Hardie Board Siding: Fiber Cement Pros, Cons and Costs

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Walk through almost any newer subdivision along the Front Range and a large share of the houses will be clad in fiber cement lap siding. Many people call it hardie board siding, after James Hardie, the best-known manufacturer, but the material itself is a category: a cement-based board reinforced with cellulose fibers, sold by several companies under different brand names. It has earned a reputation for durability, fire resistance and a convincing wood look, and it also has specific weak points that show up during home inspections, usually where the installation cut corners. This guide explains what fiber cement is, where it performs well, where it fails, the dust hazard involved in cutting it, why some older cement siding needs an asbestos test before anyone touches it, and how costs compare with vinyl and wood. Cost figures are general ranges rather than quotes, and local labor rates vary widely.

Part of our Structure & Exterior guide — start there for the full picture →

What Is Hardie Board Siding?

Hardie board siding is fiber cement cladding. The boards are made mainly from portland cement, sand or other silica sources, and cellulose (wood pulp) fibers, formed into planks, panels or shingles and cured. The cellulose gives the board some flexibility and nailability, while the cement and sand make it hard, dimensionally stable and resistant to rot. The result looks like painted wood from the street but behaves more like a thin masonry product.

It comes in several common profiles:

• Lap siding (plank): horizontal boards, smooth or with an embossed wood grain, the most common choice on Colorado homes.
• Vertical panels: large sheets, often with battens over the seams for a board-and-batten look.
• Shingles and shakes: individual pieces or strips that imitate cedar shakes, often used on gables.
• Trim and soffit: matching fiber cement trim boards and soffit panels, though many builders mix in other trim materials.

Boards are sold either primed for field painting or with a factory-applied finish. The factory finish is generally more uniform and is a reason many buyers choose a specific product line, but it still needs touch-up at cut ends and any scuffs left by installers.

Because “Hardie” is a brand, homeowners comparing bids may see other fiber cement product names on the paperwork. The inspection and maintenance concerns are broadly similar across brands, but each manufacturer publishes its own installation instructions, and those instructions, not general rules of thumb, are what an installer is expected to follow and what most warranties hinge on.

Pros of Fiber Cement Siding

Fire Resistance

Fiber cement does not burn the way wood or vinyl does. Many fiber cement products are listed as noncombustible under standard building-material fire tests, which is one reason they are popular in wildland-urban interface areas. For homeowners in the foothills west of Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs, where wildfire is a real planning concern, that matters. The siding is only one part of a fire-resistant exterior, though. Vents, eaves, decks, gutters full of debris and vegetation close to the house all influence how a home fares when embers are flying, so noncombustible cladding is a strong start rather than a guarantee. Check the specific product listing and any local wildfire code requirements before relying on a fire rating.

Hail and Impact Resistance

The Front Range sees some of the most frequent hail in the country, and siding takes a beating in big storms. Fiber cement is much harder than vinyl and generally holds up better against moderate hail. Vinyl can crack or shatter, especially when cold, and aluminum dents easily. Fiber cement is not hail-proof. Large stones can chip edges, crack boards, or knock off paint and leave the substrate exposed, and very large hail can punch holes. After a major storm, it is worth walking the house with the same attention homeowners give the roof; the guide to hail damage to roofs covers how insurance adjusters and inspectors document storm damage, and much of that process applies to siding as well.

Rot, Insect and Pest Resistance

Because the board is mostly cement and sand, it does not rot like wood, and termites and carpenter ants have little reason to eat it. Woodpeckers, which can be a nuisance on cedar siding in some parts of Colorado, also tend to leave fiber cement alone. That said, the wood framing and sheathing behind the siding can still rot or attract insects if water gets in, so the claim is about the cladding itself, not the wall.

Appearance and Paint Life

Fiber cement holds paint well because it is dimensionally stable; it does not swell and shrink with moisture as much as wood. Factory finishes in particular often last considerably longer than a typical field paint job on wood. The strong UV exposure at Colorado’s altitude still fades paint over time, especially on south- and west-facing walls, so plan on eventual repainting.

Cons and Common Problems

Most fiber cement complaints trace back to installation details rather than the board itself. That makes inspection more useful than brand selection.

Weight and Installation Skill

Fiber cement is heavy compared with vinyl, and long boards can snap if they are carried flat. Installation takes more labor, specialized cutting tools and attention to fastener placement. Nails driven too deep can crush the face and weaken the hold, while nails that miss the studs or are placed too close to the board end can lead to cracking or loose boards. A crew used to vinyl may not handle fiber cement the same way, so ask contractors how many fiber cement jobs they have done and whether they follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Moisture at Butt Joints, Flashing and Clearances

Fiber cement resists rot, but it can absorb water at unsealed or unprimed cut edges, and repeated wetting followed by freezing can lead to edge swelling, delamination or cracking over time. The critical areas are:

• Butt joints: where two boards meet end to end. Manufacturer instructions typically call for flashing behind the joint or a specific joint treatment. Missing joint flashing is one of the most common findings on fiber cement walls.
• Clearance to grade and roofs: boards installed tight to soil, concrete, mulch or roof shingles wick water. Instructions generally require a gap above the ground and above roof surfaces at sidewalls.
• Kick-out flashing: where a roof edge meets a wall, a missing kick-out flashing sends water down the siding and into the wall cavity.
• Windows and doors: head flashing and proper integration with the weather-resistive barrier behind the siding matter more than caulk on the surface.

When water gets behind the cladding and stays there, the damage is often hidden in the sheathing and framing. Stains on interior walls below windows, soft spots in the sheathing, or musty smells can be the first clues.

Painting and Caulking

Factory-finished boards still need cut ends sealed, and any field-painted product needs a good first coat soon after installation. Caulk is used at trim joints and penetrations, but some product lines and installation details specifically say not to caulk certain joints, because that can trap water. Over time, caulk cracks in Colorado’s sun and temperature swings. Plan for periodic inspection and recaulking where caulk is meant to be, and repainting on the schedule the finish requires.

Cracking and Damage Repair

Cracked boards are not hard to replace individually, but matching a faded factory color can be tricky. Keep leftover boards and touch-up paint from the original job if possible.

Silica Dust When Cutting Fiber Cement

Because fiber cement contains crystalline silica, cutting, grinding or sanding it creates fine dust that is a serious respiratory hazard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration notes that respirable crystalline silica is generated when materials containing silica are cut, sawed, ground or drilled, and that inhaling those tiny particles raises the risk of silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease. OSHA’s silica standard for construction applies to employers whose workers are exposed, and OSHA publishes a specific fact sheet for handheld power saws used to cut fiber-cement board as part of its Table 1 control methods.

In practice, that means professional crews should be using dust-control methods such as saws with dust collection or shears that score and snap boards instead of grinding them. Homeowners doing small repairs should:

• Cut outdoors, away from open windows and air intakes.
• Prefer score-and-snap tools or shears over dry cutting with an abrasive blade.
• Use a saw with a shroud connected to a suitable vacuum if a power saw is needed.
• Wear appropriate respiratory protection and avoid dry sweeping the dust afterward.

Older Cement Siding and Asbestos

Modern fiber cement siding uses cellulose fibers, but older cement-based siding shingles were often reinforced with asbestos. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists roofing and siding shingles and asbestos cement products among the building materials where asbestos may be found. Homes built before about the 1980s, including many older bungalows and ranch houses in Denver, Lakewood, Englewood and Pueblo, may still have these rigid, often slightly textured cement shingles under a few coats of paint.

Asbestos cement siding is generally considered low risk while it is intact and left alone, but breaking, cutting, drilling, sanding or power-washing it aggressively can release fibers. If the existing siding on an older house looks like stiff, brittle shingles with a pressed pattern, have a sample tested by an accredited professional before replacement starts. The EPA advises against homeowners sampling suspected asbestos material themselves because sampling done incorrectly can release fibers. The guide to asbestos siding replacement walks through options such as removal by a licensed abatement contractor versus covering the old siding, and how those choices affect the budget.

Hardie Board Siding Cost vs Vinyl and Wood

Fiber cement typically sits in the middle to upper part of the siding price range. The figures below are rough national-style ranges, installed, and Front Range bids can land above or below them depending on house size, complexity, number of stories, trim choices, removal of old siding and how busy contractors are after a hail season.

Extras can add significantly: tear-off and disposal of old siding, sheathing repairs found once the old siding is off, new housewrap, window and door trim, and abatement if the existing siding contains asbestos. For a more detailed breakdown of what drives siding bids, see the guide to siding replacement cost.

When comparing bids, check that each one specifies the same product line and finish, includes joint flashing and kick-out flashing, lists whether trim is fiber cement or another material, and explains how cut edges will be sealed. A low bid that skips these items is not a bargain.

What a Home Inspector Looks for on Fiber Cement

Under the American Society of Home Inspectors Standard of Practice, a home inspector inspects exterior wall coverings, flashing and trim and describes the wall coverings. That makes siding a routine part of the inspection, and fiber cement has a recognizable set of findings. An inspector walking the exterior will typically note:

• Boards in contact with soil, mulch, concrete or roofing, where wicking is likely.
• Missing or poorly installed kick-out flashing at roof-to-wall intersections.
• Open butt joints or joints without visible flashing behind them, where that can be seen.
• Cracked, chipped, swollen or delaminating boards, often near the bottom course or under downspouts.
• Peeling paint, failed caulk and unpainted cut ends.
• Loose boards or fasteners that are over-driven or exposed.
• Signs of hail damage after a storm.

Home inspectors work within limits: a standard inspection is visual and non-invasive, so the inspector will not pull boards off to look at housewrap or sheathing. If there are signs of water getting behind the cladding, the report may recommend further evaluation by a siding contractor, and in some cases moisture testing or an infrared scan. The guide to hiring a home inspector covers what to expect from a standard inspection and how to choose someone with good exterior experience, and the overview of specialty inspections explains when a deeper look at the building envelope is worth adding.

Maintenance Tips for Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement is often marketed as low maintenance, which is fair compared with wood, but “low” is not “none.” A simple routine keeps small problems from becoming wall repairs:

• Walk the house twice a year. Spring and fall are good times to look for cracked boards, failed caulk and peeling paint, plus after any significant hailstorm.
• Keep clearances clear. Pull mulch, soil and landscaping rock back so the bottom edge of the siding stays dry.
• Manage roof water. Keep gutters flowing and make sure downspouts discharge away from walls instead of splashing onto siding.
• Wash gently. Use a garden hose and soft brush. High-pressure washing can damage the finish and force water behind laps.
• Touch up promptly. Seal chips and exposed edges with the manufacturer’s touch-up product or compatible paint.
• Watch sprinklers. Lawn sprinklers that hit the same wall every day keep the lower courses wet, which is a common cause of bottom-edge damage.

Is Fiber Cement Right for Your House?

For many Front Range homes, fiber cement is a sensible choice: it stands up to sun, temperature swings and moderate hail better than vinyl, it does not feed a fire, and it gives a painted-wood look without the rot. It makes the most sense when:

• The home is in or near a wildfire-prone area and noncombustible cladding is a priority.
• Hail damage to vinyl siding has been a recurring insurance claim.
• The owner plans to stay long enough to benefit from a longer-lasting finish.
• A contractor with solid fiber cement experience is available.

It may make less sense on a tight budget, on a short-term ownership timeline, or where the wall framing cannot easily support the added weight without extra work. Either way, the quality of the installation will decide how the siding performs far more than the brand name printed on the boards.

For buyers looking at a house with fiber cement already in place, the age of the installation, the visible flashing details and the condition of the bottom courses tell much of the story. A house where the lowest boards are swollen and the paint is peeling along the foundation line is telling a different story than one where every board sits a few inches above grade with tight, painted edges.

References

• Silica, Crystalline: Overview — Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Silica, Crystalline: Construction — Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Learn About Asbestos — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• ASHI Standard of Practice for Home Inspections — American Society of Home Inspectors

Buying a home with fiber cement siding, or weighing a re-side after hail? Get in touch with us to be connected with a qualified Front Range inspector who can check the flashing, clearances and condition before you commit.