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Those of you who have Hardie Board siding, would you do it again?
Hardie & LP Smartside are the industry leaders in clapboard siding. Hardie is more brittle than LP, but does better with moisture. In my opinion I would use a different trim product like LP, Miratec, Boral, or cellular PVC. Depending on the style / location LP trim tends to be used frequently with Hardie siding installs. LP is cheaper to install due to weight and the material is easier to work with (osb vs. fiber cement). Regardless, Hardie (when installed correctly), is a great product. Just ensure proper flashing and caulking methods are followed by your installer and you should have no issues. Remember you're purchasing a siding that requires maintenance. Paint and caulk every 7-10 years and it will outlast you. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/HomeImprovement
75
53
February 22, 2021
Thoughts on James Hardie type siding?
Hardie siding is an excellent product. I am a carpenter and have installed all types. • I hate vinyl siding with a passion as it degrades in 20 year, is easily broken by stones from a lawnmower or children, it’s dishonest, masquerading as something else, and it’s not even a water barrier - it’s just a “weather barrier” with the actual waterproofing behind it. • Cedar clapboard or shakes are a wonderful product that can last for generations when installed properly, but they need to be painted every 10 years and require some maintenance. • Hardie board is a cement-like product that installed just like cedar clapboard, will not expand and contract with moisture, will not rot, does not require maintenance and comes per-painted. In my opinion, Hardie is the ideal siding material, if you are willing to forgo real wood. It’s popular because it’s cheaper than cedar and paint and long term maintenance costs are much lower. Rarely do you see a newer product, (especially a composite) that performs better than that the traditional stuff and is actually cheaper. As for the aesthetics, I believe that’s entirely a matter of design. If you take a 150 year-old home and out in larger windows, remove the shutters, install smaller trim, eliminate the frieze board, shrink the corner boards, and install modern soffit and roof venting, it won’t look like an old house anymore. All that aside, the spacing of the siding is definitely a factor - older homes have 3-4” spacing on the clapboards, while hardi plank can have 5” or more. It will cost 20% more, but Hardie plank can be installed with a 4” reveal to keep the original look of your home. (Not a shill for Hardie, I’ve only installed the stuff a couple of times, but I am a fan of anything that can outlast wood and doesn’t use plastic) I would be very curious to see photos of what you consider traditional and ugly/modern. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/centuryhomes
61
20
June 10, 2023
Hardiplank Siding
ColorPlus? I installed that back in 2017 so.  When I hardiplank-ed my last house, the consensus I got was that the pre stain will fade in direct sunlight so you are better off just getting the pre primed and top coating with a high quality color I liked. That’s what I did. It’s likely oxidized. Pressure wash. Prime. Paint. Sucks, but yeah. More on reddit.com
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11
3
July 16, 2024
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What are the shipping options for James Hardie Siding?
All James Hardie Siding can be shipped to you at home.
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James Hardie - Siding - The Home Depot
Can James Hardie Siding be returned?
Yes, James Hardie Siding can be returned within our 90-Day return period.
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What are the shipping options for James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding?
All James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding can be shipped to you at home.
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James Hardie - Fiber Cement Siding - The Home Depot
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 8.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215572 - The Home Depot
August 7, 2024 - We make three different profiled ...ducts/hardie-artisan-siding/ ... This is a plank lap siding made from fiber-cement, T1-11 is typically a plywood-panel style siding with grooves in the face....
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 8 in. x 144 in. Primed Custom Roughsawn Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215705 - The Home Depot
April 30, 2025 - James Hardie - Custom Colonial 3/8 in. x 8 in. x 12 ft. Cement Fiber Lap Siding - Gray color. Resists cracking, splitting, rotting and swelling. Resists damage from moisture. Termite and insect resistant.
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ5 7.25 in. x 144 in. Statement Collection Iron Gray Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 6921121 - The Home Depot
April 30, 2025 - Hardie Plank Statement Collection Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding with ColorPlus Technology has a woodgrain appearance making it ideal for exteriors where a traditional wood siding look is desired.
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 9.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 9000631 - The Home Depot
April 30, 2025 - Hardie Plank Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding has a woodgrain appearance making it ideal for exteriors where a traditional wood siding look is desired. ASTM E136 noncombustible cladding will not attract
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 6.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215570 - The Home Depot
James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 6.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215570
Hardie Plank Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding has a woodgrain appearance making it ideal for exteriors where a traditional wood siding look is desired. ASTM E136 noncombustible cladding will not attract pests including termites and woodpeckers. HZ10 engineering means it is made to withstand high heat, humidity, moisture, hail, tropical storms and hurricane winds. Board is factory primed using a primer with a slight yellow hue. To finish, apply an acrylic, water-based exterior house paint to the primed board within 180 days of installation.
(4.7)
Price   $9.68
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reddit.com › r/homeimprovement › those of you who have hardie board siding, would you do it again?
r/HomeImprovement on Reddit: Those of you who have Hardie Board siding, would you do it again?
February 22, 2021 -

I’m considering getting hardie board or similar brand siding and trim, the one that is pre painted at the factory.

I’ve decided against brick and metal siding, so hardie board seems like the next best option and I have the budget for it.

Curious how people like it 5, 10 years later?

What else should I know?

Top answer
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50
Hardie & LP Smartside are the industry leaders in clapboard siding. Hardie is more brittle than LP, but does better with moisture. In my opinion I would use a different trim product like LP, Miratec, Boral, or cellular PVC. Depending on the style / location LP trim tends to be used frequently with Hardie siding installs. LP is cheaper to install due to weight and the material is easier to work with (osb vs. fiber cement). Regardless, Hardie (when installed correctly), is a great product. Just ensure proper flashing and caulking methods are followed by your installer and you should have no issues. Remember you're purchasing a siding that requires maintenance. Paint and caulk every 7-10 years and it will outlast you.
2 of 29
25
Absolutely. I would do Hardie, again. I have had Hardie on 2 houses, one where it is rainy and wet, and the other where it is both very cold/very hot. I have self painted Hardie on the rainy/wet house. It’s been on for 25 years and looks great. We have painted it twice, once at install and once about 15 years in. On the brutally hot house, we had the factory painted Hardie installed along with self-painted Hardie shakes. The factory painted siding noticeably bleached out after 10-12 years, while the self painted shakes on the peaks still looked good. The factory painted is significantly more expensive. We had to do the factory painted version as the house was remote and 3 stories. We couldn’t get a painter to go out to paint on-site. If you live in an area where you can get a painter or the house is one story, don’t waste your money on the factory painted version.
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 7.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215571 - The Home Depot
James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 7.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215571
Hardie Plank Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding has a woodgrain appearance making it ideal for exteriors where a traditional wood siding look is desired. ASTM E136 noncombustible cladding will not attract pests including termites and woodpeckers. HZ10 engineering means it is made to withstand high heat, humidity, moisture, hail, tropical storms and hurricane winds. Board is factory primed using a primer with a slight yellow hue. To finish, apply an acrylic, water-based exterior house paint to the primed board within 180 days of installation.
(4.7)
Price   $10.52
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/centuryhomes › thoughts on james hardie type siding?
r/centuryhomes on Reddit: Thoughts on James Hardie type siding?
June 10, 2023 -

Edit:

There are some great tips folks made to make this siding look a lot more true to the original home.

  1. No faux wood, go with no texture.

  2. Don't use white trim or modern style trim as this siding with modern trim is what makes it look just like any house in the burbs.

  3. You can add aluminum edging for relatively low cost. This keeps the edging the original siding had and makes it look a lot more true to the original.

  4. Not very much can be done about colors, the colors available are limited and dark blue is the "in" color for new builds and it just is what it is.

Hello fellow old home enthusiasts!

I live in a part of a major metropolitan area where all the houses are large and built from 1910-1925.

Many beautiful homes and some really well done renovations.

One thing that has been throwing me for a complete loop are the house renovations that include this siding type. The houses no longer look like they are from 1915, they look like they belong in a modern cookie cutter upper middle class suburb.

I'm not entitled to tell anyone what to do with their house, but this siding complete transforms the home from a 100 year old beauty into something that belongs next to a modern high school and it drives me nuts.

Am I the only one that sees it this way? Am I too old and too ornery and need to shut up? What do folks think of this new trend?

In particular, the type that my eyes are going bonkers over is this dark blue or blue+grey with fake wood pattern.

The product might actually be a great fit and it might just be this particular color and style that makes it look like it belongs in a new build subdivision. Some posters really hit what it is; It's not just the siding, it's the trim and the siding that combine to shutter (pun intended) the features of the home. Thin trim, white trim, blue or blue gray siding all combine to make a new build house.

I have old ass steel siding that I need to replace and may even go with this siding but do a more "fitting" trim and colors that accent the house and pay homage to the original vision. Thanks all. I tried to be as polite as possible while bringing up concerns as I knew some folks might feel targeted, not my intent but a discussion I felt was worth having.

In the end, you pay for your house and you choose what you want. I'm probably going to nearly gut my old home myself, not because I want to but simply because I can't live where I want and build new as there are no lots, choices are limited, do what you like.

Top answer
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41
Hardie siding is an excellent product. I am a carpenter and have installed all types. • I hate vinyl siding with a passion as it degrades in 20 year, is easily broken by stones from a lawnmower or children, it’s dishonest, masquerading as something else, and it’s not even a water barrier - it’s just a “weather barrier” with the actual waterproofing behind it. • Cedar clapboard or shakes are a wonderful product that can last for generations when installed properly, but they need to be painted every 10 years and require some maintenance. • Hardie board is a cement-like product that installed just like cedar clapboard, will not expand and contract with moisture, will not rot, does not require maintenance and comes per-painted. In my opinion, Hardie is the ideal siding material, if you are willing to forgo real wood. It’s popular because it’s cheaper than cedar and paint and long term maintenance costs are much lower. Rarely do you see a newer product, (especially a composite) that performs better than that the traditional stuff and is actually cheaper. As for the aesthetics, I believe that’s entirely a matter of design. If you take a 150 year-old home and out in larger windows, remove the shutters, install smaller trim, eliminate the frieze board, shrink the corner boards, and install modern soffit and roof venting, it won’t look like an old house anymore. All that aside, the spacing of the siding is definitely a factor - older homes have 3-4” spacing on the clapboards, while hardi plank can have 5” or more. It will cost 20% more, but Hardie plank can be installed with a 4” reveal to keep the original look of your home. (Not a shill for Hardie, I’ve only installed the stuff a couple of times, but I am a fan of anything that can outlast wood and doesn’t use plastic) I would be very curious to see photos of what you consider traditional and ugly/modern.
2 of 17
14
I think it can look good with a tighter exposure and smooth finish. Certainly better than vinyl / aluminum.
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James Hardie - Arctic White - The Home Depot
Sample Board Statement Collection 6.25 in x 4 in. Arctic White Fiber Cement Siding
Sample Board Statement Collection 6.25 in x 4 in. Arctic White Fiber Cement Siding
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ5 8.25 in. x 144 in. Statement Collection Arctic White Smooth Fiber Cement Lap Siding 6671171 - The Home Depot
April 30, 2025 - Hardie Plank Statement Collection Smooth Fiber Cement Lap Siding with ColorPlus Technology has no woodgrain texture for a sleek and modern look. By using products from a single, trusted manufacturer that
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 8.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Smooth Fiber Cement Lap Siding 215615 - The Home Depot
April 30, 2025 - James Hardie - 144 in. Cement Lap Siding - Resists cracking, splitting, rotting and swelling. Resists termites and insects. Non-combustible and fire resistant. Cement fiber construction for durability.
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The Home Depot
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James Hardie Hardie Plank HZ10 7.25 in. x 144 in. Primed Smooth Fiber Cement Lap Siding 9000050 - The Home Depot
November 14, 2025 - Hardie Plank Smooth Fiber Cement Lap Siding has no woodgrain finish making it ideal for exteriors where a modern look is desired. ASTM E136 noncombustible cladding will not attract pests including termites
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James Hardie Hardie Plank 8.25-inch x 12 ft. Fibre Cement Siding Panel | The Home Depot Canada
James Hardie® fibre cement siding products also resist water absorption to help prevent damage from mould, swelling and cracking ... The Home Depot will provide an accessible format of PDFs upon request.