20 Advantages of Fiber Cement Siding for Homeowners, Builders, and Contractors
One product in the market is outperforming its rivals as more and more homeowners choose green building methods that also offer style, affordability, and durability: fiber cement siding. Modern production techniques have boosted the product’s availability and expanded the range of design options available to homeowners, despite the fact that it has been around since the 1970s. The concept has attracted a lot of interest from builders and contractors who are sourcing materials, conducting bids, and actually installing the product as well as from homeowners who get to view it every day.
Benefits of Fiber Cement Siding
Here are 20 justifications for why fiber cement is so highly regarded by everyone.
1. a lengthy lifespan
Fiber cement has several advantages, but its longevity is one of the greatest in the siding business. In contrast to other siding materials, fiber cement is a mixture of cement, wood fiber, and other additives that is resistant to the elements, wear, and insects. Although fiber cement may have greater initial expenses than vinyl or aluminum, prorating those expenditures over 50+ years results in a more cheap transaction. In fact, fiber cement was suggested by a University of Minnesota research as being the best value for money, durability, and environmental effect.
2. Style Flexibility
Even in its raw form, fiber cement is aesthetically stunning. The possibilities for curb appeal aesthetics are abundant when you combine natural looks with cutting-edge production techniques. For instance, Clear Creek Siding offers a variety of colors and textures. Customers can get a stucco or wood grain look (among others) for a considerably lower cost and with far less upkeep.
3. The Best Method for Replacing Wood
Despite their best efforts, materials like vinyl or metal just cannot replicate the appearance of wood. Faux wood vinyl siding is rarely convincing up close, let alone from a distance, whether it is due to its inherent gloss or the impossibility to print realistic grains on its surface. Contrarily, fiber cement is possibly the most authentic alternative for a wood look without wood staining, repainting, and sealing. Fiber cement has a texture similar to that of real wood, and the grains can be created to appear as though they had grown naturally over time in a forest.
4. Aesthetic Installation Options
Fiber cement board comes in a wide range of actual shapes and installation possibilities in addition to the material’s different colors and textures. Lap siding, shingles, shakes, or panels are available from Clear Creek Siding and can be placed either as-is or for the board-and-batten appearance. Within the same project, these aesthetics can be combined and matched to get a completely distinctive look from a common material. Soffit and trim made of fiber cement also contribute to the distinctive appearance that the product can produce.
5. Fire Resistant
When using a BBQ grill, fire (and heat) resistant vinyl siding is easily melted. Similar to how in the terrible event of a house fire, cedar siding just serves as fuel. Contrarily, fiber cement components are 1-hour fire-resistant rated and won’t catch fire when exposed to heat or flame. In comparison to brick, which is a Class I material and has a flame spread rating of 1, fiber cement has zero.
6. Significant Weather Resistance
For the safety of your home and family, fiber cement’s fire resistance is fantastic, but the product needs to last for a while to make up for the initial cost. Fiber cement is impact resistant against damage from hail because of how it is created. Extreme heat and humidity can also ruin some siding materials, but fiber cement is dimensionally stable and resistant to damage in these conditions because of its composition.
7. Not prone to warping or rot
Although fiber cement resembles wood, it doesn’t behave like it. This is advantageous for soaking up moisture from rain, snow, heat, and humidity. Fiber cement solves the problem of wood’s conventional tendency to expand, warp, and rot, which drastically reduces the life of the material.
8. Perfect for Areas Prone to Tornadoes and Hurricanes
Fiber cement is a fantastic option for places that are vulnerable to tornadoes and hurricanes because of its strength and moisture resistance. Vinyl or aluminum siding can be entirely destroyed by wind-borne items and strong gusts, whereas fiber cement siding is more resilient. This is advantageous for both homeowners and contractors who won’t have to spend time and money on siding repairs for clients. The Atlantic Coast and the Great Plains, among many other places, are extremely notable for their use of fiber cement siding.
9. Price
There is no substitute for vinyl when looking for the most affordable siding initially. Of course, the appearance and style are rather deplorable and do little to improve the home’s marketability or curb appeal. According to Homewyse, installing fiber cement siding in Lebanon, Kansas, in the exact center of the USA, is quite reasonably priced when compared to the costs of wood, aluminum, and vinyl.
10. Requires Little Upkeep
The low-maintenance nature of fiber cement is one of its many wonderful qualities. Like with vinyl and aluminum, regular pressure washing is not necessary.
11. Made with Eco-Friendly Materials
Although cedar is a recyclable and ecological material, the wood must first come from somewhere. Contrarily, fiber cement is a combination of cement, wood fiber, and other additives made from recovered wood. As opposed to the chemicals emitted at every stage of vinyl’s life cycle, fiber cement siding production is far more environmentally friendly.
12. Given permission to renovate historical buildings
Numerous other cities are expected to follow the lead of New York State cities like Rhinebeck and LaGrange in approving the use of fiber cement paneling in their historic districts. When it comes to choosing appropriate finishing materials for projects in these areas, both homeowners and contractors have additional choices.
13. Installing Isn’t That Hard
The fact that fiber cement siding is challenging to deal with is supposedly one of the major drawbacks of contractors installing it. Although the material is more brittle than wood and doesn’t cut as quickly as vinyl or aluminum, the increase in labor and material expenses isn’t that great. Although experts typically install fiber cement, a homeowner with the correct tools can still perform the task. In order to account for the expansion and contraction of the fiber cement material (and in wood), gaps must be left on the edges, however doing so only widens the cutting tolerances.
14. Fiber Cement Can Be Cut in Several Ways
Cutting the material slowly without producing nearly as much dust as a circular saw involves using a special sheer or a drill attachment. Additionally, circular saw dust attachments are excellent at capturing flying debris without slowing down the cut.
With all dust-producing goods, OSHA mandates that installers wear protective equipment. either dust-collecting saws or dust masks. With specific shears or snapping tools, installation can also be done without the use of any dust.
15 Excellent Warranty
Although many domestic building materials make claims regarding their durability, they rarely deliver on such promises. An excellent example is shingles, which give a 15-year guarantee that is prorated to be only pennies on the dollar of the initial purchase. The Clear Creek Siding warranty offers clients additional protection for a very long time. Homeowners will likely only need to side their house once because of this, and contractors will benefit from knowing that a manufacturer stands behind its products.
16. The Material Is Around 100 Years Old
A 50-year warranty on fiber cement siding may seem like a bluff to some customers. Since fiber cement siding has only been a thing since the 1970s, it will still be another 15 to 20 years before we know if it will endure the entire 50 years. Actually, fiber cement siding has been there since the 1970s, but the material was first patented in 1901 under the name “Eternit,” which roughly translates from Latin as “everlasting.” It simply makes it fair to assume that the product’s durability will increase as current fiber cement manufacturing technologies develop.
17. Additionally offered in panels
For building builders, one of the main draws of metal roofing is how quickly 3′ X 14′ sections of the roof can be covered, as opposed to putting and layering several 12″ X 36″ individual tiles. Architectural panels made of fiber cement siding have the capacity to provide such expanded coverage as well. The panels, which are available in sizes up to 4′ X 10′, are a terrific way to add distinctive design while also speeding up the installation process. Even lap siding products come in lengths of 12′ and thicknesses of 4″ to 12″.
18. On-site painting is possible (Or in the Factory)
Options are the fundamental focus of fiber cement. from the numerous available widths, colors, and styles. Having the fiber cement siding arrive primed only (for on-site painting) or in the completed colors is a fantastic alternative. A wonderful approach for homeowners to reduce some material costs is to paint the siding. Contracts can also fix any flaws brought on by how the materials were handled.
19. Contracts and Expands Less Than Wood.
Although there will still need to be expansion gaps to allow for climate-related expansion and contraction, they will be far smaller than in the case of wood. This benefits the contractor since they can avoid recutting the plank and get by with a gap of less than 1/8″. As a result of less expansion and contraction, the seam joints will not spread as far, reducing the risk of water damage. Since the boards won’t contract as much, gaps should be avoided by installing them closer together at butt seams.
20. If necessary, can be blind-nailed
Although face nailing is an option if necessary, most fiber cement boards are blind nailed for aesthetic reasons. In areas with heavy winds, fiber cement boards are more secure when they can be face-nailed from the top, bottom, and center. The face’s nails are difficult to identify anyplace but up close and are readily concealed with touch-up paint. Vinyl or aluminum siding, in contrast, can only be secured at the top nailing lip.
