Your home’s siding serves to provide both protection and curb appeal. And the siding on your home has more of an impact than you may think Vinyl siding has become the go to for most homeowners in the United States, allowing them the opportunity to choose between over 350 different colors, along with customizable patterns and prints. But fiber cement siding, like James Hardie board in Downriver Michigan, is gaining quite a following, even though it is a much newer material on the market. To help you decide between the two siding materials and discover what is best for your home, you need to know how they match up.
Should You Vinyl Siding or James Hardie Siding for Your Downriver Michigan Home?
The siding on your home isn’t set in stone, well, unless it is stone work, then maybe it is. For most homes however there are several different types of siding and each of them can be interchanged without much modifications to the home. If your home currently has vinyl siding or wood siding, you may be able to change the siding to James Hardie siding rather easily without much changes to the home itself. There are many different benefits you can have simply by installing fiber cement siding over vinyl siding. We’ll go over some of the things you should consider if you’re deciding whether James Hardie siding is right for your home.
Composition of the Siding
Vinyl siding is made mostly of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. The vinyl needs to be manufactured, but has a relatively low carbon footprint and can be recycled when you are done with it. Fiber cement is formed by mixing sand, cement and wood pulp, also known as cellulose.
That means that the composition of fiber cement siding is very eco- friendly, and has less toxins emitted during the process. The materials are often recycled when forming the siding, especially with Hardie board. Fiber cement siding can also be recycled, or naturally degrade over time.
Maintenance of the Siding
Vinyl siding is hands down the go to option for anyone who wants to do as little maintenance as possible. This is because vinyl is a non-porous material and will not warp or rot from moisture. While it is recommended that you hose off your vinyl siding, this is more to keep it looking nice, rather than to protect it. You also don’t need to worry about repainting because the color is baked into the material itself.
Fiber cement does have the ability to absorb moisture, making it important that you keep up regular maintenance to avoid warping and rotting. You will need to caulk it regularly, repaint, watch out for mold and treat it immediately.
Energy Efficiency Added by the Siding
Both vinyl and fiber cement are very thin in comparison to other materials like brick or stone. But you can get thicker vinyl siding that is 19% more energy efficient by choosing insulated siding. This is much thicker, allowing a greater barrier between the interior and exterior of your home.
If you go with the insulated vinyl siding, you will see more energy efficiency that with regular vinyl or fiber cement siding. But the differences between the two regular materials in not really substantial enough to conclude which is better.
Aesthetic Appearance and Curb Appeal of the Siding
Vinyl has the ability to be printed in over 350 colors, and almost any prints or patterns. That means you can choose a solid color, or you can have your vinyl siding printed to look like a different material all together. This includes stone, brick, cedar shake, or just a classic wood print.
Fiber cement is designed to look like wood, but with greater durability. Because of this, you can paint the material any color you want, but will have to repaint when it cracks or peels. You can have either of these materials installed in a horizontal, board and batten or shake style.
If you’re considering fiber cement siding for your home, be sure to call a qualified contractor in Downriver Michigan that can install the siding properly so you can enjoy all the benefits of this siding. All Point Construction can install and repair all types of siding in Downriver Michigan including James Hardie siding. Call them today at 734-407-7110 for a free quote.