Most homeowners cite their biggest goals with new siding as being something that will have enduring looks with little to no maintenance. If those also happen to be your new siding goals – you’re in luck! Fiber cement (Hardie Plank) and Celect cellular composite siding are the longest-lasting, least-maintenance siding options.
At AIC Roofing and Construction, a top-rated Louisville siding contractor, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners improve their home’s exterior.. We offer many siding solutions including vinyl, insulated vinyl, James Hardie, and Celect cellular composite.
If you’re looking for the highest quality, most durable, and most beautiful siding – Hardie Board and Cellular Composite are two great options.
Before we dive in, it should be noted that both products offer the beautiful appearance of wood without any of the maintenance, and are much more durable than vinyl siding options. If you want to invest in your home (that yields a great return by the way!) and reap the benefit of no maintenance siding for decades, Hardie Board and cellular composite are both great options to consider.
In this article, we’ll explain the features of both fiber cement and cellular composite siding as well as compare and contrast the two products.
What is Fiber Cement Siding?
Fiber cement siding, also called Hardie Board by the manufacturer – James Hardie is a highly durable and virtually fire-proof product. James Hardie invented the fiber cement siding material and is the leading manufacturer of this product to date. James Hardie is the only fiber cement siding product that we install for our customers because of the superior qualities it offers.
Fiber cement siding is made of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers. Because fiber cement is so fire resistant, most homeowners’ insurance policies will offer a discount if it’s installed on your home. It also offers great aesthetics and rich wood finishes to your home.
Is fiber cement Siding right for my home?
Hardie Plank siding comes in a variety of finishes including realistic cedarwood as well as smooth. It also comes in a variety of colors and can be painted as well. If you are interested in a highly customizable, long-lasting product – Hardie Board siding may be the right option for your home.
What is Cellular Composite Siding?
Celect cellular composite siding is a fairly new product in the siding industry, but its manufacturer – Royal, has been around for fifty years. Cellular Composite siding is made of state-of-the-art, recyclable, cellular composite PVC (polyvinyl Chloride) materials. Similar to Hardie Board, it offers extremely realistic wood-like finishes. Cellular Composite offers a leg up to other products because of its coating and patented interlocking joints system. It is completely seamless when installed.
Is Celect cellular composite siding right for my home?
Celect cellular composite siding offers impressive features at a similar price point to James Hardie siding. For starters, it has realistic, wood-like finishes. Secondly, its Kynar Aquatec solar reflective finish means it reflects UV rays and extends the life of the paint dramatically. The Kynar Aquatec solar finish also makes this siding the most energy-efficient siding on the market. Cellular Composite siding has the best R-value (a rating for energy efficiency) of siding on the market. Its R-value is nearly double that of wood or fiber cement siding.
Key Features Comparison
Product Warranty – fiber cement vs cellular composite
Celect cellular composite offers an industry-leading 25-year warranty on the finish of their siding and a limited lifetime warranty on the siding product. Celect truly stands by this product by offering unmatched warranties.
James Hardie has an extremely competitive warranty, offering 15 years on the finish of their siding and a 30-year non-prorated warranty on the product itself.
Features – fiber cement vs cellular composite siding
Both of these siding options have impressive mold, termite, pest, and weather resistance features. They both are virtually impervious to the elements while offering unmatched aesthetic qualities to your home.
Celect cellular composite siding offers 20 color options which are notably less than Hardie Plank. While the 20 color options cover the most popular home colors in North America, if you’re looking for a specific color, be sure to carefully examine the catalogs of both products.
Budget – fiber cement vs cellular composite siding
While Celect Cellular Composite siding is slightly more expensive than Hardie Board siding from a product standpoint, Hardie Board siding is much more expensive to install.
Because Hardie Board siding is 90% cement, each uncut board can weigh as much as 2.5 pounds per square foot! This requires two installers to carry each board to ensure materials don’t accidentally break. The specialty blades needed for fabrication and the added labor can quickly escalate installation costs.
From a budget standpoint, Celect cellular composite and Hardie Plank siding have comparable total costs. Each home is different, and installation costs will ultimately depend on your home’s unique features.
Maintenance – fiber cement vs cellular composite siding
Celect Cellular Composite is the only maintenance-free siding solution. It requires no caulking due to its patented interlocking joints. Its Kynar Aquatec solar reflective finish means that you never need to repaint the siding and the manufacturer Celect jacks that up with an unmatched 25-year warranty on the paint and finish. That being said, fiber cement siding is an extremely low-maintenance solution – especially when compared with vinyl siding. The most maintenance you’ll probably have to perform with fiber cement is recaulking around trim and a few other areas. Fiber cement siding is installed similarly to wood plank siding and any gaps in between panels are caulked to ensure no moisture or pests can get through to your home. Whereas, Celect cellular composite siding has interlocking joints, making it maintenance-free and impervious to mold, moisture, and pests.
Wrapping Up
Choosing between Cellular Composite and Hardie Board siding comes down to your preference for customization and maintenance level. Hardie Board offers a wider selection of colors and finishes but involves slightly more maintenance throughout its life. While Cellular Composite offers a truly maintenance-free siding option for your home.
Siding not only gives your home an instant boost in curb appeal but is also an important layer of protection for your home against outside forces. Deciding which type of siding is best for your home is an important decision. We hope this article helped you become more familiar with the features of both the Hardie Board and Celect Cellular Composite siding.
In our ongoing effort to ensure homeowners feel confident and knowledgeable about their homes and the products protecting them, we created a Learning Center. Our Learning Center has in-depth answers to some of the most commonly asked questions – like how long it will take to side your house?
If it’s time to replace your home’s siding in Louisville, we’d love to see if we would be a good fit for your project. We’re an experienced Louisville siding contractor and have helped thousands of homeowners improve the exterior of their homes. Contact us today for a free consultation with one of our siding experts.
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