Want to never replace cedar shingles again?
Your choice of siding during a remodel is easily one of the most important decisions you can make about your home's aesthetic appeal. For some homeowners, using traditional clapboard cladding is the best choice. For others, stucco walls make the most sense. And many homeowners choose new vinyl siding for their homes.
If you like the look and warmth of cedar shingles but you don't want to deal with the hassle of regular maintenance or the expense of cladding your home with a real wood product, consider fiber cement shingles.
Fiber cement shingle styles
Cedar shingles are a common architectural element for homes throughout the greater New England area, from large Cape Cod mansions to small Nantucket-style cottages. But they also are a great choice for homes in wooded areas since they blend in nicely with the surroundings. Hand-sawn cedar shingles, especially red cedar from the Pacific Northwest, have long been a favorite building material because of the wood's longevity and the deep, rich tones the wood takes on as it ages.
If you don't want to have to replace your siding again, however, fiber cement shake siding is an excellent and durable alternative to real wood products. Cement board shakes can last longer than cedar shakes -- even as much as 50 years -- and they come in a wide range of styles and colors that simulate all kinds of wood shingles with staggered, straight or notched edges.
The panels are designed to imitate the look of authentic cedar, but because they are cast using real Portland cement they offer much greater longevity and drastically reduced maintenance over traditional wood building products. In addition to different edge detailing, they are cast with smooth, textured or striated surfaces. There are a wide range of color choices as well; James Hardie Building Products, an industry leader in cement board siding, offers six different styles and widths of fiber cement shingles with as many as 21 different color choices.
Fiber cement shingle prices
GAF Premium Products, yet another siding manufacturer, offers wood-grained cement board shakes at about $140 to $148 for a bundle that covers 25 square feet of wall space. Cerber, another manufacturer of cement board building products, offers many different types of cladding at approximately $8.70 a square foot.
An ideal way to pre-determine the true costs of remodeling your home using fiber cement building materials is to consult a trusted siding professional, such as the pre-screened, certified contractors available through this site. These licensed, bonded and insured* builders can help you select the cladding best for your home and install it according to the manufacturer's warranty specifications.
*See terms and conditions at: http://www.streetcertified.com/about/Terms.jsp
Featured Articles
- Fiber cement: The perfect exterior cladding?
- Shingle siding throwdown: fiber cement vs. cedar
- Installing fiber cement panels: what to know
- Installing lap siding: 4 golden rules
- Fiber cement: a vacation from siding maintenance
- How to ruin a good siding job
- Choosing between cement board siding and stucco
- Tough siding options for severe storms
- Why not install fiber cement siding yourself?
- Is fiber cement a green building product?
- How does fiber cement siding compare to brick?
- Fiber cement vs. vinyl: Which siding is most eco-friendly?
- What on earth is fiber cement siding?
