Fiber Cement Siding - Alive, Well, and Flourishing

By Tim Carter

Summary: Fiber cement siding has old-fashioned charm and the fiber cement panels come in many styles. There are also cement fiber shingles in different sizes. The two materials are easy to install and can be painted.

DEAR TIM: I am really tired of the ho-hum horizontal lap siding I see on so many new homes today. I am looking for a unique siding style. I grew up in an old house that had these tough, thin panels that resembled armor plating. Is this siding still available? What was it and how is it installed? Jenny W., Fresno, CA

DEAR JENNY: I know exactly what you are talking about! There are thousands of homes in my city that sport this incredibly durable siding material. It is simply fiber cement siding. The product was developed in France about 100 years ago. We all know how durable concrete paving is. The French developers were smart enough to modify the concrete making process and produce thin shingles that one could nail to a house. The good news is that fiber cement siding is alive, well, and flourishing. What's more, several of the 100 year old patterns are still available.

Fiber cement siding is a mixture of cement, wood fibers, finely ground sand, additives, and water. Once the products hardens it turns into a building material that resists, fire, insects, water, wind, etc. When you compared it to armor plating, you were not far off. Fiber cement siding is very nearly maintenance free. The original shingles developed 100 years ago required no finish. They had different colored exterior skins. I know of 100 year old fiber cement siding houses that simply need to be washed to look as good as the day they were built.

Fiber cement siding comes in a wide variety of styles. People who like the ho-hum horizontal lap siding that you find boring can find a number of fiber cement products to finish their homes. The product even comes in large sheets similar to plywood. But the shingles you want are by far the most distinctive. There are three basic types: one with a wavy bottom edge, one with a straight bottom edge, and finally one with a random notched bottom edge that resembles a thatched wood shingle. All of the shingles have either a combed textured or a wood grained texture. They are very handsome.

These old style fiber cement shingles come in very peculiar sizes. The shingles range in height from 12 to 14 and 5/8 inches high and they are either 24, 25 and 3/32, or 32 inches long. All of them are just under 1/4 inch thick. Not only can they be used for new homes, but they also are made so that they can act as replacement parts for old homes that have broken siding shingles. They are also excellent materials to use for room additions to old fiber cement sided houses. The owners of those homes end up with an expanded house that matches nearly perfectly with the exterior construction details of the original home.

Fiber cement siding or shingles are easy to install. The new house or room addition needs to be covered with oriented strand board or plywood. This provides a solid nailing surface. The unique shingles come with factory punched holes that serve as handy alignment guides. It is best to use small headed stainless steel nails as the nail heads are exposed. Most manufacturers require that asphalt saturated felt paper or a air and water barrier be used under the siding. Do not use coal tar saturated felt paper. The oils in this product can stain some fiber cement products. The siding is cut with a saw fitted with an abrasive blade, a snapper, power shears, or it can often be scored and snapped like drywall.

Fiber cement shingles and siding can be painted. They hold paint very well because the products do not expand and contract with changes in humidity. If you buy high quality paint and follow the recommendations of the siding and paint manufacturers, it is entirely possible that your next paint job will be 15 to 20 years from now. If you think your siding is looking dingy and you are tempted to re-paint, always wash it first with soap and water. You just might be surprised how good it looks!

©1993-2009 Tim Carter

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