Top 5 Benefits of Hardie Siding

James Hardie, the Scotsman, began what today is one of the world's largest manufacturers of concrete siding in 1888 when he immigrated to Australia to invent and market building products. In the 1980s, the company--now expanded to the United States and England--started making the fiber cement building products that made James Hardie Industries one of the world leaders in siding.

According to Hardie, its fiber siding products offer the following top five benefits:

1. A non-combustible home exterior surface
2. Impact resistance to windblown debris while matching hurricane-zone building codes
3. Resistance to mold, moisture, termites, and rot
4. Baked-on finishes resistant to fading, chipping, or warping (no painting)
5. Voluntary compliance with National Green Guidelines

Durability and James Hardie Siding

According to Hardie, the longer paint cycle inherent in its fiber cement siding line can save homeowners an average of $5,000 over five years in terms of re-painting costs. Compared with vinyl siding alternatives, Harding claims that its cement siding contributes to an average of 14 percent lower premiums on homeowner insurance.

The company believes in the durability of its siding products. It offers ""up to a 50-year limited transferable product warranty, as well as a 15-year finish warranty covering both paint and labor.""

Hardie's ColorPlus® technology, the company says, ensures lasting, anti-chip paint finishes that are created in the same facilities where the cement siding is made, making it a symbiotic process. Hardie claims that this process can result in twice the color endurance compared with other siding products, 30 percent greater fading resistant properties, and a 400% better adhering effect than other siding paint products.