I have been reading a few opinions in the group concerning Hardieplank versus vinyl siding. I was suprised to see how many people who were pro vinyl and anti-hardieplank. I am a homeowner who had a housefire from lightning and my contrctor quit and ran off with a chunk of my money. I basically have to do this 18x32 addition myself with the funds left. I studied the many options for siding before I got to the actually time to put it on. Of course, brick would be my first choice because the existing structure is brick. But because trying to match brick color and texture is next to impossible, and the time and cost involved, I could not go there. So I was left with fiber cement, wood, or vinyl. Here are the pro's and con's of each as I found out:
Wood: PROs: Better looking the vinyl Stronger than vinyl Can change color Fairly easy to install
CONs Termites Rot Paint every 5 to 10 years because wood expands/contracts-paint base breaks Can warp in high heat if not perfectly nailed, primered, and painted Fairly expensive Not pre-primered
Vinyl PRO's: Easy to install Fairly inexpensive No painting
CON's: Sags over time no matter what brand or who installs it Stuck with color (you can paint it, but....) Warps in heat Low melting point Rattles in high wind Will break from rock thrown from lawnmower Traps moisture behind it
Fiber cement (Hardieplank) PROs: Very strong Can change color Resistant to termite, fire and rot No expansion of paint base, so paint every 10 to 15 years Pre-primered Looks exactly like real wood
CON's: More expensive than vinyl Takes some skill to install Have to paint it
I chose the Hardieplank, and I am thrilled with it. The neighbors now want to replace the vinyl on their homes with this stuff. It is flimsy until you get it nailed down, but once it is up, it's tough. There are many different manufacturers of fiber cement. Hardie is what Home Depot had. Here was the cost breakdown if you are curious:
Wood planks,trim, primer/paint: $680.00
Vinyl strips, j channel, etc: $525.00 Hardieplank, trim, paint, : $790.00
Hope this helps someone who is researching siding options.