Interesting Facts About James Hardie (Fiber Cement) Siding

What is Fiber Cement Siding? This siding is all the buzz in the home improvement community right now, but why? What are the properties that make Fiber Cement Siding a new go-to choice for homeowners? In today’s article we’re covering all things Fiber Cement Siding related. Hopefully you’ll learn more about this amazing home exterior and why it’s great for homes, and why it even might be great for your home’s exterior. Let’s learn some fun facts and have fun while doing it.

Fiber Cement Siding Is Also Called James Hardie

Company founder James Hardie started in the business world back in 1888; but Fiber Cement Siding (which also reflects the name) wasn’t  invented by the James Hardie corporation until the mid-1980’s. James Hardie’s products are called this to reflect the inventor’s name. Fiber Cement siding became a huge staple on American homes in the early 1990’s because of its resilience to harsh weather conditions.

Hardiplank

James Hardie construction products became so popular there were often people spelling thre name wrong (hardi, without the e). This led to an amalgamation of the name for Hardie Plank to Hardiplank. When you see Fiber Cement, Hardiplank, or James Hardie they are all reflecting the same product and are often used interchangeably. Hardiboard, however, has come to mean any fiber cement siding by any number of suppliers.

Fire Rated

An interesting fact that most people don’t know is that James Hardie siding is the only siding on the market which is fire tested and rated. This siding won’t ignite when exposed to a direct flame. In addition, it will not add fuel to a flame either.

Weather Resistance

Fiber Cement Siding is extremely resistant to flood damage. It also holds up extremely well against harsh winds and hail. James Hardie Plank lap siding is approved for installation in areas with wind speeds up to 200 mph. This is pretty crazy when you think of the average wind speed in a category 3 hurricane of being 112-129 mph.

Low Maintenance

James Hardie Siding is very low maintenance for several reasons. It doesn’t rot when it gets wet and doesn’t mold so you won’t have to clean off weird mold all the time. It is insect resistant, so you won’t have bugs trying to work their way into this siding – which also means woodpeckers won’t be attracted to it. Finally, it also has baked on color technology to ensure that all of the panels stay vibrant for life. In most cases, you won’t ever have to paint this siding again. All of the things above make this siding extremely easy to maintain.

50 Years

In most cases it’s fair to say that James Hardie Siding lasts for 50 years. That’s according to the James Hardie website itself. When you consider this as part of the investment how could you go wrong? This siding lasts, and you won’t have to fuss with it. Who doesn’t love that? 

8 Million & Counting

James Hardie siding has been installed on over 8 million homes in north America alone. There are tons of happy homeowners with this siding.

Final Thoughts

We hope you’ve enjoyed all of these fun facts about James Hardie Siding. It is strong, durable, maintenance free and colorful. If you’re interested in getting a free quote for Fiber Cement Siding please click here. Comment below on what your favorite part of the article was.