James Hardie is one of those brands that has become ubiquitous in its space. Everyone knows and trusts James Hardie for good reason! Its superior build quality is made of fiber cement, it is designed to resist the most extreme conditions while offering the warm, natural character of traditional wood lap siding. It’s no surprise that it’s the most popular brand of siding in America.

So let’s talk a little more about why James Hardie is so well regarded; here are 5 simple reasons:

1. Durability

Hardie Siding is legendary for its durability. Cement board siding is a more durable choice than other siding material options. It will hold up to the elements, nature, and even human abuse. Hardie Siding is completely rot and insect resistant and even holds its own against ocean sprays (looking at you Cape Cod). We talk more about specific resistances later, but the amount of abuse these boards can take and still look great is quite frankly, incredible. 

2. Aesthetics

What do you want your Hardie Siding® to look like? The sky is virtually the limit with Hardie’s aesthetics. You can successfully replicate the character of just about any other siding material; including wooden lapboards, cedar shingles, wood shake siding, and more. As for color options, you can buy pre-finished boards or buy a blank slate and paint them yourself! In New England, we love a mix of new and old aesthetic styles for our homes, so seeing such a versatile yet durable siding board is something that makes us New Englanders happy indeed!

3. Fire Resistant

Unless you’re using Chlorine Trifluoride, you’ll be hard-pressed to cause significant damage to your Hardie Siding. Being comprised of 90% silica sand and cement makes it pretty easy to avoid being caught on fire.

If a flame is held to it for 5 minutes, Hardie Siding will experience scorch marks on the painted surface. However, it takes a significant flame to damage the board. At that temperature, your Hardie Siding burning would be the least of your worries!

From the official James Hardie documentation; “Non-Combustible per ASTM E 136”, and “1 Hour Fire Resistive per NER 405. It lists an R-value for the 1/4″ sheet of 0.13 but gives no value for 1/2”. Check it out in action!

4. Storm Resistant

Being able to stand up to normal wind and rain is one thing, but Hardie Siding stands up to even the toughest elements. Inclement and dangerous weather is on the rise as we enter into an uncertain era driven by man-made climate change. These weather events, ranging from intense heat to increasingly powerful storms means that the type of materials you build homes with are increasingly important. Monsterous hurricanes and devastating fires have been all over the news for the last few years, and uncertainty can be a difficult thing to live with when your home is in the path of said weather. James Hardie helps give you and the people buying your homes or services peace of mind, knowing that you chose some of the strongest siding on the market to help protect your build from Mother Nature’s worst.

A home’s siding is the last line of defense against the wind, rain, snow, hail, and more that can work their way in. Hardie Siding is impact resistant and designed to perform in even the most extreme temperatures and conditions.

5. Awesome Warranties

To ensure your piece of mind, every piece of Hardie Siding comes backed by a manufacturer’s warranty. The length of the warranty varies by product, but a full list can be found here: CLICK HERE FOR WARRANTY INFORMATION.

Try James Hardie Yourself!

Hardie Siding is an impressive product. We’re proud to offer it at Koopman Lumber and we are happy to quote any project, no matter the size. Before your next build, give us a shout-out and get a quote. Reach out to your local store over at www.koopmanlumber.com, and we’ll get your next home project quoted in no time.