Fiber Cement Siding in New England

Although it’s still fairly new to the area fiber cement siding is used more each year in Massachusetts.  In other parts of the country including Texas, the Southeast, and Southwest, fiber cement siding is the most common siding of choice.  However here in Massachusetts it still only makes up about an estimated 10-15% of the siding installed, but that percentage is growing each year.  Massachusetts residents are very traditional in our taste for the appearance of our homes.  Many homes in Massachusetts are 75-100 years old or more.  That is both the reason why fiber cement siding has taken a while to gain popularity and the reason it will be the siding of choice in the future. Fiber cement siding offers homeowners in Massachusetts the look and feel of hand-painted wood siding but with far less maintenance required.  Because of this Massachusetts residents are getting more and more excited about fiber cement is a great option for their homes. Keep your eyes open. There’s a good chance you’ve seen it already and didn’t even realize it.

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When it comes to replacing your siding, the question will inevitably be, “What’s the difference between Fiber Cement siding and vinyl siding?”  Although in general fiber cement siding costs a little bit more to have installed then most vinyl siding products, you may find it is well worth the added expense to choose fiber cement.  You may have heard the statement and “vinyl is final”.  But the truth of the matter is that statement is far from the truth.  Take a look at a home at the vinyl siding that was installed more than 15 years ago.  What do you think?  Chances are you notice fading, chalking, warping and other unfavorable defects.  Not to mention the fact that the color is probably outdated.  Often times people settle for vinyl siding as a means to an end.  They are sick of painting their house every 4 to 6 years, and are just looking for something that has lower maintenance.  When comparing fiber cement versus vinyl siding, evaluate if you think you will be okay with one color for the rest of your life, or if you want the option to change the color in the future.  Unlike vinyl siding, with fiber cement siding you have the option to refresh the house with an easy coat of paint in the future.  You might be wondering, “why would I want to paint?” Fiber cement siding holds paint 2 to 3 times longer than wood siding, so it’s not as if you are painting frequently.  In fact the average homeowner lives in a home less than 10 years.

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Although Fiber Cement siding has only been used in the Boston area for about 12 years, we’ve had the opportunity to work on some exciting projects. As a fiber cement siding contractor in Boston many times we are presenting fiber cement siding to home, condo, and business owners as a great replacement or alternative to wood, masonite, asbestos, vinyl or aluminum.  What fiber cement siding offers the Boston market that those other alternatives can’t is the look and feel of traditional hand-painted wood without all the maintenance of hand-painted wood.  Many homeowners in Boston don’t want to compromise the look of their house with vinyl siding just to have a lower maintenance solution.  See pictures of some of our noteworthy fiber cement projects in the Boston area below.  United Home Experts has completed over 500 fiber cement siding projects in the Boston area.

Whitney Ave. Cambridge (In Progress)

Hancock St. Cambridge

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If you haven’t seen or heard of it already… you will!  In many regions of the U.S. Fiber cement siding is widely used. But in New England it’s still a relatively new building material.  Fiber cement siding is a composite material made of mostly Portland cement, sand and water.  It’s an incredibly durable alternative to other siding materials.  Why is fiber cement siding the best alternative for New England?  For two major reasons.  #1.  It is in most authentic looking synthetic siding available.  Other siding options such as vinyl, pressed board, and aluminum just don’t deliver the same traditional appearance that New England homeowners desire. #2. It stands up to the elements.  Fiber cement siding resists damage from our constantly changing climate here in New England.  Fiber cement won’t warp in high and humid temperatures, and is also resistant to damage from ice, snow, and hail.  Although New England doesn’t deal with as many termites as other parts of the country, there are some and they do cause problems. New England is also home to a lot of woodpeckers which can wreak havoc on wood trim and siding.  You’ll never find a woodpecker going after fiber cement siding.

Click here to request an estimate for Hardieplank Fiber Cement siding