You may have heard some reasons to avoid fiber cement that aren’t true. Here are some common misconceptions about fiber cement siding that shouldn’t fool you.
When you need to repair or replace the siding on your home, the two materials you’ll find most often are vinyl and fiber cement. You may have heard some reasons to avoid fiber cement that aren’t true. Here are some common misconceptions about fiber cement siding that shouldn’t fool you.
It’s Not Permanent
This common misconception might have something to do with what fiber cement was originally called. Its inventor, Ludwig Hatsheck, gave it the name “eternit,” from the Latin word “aeternitas,” which means permanent or everlasting, and it’s where we get the word eternity. Like vinyl, fiber cement is a low-maintenance material that is still highly resistant to the different mishaps and mayhem that can happen to the exterior of your home, such as:
- Fire damage
- Falling trees
- Pest damage
- Water damage
Even though it is incredibly durable, even your fiber cement siding will need to be replaced one day.
It Needs Repainting
Another enduring misconception about fiber cement siding is that you won’t need to repaint it. However, once it’s time to replace your siding, you might want to repaint it. Repainting your siding helps it match with the roof and gutters. The paint will wear out every so often, after which you will need to add a new coat to give it a fresh look. The other parts of your home probably won’t look the same ten or twelve years from now, so why should your siding? Even so, before you can repaint your siding, you need to decide what kind of paint you want to use.
Primed: Primed siding accepts whatever paint color you wish to use.
Pre-painted: Pre-painted fiber cement siding might fit your needs better. Pre-painted fiber cement siding has the primer and paint added before installation begins. Although you might think that this means the paint is lower-quality, the opposite is true. When you use this kind of siding, it will actually last much longer instead.
It Doesn’t Have Asbestos
Unlike the others, this misconception does have a grain of truth to it. Once upon a time,some asbestos was added to fiber cement siding. But that additive has become less and less necessary as the years have gone by; fiber cement was supposed to provide a safer alternative to asbestos as a building material.
Contact Topper Construction Today!
If you’re interested in having a roof system, siding, or water drainage system installed in your new home, or would like a free estimate, contact Topper Construction. With Topper Construction, you’ll see the benefit of nearly three decades of experience. Contact Topper Construction at 301-874-0220 or email us at info@topperconstruction.com if you are interested in learning more. We can help you with projects in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Northern Virginia.
