Stay Dry Roofing is in the business of supplying our customers with the absolute best installation for all of their roofing and siding needs. Our services include all stages of installation, repair, maintenance, removal, and replacement. Stay Dry Roofing is proud to be seen as a leader in the Fort Myers area for quality and excellence and we take the responsibility of being the local siding experts seriously.

This is why we are proud to offer Hardie siding options to all of our customers:

James Hardie emigrated from Ireland to Australia in the second half of the 19th Century. There, he began a tanning business in partnership with a man named Andrew Reid. In due course, the company started producing fiber cement board, the enterprise that made it famous. So famous, in fact, that today HardiePlank siding is the best-known cement fiber siding to contractors and the general public alike. You can find it on 5.5 million homes across America. Of course, reputation isn’t the only thing a savvy homeowner should consider when selecting materials for a major home improvement project. So let’s take an in-depth look at Hardie board siding to help determine if it’s the right choice for you.

HardiePlank is made from a slurry of cellulose fibers, sand, wood pulp, and cement. (You may have concerns because you’ve heard of cement fiber siding that contained asbestos, but no one has manufactured that kind since the 1980’s.) Often the slurry receives its color in the factory, but Hardie board can also be painted after it’s installed, and it costs somewhat less if a buyer chooses that option. (Although it’s worth knowing that Hardie’s ColorPlus process, which involves applying multiple coats of a paint that’s both visually appealing and engineered to resist the stresses imposed by climate, results in a finish that typically lasts up to two times longer.)

Because it’s mostly made of sand and cement, Hardie Board siding, while not actually fireproof, is resistant to fire. It’s impervious to termites, woodpeckers, and carpenter ants as well. They can’t eat a material infused with cement.

Its composition likewise makes it resistant to storms, high winds, and other severe weather conditions that simply have little to no effect on something largely made of cement. Water, for example, can’t make it swell, cup, bow, or rot. Moreover, if you opt for James Hardie siding, you’ll get fiber cement siding specifically prepared to withstand the weather in the Fort Myers area.

Thanks to its composition, Hardie board is also an environmentally friendly choice. There’s plenty of sand and cement in the world, and all the wood in the wood pulp comes from sustainable species and never endangered ones. Nothing toxic goes into the manufacture of Hardie board. Originally, HardiePlank siding was only available as, well, planks. Today, however, the product is available in the form of lap siding, shingles, panel vertical siding, trim boards, and soffit panels.

Lap siding is the most popular and currently protects and enhances the curb appeal of over 4 million homes. Hardie shingle siding provides the visual appeal of cedar shingles without the vulnerability to cracks, splits, and rot. It looks good by itself or in combination with other styles. Trim and fascia serve as visual accents and create abundant options for giving a home a unique appearance, while soffit panels come either vented or non-vented in a number of pre-cut sizes. Hardie siding comes in a variety of styles and can be made to look like wood lapboards, cedar shakes, or shingles. Embossing produces the various textures.

As mentioned above, your HardiePlank product may cost somewhat less if, instead of having the factory add the color, you’re willing to paint it yourself. It’s also worth getting several estimates, which contractors generally provide free of charge. Just be sure each comes from a company with a solid reputation and the necessary specialized skillset.

After receiving an estimate, don’t be afraid to negotiate. A 20% savings is by no means guaranteed, but it’s not unheard of, either. If practical, you may want to get those estimates during the fall or winter. That’s the slow season for contractors, and they may adjust their prices accordingly.

Finally, it may be possible to save money by buying the Hardie siding separately and hiring a crew to install it. But even if it is, you must still make sure the crew is reputable and possesses the knowledge and experience to do the project as it should be done. You don’t want the planks to be damaged, or for the workers to leave gaps that allow moisture into the house. Not only will this lead to expensive repairs, it can even make you ill.

In the short run, Hardie board may not be your cheapest siding option, but it may well be your best one. It’s durable, resistant to fire, weather, and pests, relatively low maintenance, visually appealing, comes in a variety of styles, and will likely recoup much of its cost when it’s time to sell your home. Thus, it’s an option well worth considering. Just be careful to deal with reputable contractors with the proper specialized skills.