardieplank.
Since vinyl siding came onto the scene in the 1960s energy efficiency has become much more important to the average homeowner but so has green building while cement board is hardly considered energy efficient it is a much more eco friendly product than vinyl.
On the other hand vinyl is more susceptible to warping and cracking.
Hardie board is a fiber cement board made from sand cement and wood fibers that was introduced in the 1980s as an alternative to vinyl siding.
It easily stands up to the elements resisting damage from wind rain freezing temperatures and hail and gives homes years of protection with low maintenance.
According to the rsmeans 2014 residential cost data report the installed cost of vinyl siding is on average 201 per 100 square feet while fiber cement totals 300 for the same area.
Hardieplank is composed of cement like materials and about 10 percent to 5 percent cellulose wood fibers.
It can expand and contract with the weather causing it to buckle.
Additionally vinyl siding is predisposed to warping due to heat.
Fiber cement siding is often called hardiplank or even hardie board named from the most popular brand of fiber cement siding which is manufactured by james hardie.