At Eagle Eye Exteriors, we are thrilled to help you choose the best siding for your homes! We believe it is important for the customer to know a thing or two about the siding they choose, without our bias. Customers should have independence, too!
The two main forms of siding in the market today are James Hardie (also called Fiber Cement Siding), and Vinyl. To ensure you know what it is that you want, we’ve put together a short list of the pros and cons of both forms of siding, so you can know what you’re getting into before we ever come to your house.
Fiber Cement Siding
Pros -
Fiber Cement siding is durable, very durable. Due to the nature of the makeup of the panels, it is strong, and able to withstand a lot of wear over the years - meaning you are investing in a long-term remodel of your home.
It is also very aesthetically pleasing, being one of the most visually attractive sidings available. It is available in multiple styles, meaning that there is likely a variant out there for anyone’s taste! Stone, brick, wood panels, and vertical planks, are just a few. The siding also looks strikingly realistic to the actual materials it is imitating.
Fiber Cement requires low maintenance, meaning that you will have little work ahead of you to keep your siding looking brand new. Occasional cleaning to remove dirt and the rare paint touch up, and your house will never look better!
Cons -
Fiber Cement Siding is generally a lot heavier than vinyl siding. This benefits the durability of the product, but can also make installation take longer or require more workers. Occasionally, it can even require house structuring to be reinforced to handle the increased weight.
As mentioned before, the extra weight of the panels can cause a complicated installation process. This is a job you would want an experienced, trustworthy crew doing for you, this is not one to do yourself.
Due to the previous two points, Fiber Cement is also generally the more expensive of these two options. You’re paying for quality, no doubt, but keep in mind that this will not be a job to complete on the cheap.
Vinyl Siding
Pros -
In contrast to the final negative of Fiber Cement Siding, Vinyl siding is far more cost effective, being the cheaper of the two options. If you are redoing the exterior of your home on a tight budget, Vinyl Siding might be the better of the two options. Don’t let that make you think it is cheaper at the expense of its quality, though. There are plenty of other reasons to choose vinyl, such as:
Vinyl Siding is resistant to moisture, and will not be consistently absorbing water during summer storms, and from the rare Georgia snowfall. This is a huge bonus, considering the infamous humidity of Georgia/Alabama a siding that is resistant to water is nothing to scoff at.
Similarly to Fiber Cement siding, Vinyl siding is relatively low maintenance, meaning you will not be putting constant work into maintaining it. Just keep it clean, and you will be good!
Cons -
Vinyl is not the most durable. It is made from PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) Resin and it is not immune to the elements. It will usually last between 25-30 years. Around that point is when it will become more brittle, and likely to start chipping. It is also worth noting that through years of exposure to higher temperatures, materials can begin to melt slightly, and the shape changes.
The colors are likely to fade over time, and it cannot be painted easily. Again, this will take a couple of decades before this becomes an issue you will have to worry about, but it is important to know when choosing your siding that when it comes time to repaint, you are likely looking at a full remodel of your home’s siding.
These are only a few of the best and worst parts about both types of siding. They can be nitpicked over and over, finding plenty more reasons to love, or criticize, these products. In the end, though, only YOU can decide which siding is best for your home.
Considering having new siding installed on your home? Contact us at Eagle Eye Exteriors! We love siding, and would be happy to give your home a new and special look!
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