FAQs
Get the answers to your questions about James Hardie and the complete line of Hardie® exterior siding and building products, from choosing colors to siding installation and care.
Product Information
James Hardie invented fiber cement siding because of its unparalleled longevity and quality over traditional wood siding. It's water resistant and doesn't attract pests, reducing the need for ongoing repair. It's even non-combustible and fire resistant.
With the addition of our innovative ColorPlus® Technology finishes, it better maintains color and resists fading. The durability and versatility of fiber cement siding make it a cost-effective and stylish option for any home.
Hardie® siding is made of fiber cement which is made up of a few simple ingredients: sand, water, cellulose fibers, and Portland cement, which is a mixture of limestone, clay, and gypsum. James Hardie’s formulation includes proprietary additives that enhance the performance of the product.
All Hardie® fiber cement products come with a 30-year, non-prorated warranty.
ColorPlus® Technology finishes come with a 15-year limited warranty that covers paint and labor, protecting against peeling, cracking, and chipping.
Hardie® Artisan® Siding is a subset of the Hardie™ Architectural Collection that features distinctive grooves on each panel.
It can be found in three different styles: Artisan® Square Channel Siding, which has wideset channels cut at right angles; Shiplap Siding that replicates the look of cedar siding; and Artisan V-Groove.
You can learn more on the Architectural Collection page.
Our Dream Collection® of colors and product is an expansion of the color options in our celebrated Statement Collection®. The Dream Collection® features nearly 700 ColorPlus® Techology finishes, giving you endless design possibilities. Whether you’re reading between the lines of your HOA restrictions or only limited by your imagination, the Dream Collection® offers stunning colors that stand the test of time.
ColorPlus® Technology is a proprietary finish applied to Hardie® products in our controlled factories.
While all Hardie® siding is available primed and ready for painting, ColorPlus® Technology finishes are cured onto the boards during the manufacturing process. This eliminates debris and the environmental factors mid-project that often lead to chipping, bubbling, or cracking.
Traditional vinyl siding and paint both fade in the sun, but ColorPlus® Technology finishes are UV-resistant and maintain their vibrant color for years.
Paint and other siding finishes applied in the field can dull substantially over time. ColorPlus® Technology finishes are specifically engineered to help resist damaging UV rays, keeping your color vibrant longer.
With ColorPlus® Technology finishes by James Hardie your siding will look great without excessive maintenance.
When you invest in ColorPlus® Technology finishes, you won’t only get gorgeous color—you’ll get color that lasts longer than a typical paint job.
ColorPlus® Technology finishes are available in a curated set of colors that covers a wide range of the most popular exterior colors. Most people should be able to find the perfect shade for their home within the nearly 700 colors in our palette.
Our commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices extends to the development of products that last longer, requires less maintenance, and contribute to energy efficiency.
Hardie® siding is made of sustainable raw materials, including sand, cellulose fiber, Portland cement, and water (which is recycled up to four times during the manufacturing process).
Hardie® siding is also highly durable and resistant to water, wind, fire, and other damage, so it can protect your home and keep it looking beautiful for decades to come.
James Hardie has been selected as the Green Builder’s Readers’ Choice for the Greenest Siding Brand eight times over the past 13 years, and has made the top five on the list for the remaining years.
James Hardie is NGBS Green Certified to help our builders' projects be eligible for the National Association of Home Builders Green Builder Program or Green Building Certified.
You can order up to three free samples of Hardie® Plank or Hardie™ Architectural Collection products in different textures and colors to review for your siding project, or samples of our Dream Collection® for a $10 shipping fee per sample.
If you would like to see samples of additional products, such as Hardie® Trim or Hardie® Shingle Siding, you can review with your local James Hardie contractor or dealer.
James Hardie offers different products and colors in each region that best suit the area's climate and color preferences.
Share your zip code with us, and we can point you to the colors and textures available in your area.
Hardie® siding is built to stand up to the elements: day in, day out, for decades. Hardie® siding is water and fire resistant, reducing the impact of pests and moisture and minimizing the burden of constant repair. Our wide range of siding products come with a 30-year, non-prorated warranty.
James Hardie engineers siding and trim products for specific climates, ensuring that you get the best performance for your region. We test our products to better withstand worst-case scenarios: fires, flooding, extreme heat, hurricanes, snowstorms, and more.
But it’s not only extremes that break down siding—simply changing seasons does a number on materials like vinyl (which may crack in the cold) and wood siding (which expand and contract with changes in moisture and humidity). Only Hardie® products are Engineered for Climate®.
After studying the long-term effects different climates have on siding, we created the Hardie™ Zone System, to ensure that you get the right product for your region. HZ5® products resist shrinking, swelling and cracking even after years of wet or freezing conditions. HZ10® products protect homes from hot, humid conditions, blistering sun and more.
Hardie® products are water resistant, protecting your investment from swelling, warping, and edge checking common with traditional wood or vinyl siding. We invented fiber cement siding because of its unparalleled durability in any climate, and we’re constantly innovating our original technology to provide builders and homeowners with standard-setting Hardie® products specifically engineered to resist damage from moisture, rot, and weather.
Hardie® siding is non-combustible, will not ignite when exposed to a direct flame, and will not contribute fuel to a fire and has a Class A fire rating.*
Because Hardie® products are non-combustible, many insurance companies offer a discount. We recommend sharing fiber-cement siding's fire-resistant qualities with your insurance carrier.
*Hardie® fiber cement products are noncombustible and/or have a Class A fire rating when tested in accordance with ASTM E84. Fiber cement fire resistance does not extend to applied paints or coatings, which may be damaged or char when exposed to flames. The use of noncombustible siding, combined with other fire mitigation measures, can help harden a home against external fire.
Cement board (such as Hardie® Backer Board) is a waterproof sheet that provides a durable foundation for any tile installation. When completing a kitchen or bathroom project, cement board is essential in protecting interior drywall from moisture. Place Hardie® Backer Board between your tile and drywall (or subfloor) for excellent tile adhesion and outstanding water resistance.
Hardie® cement board offers the highest flexural strength and up to 3X the compressive strength compared to competing backer boards.
The following are suitable trim products for use with Hardie® Plank Lap Siding:
· Hardie® Trim Boards
· Fiber Cement
· Real Wood
· Engineered Wood
· Vinyl
· Coated or Corrosion-Resistant Aluminum
Hardie™ Weather Barrier may be used as both a water resistive barrier and as an air barrier in accordance with nationally recognized residential and commercial building codes as specified in ESR-2658, Hardie™ Weather Barrier is installed over the sheathing, beneath the exterior siding (cladding) to reduce water infiltration and air infiltration, while allowing potentially damaging water to escape from the building interior.
In independent tests, Hardie™ Weather Barrier outperformed its nearest competition in each of these categories: water holdout, air penetration resistance and tear resistance.
Siding Types
Lap siding, such as Hardie® Plank, is a classic siding style. It consists of long boards installed horizontally, often overlapped, and can feature a wood grain or a smooth texture. It's an all-purpose siding style that can work with both traditional and modern architectural styles.
Hardie® Architectural Panels offer you endless design possibilities. They arrive primed and ready for paint and can be oriented vertically or horizontally to create a sleek V-groove aesthetic with clean architectural lines.
Like all Hardie® siding, Hardie® Architectural Panels are built to resist fire, water, wind and extreme temperatures and holds no appeal for woodpeckers, termites or other pests.
Popularized by the coastal beauty of Cape Cod-style homes, shingle siding commonly adorns cozy Cottages and Craftsman Bungalows. Shingle siding features small pieces of wood attached to a house in an overlapping, staggered pattern.
Hardie® Shingle Siding is designed to mirror the distinct look of classic cedar shake, with the trusted longevity homeowners deserve and the elements demand—and in a larger size that makes installation easier than using individual shingles. Choose Hardie® Shingle Siding for enduring character and water resistance.
You might see shingle or shake used to describe siding that features small pieces of wood attached to a house in an overlapping, staggered pattern. However, shake is more specifically used for a rougher, more rustic-looking pattern and style of shingle.
Hardie® Shingle Siding comes in two different finishes: a straight-edge panel that looks like shingle siding, and a staggered-edge panel that adds more texture and looks like shake siding. You can view them both on the Hardie® Shingle Siding page.
Vertical siding—which is also known as board and batten—features planks and trim board that are installed from top to bottom, rather than in a typical horizontal pattern. It's become a popular siding style as part of the modern farmhouse revival. You can get the look with Hardie® Panel Vertical Siding and Hardie® Trim Batten Boards.
Hardie® Trim Board is the finishing touch for your home’s design. Use trim boards to accentuate exterior corners, columns, fascia, doors, windows, and more. Trim boards let you add character and style to your home with complementing colors.
Fascia board is a kind of long trim board that's used along the roofline, near where your gutters are connected to your home. They connect your roof to the soffit beneath it. You can use Hardie® Trim Boards for your fascia.
In most houses, the roof and eaves extend out past the edge of the house. The soffits are the material that extends from the edge of the roof to the edge of your siding.
Soffits help protect your home from the elements and pests by keeping them out of your roofline and attic.
Vented soffits feature screening, actual vents, or small holes to allow moisture and heat to escape from within the roof. This helps your attic and the rest of your home stay at comfortable temperatures, preventing the growth of mold and mildew.
Exterior Design
In North America, our clean, cool Arctic White is the most popular siding choice with homeowners. Iron Gray, Cobble Stone, Aged Pewter, and Pearl Gray are close favorites, each beloved for their classic, neutral appeal that outlasts trends.
No matter which color you choose, ColorPlus® Technology finishes by James Hardie will maintain their vibrance and color consistency for years to come.
The most popular Hardie® trim colors are neutral hues like those in the Statement Collection—Arctic White, Timber Bark, Cobble Stone, and Iron Gray.
Depending on which trim products you choose, Hardie® trim can come in a range of colors, including the more than 700 colors in the Dream Collection®.
Board and batten siding has been around for more than 200 years, but it’s especially popular today. (Perhaps we can thank our partners, Chip and Joanna Gaines, for the farmhouse revival sweeping North America.) Board and batten siding features wide vertical planks separated by thin vertical strips (AKA battens). You can get the look using Hardie® Panel Vertical Siding and Hardie® Trim Batten Boards.
With our Hardie™ Designer, powered by Hover®, you can simply and quickly customize a digital model of your home with endless design possibilities. Play with hundreds of colors, exterior, and style options to inspire your next project. (Just be prepared to swoon.)
For most photos on the James Hardie website, swatches and color details are provided in the captions.
For photos that do not have that information, you can compare them to the swatches in the Color and Design section of our site.
Siding Project Planning
There are many elements that go into the cost of your siding project, from the size and height of your home to local labor costs. Your contractor will give you an estimate that includes labor and materials, based on your specific project. This will give you the best idea of how much siding will cost for you. You can also call customer service at 1-888-JHARDIE for your closest sales representative.
While prices vary from market to market, this is how Hardie® Plank Lap Siding compares in installed price with its competitors:
· More expensive than vinyl
· Less expensive than brick
· Equal or less than hardboard or composite siding
· Less expensive than synthetic stucco
Re-siding with fiber cement siding is one of the top ways to increase your home’s re-sale value*.
There are other key benefits beyond your home's value. Fiber cement costs less than wood siding, doesn’t attract pests, and resists water absorption to help protect against swelling and cracking—buying you more mileage for your dollar.
And since fiber cement siding is non-combustible and hail-damage resistant, it can sometimes help reduce home insurance premiums. Ask your agent.
*According to the Remodeling 2023 Cost vs. Value Report (www.costvsvalue.com).
© 2024 Zonda Media, a Delaware Corporation. Complete data from the Remodeling 2023 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.
Fiber cement siding is 5X thicker than vinyl siding, providing trusted durability and an authentic wood grain texture. Unlike vinyl siding, Hardie® Plank Siding successfully resists damage from wind, rain, snow, hail, and extreme heat. Vinyl siding is vulnerable to melting and flame; Hardie® siding is noncombustible and fire-resistant.
Vinyl siding is susceptible to UV rays and color fading, demanding routine maintenance and replacement. ColorPlus® Technology finishes ensure lasting, vibrant, color consistency—and with nearly 700 finishes to choose from, the possibilities are endless.
A number of factors come into play when you're choosing siding styles for your house.
Your home's innate architectural style may impact your decision. A Cape Cod home, for instance, would traditionally have Hardie® Shingle Siding, while a modern architectural style might use Hardie® Architectural Panels for a sleeker look.
Your personal design preferences will also play a role. You can get creative by choosing an unexpected style of siding—such as Hardie® vertical siding on a Colonial—or a unique mix of siding styles to highlight specific parts of your home.
You may also consider the siding styles on other homes in your area — do you want your home to blend in, or stand out?
You can use the Hardie™ Designer, powered by Hover®, to visualize different siding types on your own home and decide the best options to fit your home and sense of style.
When you're choosing materials for a siding project, you'll want to keep several different aspects in mind:
Your budget can be a key factor, but you'll want to consider the total cost over the life of the siding—including maintenance and repairs.
You'll also want to look at the durability of the product you use, so you choose something that will resist weather, water, time, fire and pests, and continue to protect and beautify your home for decades to come. Hardie® siding is built of fiber cement, which is engineered to resist damage from moisture and rot, and will not ignite when exposed to a direct flame, nor will it contribute fuel to a fire.
And of course, having siding that suits your design sensibilities and helps you elevate your home's exterior. With thousands of unique siding styles and colors available from James Hardie, you'll find the perfect options to enhance your home.
A re-siding project is a big investment, and you'll want to make sure you're in good hands.
Look for a contractor with years of experience, especially with the product you're considering. Check that they're licensed and insured, and read online reviews to see if they have a proven track record of quality work. Ask for an estimate, and see if it fits your budget.
You can reduce the work of finding and vetting contractors by using a member of the James Hardie™ ALLIANCE. Members of the ALLIANCE receive extensive training on installation of James Hardie products, are licensed and insured, and have an excellent record of satisfied customers.
A re-siding project can be a valuable investment in your home. There are several ways you can finance the project, if you don't have savings to cover costs.
Home equity lines of credit or home equity loans are common ways to leverage the value of your home to fund this investment.
A cash-out refinance allows you to take out some of the equity in your home as you change to a new mortgage term and interest rate.
Some contractors offer financing or loans to help you cover the costs.
If your re-siding project is due to existing damage to your siding, your homeowners insurance may help cover a portion of your Hardie® project as well.
Credit cards are another option, but tend to have high interest rates that make them less attractive than other options.
Hardie™ Weather Barrier is competitively priced. Available at home improvement retailers and siding dealers nationwide, use our Dealer Locator to find one near you. Or contact a James Hardie Representative at 1-888-JHARDIE.
Installation
Some James Hardie products, such as Hardie® Backer Board, can be installed by DIYers. But a full Hardie siding project would best be undertaken by siding experts who understands fiber cement siding and how to properly install it.
You can request a quote from a pro who installs James Hardie products.
Hardie® siding is installed using fasteners approved by ICC-ES ESR-2290 spaced in accordance with the Wind Load Tables for optimal durability and security.
Several installation techniques are possible. James Hardie prefers and recommends the blind nailing technique, which hides fasteners from view for an expert, seamless look. Hardie® siding can also be installed using the Pin Backs method. Some building codes, specifically in high wind areas, mandate the Face Nailing method.
Carefully select a certified contractor with fiber cement siding experience and local expertise to install your Hardie® products.
Typically, installing siding from James Hardie takes between seven and 14 days, depending on the size of your home and any essential repairs required prior to installation.
Hardie® siding may be used with fasteners approved by ICC-ES ESR-2290 spaced in accordance with the Wind Load Tables. Fasteners must be corrosion resistant, galvanized, or stainless steel.
Our Installation Guidance & Technical Docs resources provide videos and best practice guides for Hardie® siding products.
Both may be used, but we recommend 1/4" Hardie® Backer Board for floor applications, unless 1/2" thickness is needed for transition.
Yes, 1/4'' Hardie® Backer Board may be used in a shower. However, we recommend Hardie® Backer Board 500 if you need to make a smooth transition to drywall. The board must be mechanically fastened every 8'' on center to the wood or metal studs spaced a maximum of 16'' on center. A vapor barrier is needed if required by local building codes.
Hardie® Backer Board may be cut with a carbide-tipped scoring knife (found at Home Depot® and Lowe's® Home Improvement stores), utility knife, or cutting shears (manual, electric or pneumatic). If you use a grinder be sure to cut outside and use a dust reducing circular saw with a Hardie™ Blade by Diablo®. For more protection use a HEPA vacuum extraction.
Learn more about Silica Safety practices.
Either is acceptable, but we recommend that the smooth side with the nailing pattern of every 8" on center go up.
The minimum subfloor specified is 5/8" exterior grade plywood or 23/32'' exterior grade OSB subflooring. Hardie® Backer Board must be installed in accordance with local building codes and the floor must be engineered not to exceed the L/360 deflection criteria, including live and dead design loads, for the specific joist spacing used. Hardie® Backer Board is not designed for use over concrete.
Unmodified thinset (ANSI 118.1) or acrylic modified thinset (ANSI 118.4) is specified between the Hardie® Backer Board and the subfloor to eliminate any deviations between our product and the subfloor. This decreases the probability of popping or cracking tiles due to deflection and air pockets.
The modified thinset used with our product is a fortified cement-based mortar and should specifically conform to ANSI (American National Standards Institute) A 118.4. The thinset can be fortified in a pre-mixed powder form or with a liquid additive.
No. Where Hardie® Backer Board is being installed over a code-complying subfloor for the attachment of tile, the board is installed over a 3/32''-1/4'' thick bed of bonding mortar and then nailed down. ''Liquid Nails'' is not a bonding mortar. It is a structural adhesive generally used to bond the subfloor to the floor joists just prior to nailing. It creates a very solid joint between the surface of the floor joist and the subfloor and aids in reducing floor squeak. The properties of Liquid Nails are such that it is applied via a tube in the form of a bead-like caulking. It is not trowelable like a mortar and therefore results in high ridges with unsupported areas that can deflect under load, resulting in cracked tile.
Where Hardie® Backer Board is being installed directly to wood or metal framing, the use of a structural adhesive in addition to mechanical fastening can be used. However, the board must be forced into the structural adhesive almost immediately upon application to insure that no ridge or crown is formed. The creation of a crown or ridge will result in an additional thickness of mortar being applied to fill in the valley created by the crown. This will require a longer curing time and result in a weaker bond between the tile and the mortar and the underlayment. The use of a structural adhesive does not result in fewer fasteners being required.
Fasten Hardie® Backer Board sheets with proper nails or screws (as listed in ''Materials Required'' in the backer installation instructions) every 8'' around the perimeter and all supporting studs. Keep fasteners between 3/8'' and 3/4'' from sheet edges and 2'' in from sheet corners.
In compliance with the tile industry, James Hardie recommends 1-1/4'' long galvanized or stainless steel roofing nails (0.121'' shank x 3/8'' HD) or 1-1/4'' long corrosion resistant ribbed waferhead screws (No. 8-18 x 3/8'' HD).
The screws that you are using do not have the power to rout out the material in order for the screw head to sit flush. Be sure to use the specified screws (1-1/4'' No.8-18 by 3/8'' HD Hi-Lo S or S-12 for metal studs, ribbed phil wafer head, self drilling, corrosion-resistant screws). If you continue to have difficulties, we recommend switching to 1-1/4'' galvanized roofing nails.
Available at home improvement retailers and siding dealers nationwide, use our Dealer Locator to find one near you.
Yes, Hardie® Backer Board can go over linoleum or vinyl composite tile. Even though you may go over vinyl composite tile, James Hardie does not recommend you install Hardie® Backer Board over cushioned vinyl. Follow Hardie® Backer Board floor installation instructions for complete details.
Yes, Hardie® Backer Board can be used as a fireplace facing. 1/4'' Hardie® Backer Board can be used as a component in a 1-hour fire resistive construction when installed in compliance with National Evaluation Report NER-405. Hardie® backer boards are recognized as non-combustible, when tested according to ASTM E 136.
Hardie® Backer Board may be used in some exterior applications. Download the installation guide for more details.
Siding Care
Our products are an investment in your home’s future. Hardie® siding and trim is engineered to withstand the test of time, but routine maintenance is recommended to help your home stay beautiful for years to come.
Hardie® products are an investment in your home's future. Hardie® siding and trim products are Engineered for Climate® to withstand the test of time, but routine maintenance is recommended to help your home stay beautiful for years to come.
Using a pressure washer can damage the surface of Hardie® siding. Instead, use a low pressure water spray from your garden hose and a soft, medium bristle siding cleaning brush to remove dirt and debris once or twice a year.
Hardie® siding products are engineered to stand up beautifully, no matter what the elements bring. But accidents can happen.
If you experience small cracks, chips and dents, they can be repaired with a cementitious patching compound. You can also help prevent some damage to your siding by inspecting the caulk sealing around the edges of your home, and repairing it if it should fail.
Specially formulated to match ColorPlus® Technology finishes, our touch-up kits offer resistance to aging, color change and chalking. Each kit contains a pint of paint, Touch-Up Pen, and Edge Sealer. Estimated one kit per 4,000 sq ft of siding or 1,600 sq ft of trim.
Hardie® siding is paintable. If you have chosen pre-primed siding, it should be painted with an acrylic top coat after the paint is applied.
If you have chosen siding that features ColorPlus® Technology finishes, the siding will already come finished with the color you’ve chosen, and you can use ColorPlus® Technology touch-up products to repair nicks or scrapes.
ColorPlus® Technology finishes are engineered to last for years to come. However, your exterior siding can be repainted if you choose to change colors after installation. However, using a third-party paint will void the James Hardie ColorPlus® Technology Limited Finish Warranty.
About James Hardie
Available at home improvement retailers and siding dealers nationwide, use our Dealer Locator to find one near you. Or call customer service at 1-888-JHARDIE for your closest sales representative. For homeowners, the contractor or builder you hire will purchase the necessary materials to properly install Hardie® siding products for your siding project.
Available at home improvement retailers and siding dealers nationwide, use our Dealer Locator to find one near you. Or call customer service at 1-888-JHARDIE for your closest sales representative.
You'll find a contact form and phone numbers to reach customer service on the Customer Service page.
James Hardie offers several different brochures and catalogs you can review as you make your siding decisions. Here's where you can order the product literature you want:
James Hardie Product Catalog
James Hardie Re-Side Guide
Since 1888, James Hardie has helped people build homes that last a lifetime. Today, Hardie® products grace the exterior of over 10 milion homes, and we're proud to have crafted a legacy of quality and beauty for more than 130 years.
Every day, first responders, military personnel, and their families sacrifice their time and safety to protect our communities. We’re deeply grateful. To thank these heroes for their service, we offer a rebate of up to $350 on Hardie® products.
There are several criteria contractors need to meet in order to be considered for the James Hardie™ ALLIANCE. They include:
• Compliance with installation best practices
• Professional sales approach
• Satisfactory credit report
• State licensed
• Liability insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence
• Workman’s compensation Insurance*
• Satisfactory background check with at least 6 past clients
Members of the James Hardie™ ALLIANCE can count on tools, training, and support that can help them grow their business. As a Contractor Alliance member, you'll have access to:
• Marketing tools
• Lead generation opportunities
• Guidance for selling James Hardie products
• Sales training
• Hands-on installation training
• An unrivaled supply chain
• Advice for business planning and growth
• Opportunity to attend the annual James Hardie Contractor Summit
