A Thorough Guide To The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Fiber Cement Siding Detailed

A product called fiber cement siding is applied to the outside of a house or other building. It can help your home resist some of the hardest elements of your local environment while disguising itself as masonry or wood, enduring wear and tear like concrete.

This product is made by manufacturers by combining Portland cement with wood pulp so that you can increase the affordability, toughness, and aesthetic appeal of your home.

The only siding choice that combines the low maintenance requirements of masonry with the appearance of shingles, painted clapboard, or even brick and stone is this one.

About 15% of new homes and many remodeling projects use this product since its overall cost is in such an attractive pricing range.

Since it reduces costs without sacrificing the property’s aesthetics, many architects are requesting that this product be used in new development.

Due to its numerous amazing qualities, several historic districts are even authorizing this item for usage on properties.

These fiber cement siding benefits and drawbacks should be taken into account if you’re planning a new home or remodeling an existing one.

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List of Fiber Cement Siding’s Benefits

1. It is resistant to a variety of environmental factors, including saline air.

The outside structure of your home can suffer irreparable harm from the salty air if you own property close to the beach in a shockingly short period of time.

When you select fiber cement siding for your home, you are utilizing a material that will last for many years under adverse weather conditions.

Even in high-risk situations, it will prevent rain and wind damage from happening for a fraction of the price of the alternative siding options.

2. This is a non-flammable product.

A home fire is typically at the top of the list when asking the typical homeowner what kinds of situations terrify them the most. For this reason, fiber cement siding is an excellent material to utilize on the building’s exterior.

This product contains 90% inflammable elements in its composition. This siding can hold up well even in extremely hot conditions.

3. It provides a strikingly lifelike image.

Many of the most affordable exterior solutions for your home have a tendency to seem cheap, phony, or both until you start to consider your other possibilities. Your initial impression of fiber cement siding will change your mind.

Even when you examine this choice closely, the texture of the item gives it the appearance of genuine wood, brick, or stone. This means that you can still appreciate the traditional appearance without forgoing the numerous advantages offered by modern products.

4. It has one of the greatest cost profiles currently offered in the sector.

In some places, you can get these planks for as cheap as $0.70 per square foot at your neighborhood home improvement store.

The color and style you select for your home will determine your ultimate expenses, but fiber cement siding is unquestionably a fantastic deal.

5. If you don’t like the color, you can paint the item.

There are a number of base colors from which to choose when choosing fiber cement siding for your home, ensuring that it has the ideal appearance from the start.

With this product, you can paint over any color or tone you don’t like without endangering the strength of the cement by using exterior-grade paint.

If the boards can be installed without requiring an additional coat of paint, you won’t experience the same levels of fading and weathering as you would with other outside options.

More than ten years after construction, fiber cement siding still looks terrific with little maintenance requirements in practically any setting.

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List of Fiber Cement Siding’s Drawbacks

1. You cannot buy it directly from the manufacturer.

Although there are always sporadic exceptions to this drawback, the majority of suppliers do not give small- or medium-sized batches for distribution.

Therefore, homeowners are unable to purchase fiber cement siding directly from the producer. You will have to buy what you desire from a nearby merchant or contractor who meets the requirements of an industrial-grade buyer.

There are some costs and fees to take into account in addition to the product price since the intermediary cannot be completely eliminated from the equation.

2. It costs more to produce than other materials.

If you want to install fiber cement siding on your house, you need to anticipate staying there for at least 5-7 years in order to recoup your labor costs.

When compared to vinyl or aluminum siding, the price to install this material can be up to three times greater in some communities.

Although the manufacturing process using fiber cement is substantially less expensive, the final cost is still lower than it would be. If you want to optimize the savings, however, you must install this product yourself.

3. At some point throughout its lifespan, the siding will need to be repainted.

Since vinyl or aluminum siding maintains its color over the course of its lifespan, you hardly ever need to repaint your home with these materials.

The paint job will last for roughly 15 years if you choose fiber cement siding for your home before you have to deal with this drawback.

If you don’t want to perform the painting yourself, you should employ a qualified contractor who is knowledgeable about this surface to guarantee that your outside makeover produces the desired results.

4. The material cannot be recycled.

Since the components of fiber cement siding are inert to the environment, disposing of it in a landfill or another container won’t result in it breaking down into something harmful.

This choice lacks a recycling possibility, in contrast to other siding materials (particularly aluminum). You’ll be tossing it away if you need to remove it from your home’s exterior for any reason.

5. Once placed, it does not provide much insulation protection.

Your external siding’s insulation properties will aid in lowering heat gains in the summer and losses in the chilly winter months.

When you make a choice with a high R-value, energy transfers into or out of your home are stopped. To guarantee that your property complies with the applicable codes, you must employ high-grade insulation inside of your walls, attic, and crawl space.