You walk outside and notice that the wood siding on your home isn’t looking that great. After poking a plank of the wood, it caves in a little — which means you've got rot. While you could replace all the bad spots, you may benefit more from replacing the entire thing with cement siding.
Cement can emulate the look of wood perfectly and it will never warp or rot. It’s also much more resistant to weather and heat. Your home won’t catch fire easily and the siding will be around for a while to come.
Does this sound good or what?
To decide if cement siding is the way you want to go, here is a quick guide on all these benefits and more.
1. It's Durable
Fiber cement is made with cement, sand, and cellulose fibers. These natural ingredients may not seem like they are that durable, but they are. It stands up against wear and tear a lot better than some other home siding options.
It's not affected by weather or insects that may decide they want to burrow inside it.
While fiber cement is a little more expensive than the cheaper siding options available to you, you won't have to change it out for a long time.
2. It Can Emulate Wood
There are many other materials out there that try and emulate the look of wood. However, they don't look too believable once you get up close to them. Fiber cement does, though.
With fiber cement, the grains can be produced to look like they are wood. It also feels like wood when you run your hand over it.
3. Optionable Aesthetics
You'll have a ton of color choices and textures to pick from. You'll also get several options when it comes to installation types and shapes. You can get panels, shakes, shingles, or the classic board looks.
Mix and match however you want. No matter what you go with, your home is sure to look unique from all your neighbor's homes.
4. It's Resistant to Heat
To compare the heat-resistant nature of fiber cement, let's look at vinyl for a moment.
You can melt vinyl siding when you crank up your grill to cook food for your family BBQ. You could even melt it by lighting up a cigarette when you're standing a little too close.
Imagine if a fire breaks out — it will become fuel for it. As far as fiber cement, though, it doesn't melt so easily.
You could put it under a direct flame and it will still not ignite. If a fire breaks out, the flames won't spread near as fast, either.
5. Weather Resistant
There are some siding types such as aluminum that can get dented when a hail storm passes. Some can get warped and damaged from the intense summer heat. Fiber cement isn't one of these.
It's stable and durable so hail doesn't do much to it. It won't warp or deteriorate when summer gets to be a bit too hot. It also won't take any damage from snow and rain.
6. Won't Warp or Rot
If you live in an area that sees a lot of snow, and you enjoy the aesthetics of wood, then fiber cement is for you. The problem with wood is that when snow sits on it, after a while the moisture seeps into it. This can cause water damage and rot after a while.
Fiber cement looks like wood but it won't suffer any water damage or rot when you get a heavy snow storm. Same goes if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain.
7. Will Keep You Safe from Tornados and Hurricanes
Hurricane and tornado winds can all but destroy some home sidings. Cement absorbs the winds. It would take a serious natural disaster to get it to budge.
Thanks to this durability, your family will be safe and you won't have to call someone out to do repairs. You and the contractor will both save your time and you'll save money.
8. The Price Is Right
The award for cheapest siding around most likely goes to vinyl — but while it's durable, it isn't as sturdy as fiber cement and doesn't look as good, either.
For a little extra, you can get cement. If you want a price comparison, vinyl is about 5 bucks per square feet and cement is about 7.
9. Very Little Maintenance Is Needed
Perhaps one of the best things about fiber cement siding is that maintenance is optional. You don't have to stain it or paint it like you would wood or other sidings. You can have it touched up every once in a while if you want — but no pressure.
Speaking of pressure, you won't have to pressure wash it, either. The only maintenance that you need to think about is the edges. Every once in a while you need to reapply caulk to it.
10. Energy Efficient
On top of all the other savings we've mentioned so far, you can also shave a little bit off your power bill by going with this option. Fiber cement has amazing thermal resistance and insulation.
You won't have to run your heater and when you do, it won't have to work as hard to warm things up. Same goes for keeping your home cool in the summer.
These Are the Top Benefits of Cement Siding
If you need to replace the siding on your home, why not go with cement siding? While it's not as cheap as vinyl, it comes with a ton of benefits that make it worth it in the long run.
You'll get that money back for the sheer fact that you won't have to replace it for a while. It's a no-brainer.
Want to get started on your fiber cement siding project? You'll need a contractor.
Contact us to get a free estimate on our services or request a consultation.
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