If you are planning on exterior renovations, fiber cement siding could be a great solution. These siding materials are made of cement and fibers, and they are a durable alternative to wood and other more traditional materials.
There are things that you will want to know before having fiber cement siding installed. You will want to choose improvements, decide if you are going to use prefinished materials, and choose the type of siding style you want to use. The following fiber cement siding guide will help you get started with your exterior renovations:
- Choosing the Siding Style for Renovations—There are many different siding styles to choose from with fiber cement materials. The most common fiber cement style is lap-siding, but there are other options. If you are looking for craftsman-style siding, fiber cement materials also come in shakes, board-and-batten, and other more traditional styles.
- Energy Audits and Thermal Barrier Improvements—There are also many thermal barrier improvements that can be done when installing fiber cement siding. One of the tasks you want to do is an energy audit. Identify problems with air leaks and energy loss that can be corrected when new siding is installed. The fiber cement siding can also have a house wrap installed to protect against air leaks, energy loss and moisture problems that are common with siding exterior finishes.
- Proper Water Barriers to Protect Fiber Cement Siding—It is important that you choose the right type of water barriers to protect your home. The water barriers should be flashing and rain guards above windows, which are standard. With fiber cement siding, talk to the contractor about using rubber seal tape and other reinforcements to protect against water damage in the most vulnerable areas of your home's exterior.
- Choosing, Trim, Windows, and Molding for Siding Restorations—Lastly, there are going to be additional improvements that you want to have done with the fiber cement siding. First, you may want to consider installing new windows or giving them details. The details that are added to the windows with trim and molding can also be done in other areas of siding to give your home a new custom design.
Fiber cement siding can be great for home renovations, but there are some important choices to make for these improvements. If you are ready to start your home renovations, contact a James Hardie siding service and talk to them about fiber cement for your home's exterior.
