Siding is one of the few things that protect your home and helps keep the elements out, and if you have been considering upgrading from cheaper materials you may be asking yourself “what is fiber cement siding?” This is a common question for those in the Chicagoland area, particularly since we get such severe weather sometimes.
Your home is one of the most important purchases you’ll ever make, but it’s also an incredibly significant investment, and one that you hope is going to grow in value over the years. To best protect this investment, you need to make sure that the elements of Chicago weather don’t begin to invade your home, not only diminishing its value but potentially making it unsafe.
Fiber cement siding is one of the newer engineered materials that are being used to make highly durable siding for homes that see considerable weather. We’re going to take a look at just what is fiber cement siding, and how it compares to other common siding materials. In the end, you should know more about the siding material itself, and whether or not it will be a good choice for your home.
What Is Fiber Cement Siding?
Fiber cement is a composition that is remarkably and concisely named. It is a cement mixture that has fibers incorporated into it to strengthen it, reduce its weight, and make it easier to work with. The most basic recipe for fiber cement is Portland cement, sand, water, wood fibers, or other cellulose media. Of course, depending on the manufacturer the composition will change and have additional elements added to it.
Once the final mix has been created, it is shaped into the forms needed for the specific application. In the case of fiber cement siding, it is formed into planks or boards that are installed similarly to many other types of siding. The additives that manufacturers add will often be proprietary and will be what makes their product unique from others. They may have special colors or textures that they can achieve, or they may be additives that help extend longevity and increase durability.
What Are The Benefits?
Fiber cement siding is incredibly durable and long-lasting, but it also has a list of other performance traits it has that many other materials cannot match. Fiber cement siding benefits include:
- Being non-combustible and non-flammable. Fiber cement siding will not catch fire when placed in a direct flame, and will not contribute any fuel to a fire. It is essentially inert during a fire.
- Having a composition and design that resists damage from moisture and is immune to rot.
- Being an engineered material, fiber cement is created to be able to withstand the climate and weather extremes of the specific Chicagoland environment.
- Being immune to common pests like termites and carpenter ants, as well as being woodpecker-resistant. Since the material is cement with a cellulose component, it cannot be used for food or damaged for shelter by pests.
- Being a very low-maintenance material that only needs a bare minimum of care to look its best. Most fiber cement siding can be cleaned with a garden hose, soft brush, and simple soap and water solution, once or twice each year.
- Since it is a manufactured and engineered material, it can be shaped into many different textures and finishes. You can find fiber cement siding to resemble stucco, wood, and traditional siding.
For More Information
If you have more questions, or if you feel you might be ready to get an estimate on your project, feel free to contact All Star today and talk it over with a member of our expert team.
