The siding on your property makes all the difference. Invest in a great quality siding and design options and make your property the talk of the neighborhood. At Infinite Roofing we have 20 years experience installing James Hardie and Certainteed premium siding options to our Saratoga clientele.
Aside from design, the most important aspect of your home’s siding is it’s ability to resist threats from the outdoors: extreme cold, heat waves, pests and the harsh storms common to the Capital Region. That’s why two of our most popular options in Saratoga Springs are Fiber Cement (HardiePlank) and Vinyl Siding (Certainteed).
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What is Fiber Cement Siding?
Fiber cement is a unique blend of sand, cement and cellulose fiber, that when on siding, is made to resemble natural wood or stone and it’s especially well known for it’s durability, relative affordability and the flexibility in color design and material design options.
Hardie Board or Hardie Plank is James Hardie’s option for fiber cement and is touted as the long-lasting, low-maintenance material of choice for most homeowners.
Hardie Board Fiber Cement Siding Pros
The bottom line when it comes to adding Hardie Board to your Saratoga home is it’s a product that’s going to last, it comes in practically any texture or color you’d like (which makes it great for meeting historic and architectural district standards and protocols) and it’s affordable. Below are some of the top Pro’s in favor of Hardie Board:
- Fire Resistant: With a 90% sand and cement mix, fiber cement siding is very fire resistant. There have even been cases where a neighbors home had a fire, requiring multiple fire trucks to put out. The house next door, less than 50 feet away remained untouched.
- Storm Resistant: Given the likelihood of multiple Nor’easters, heavy snow storms, hail and consistent wind and rain storms around Saratoga, fiber cement siding is able to thoroughly resist damage, most of the time coming out completely unscathed.
- Longevity: Hardie Board is rated with a 50 year warranty and is 100% rot and pest resistant.
- Appearance: Because it can be shaped to mimic any natural material, whether that be wood, stone or even shingles, your design options are limitless and you can get almost any color you can dream of. Plus all color comes with a 15 year warranty.
Hardie Board Fiber Cement Siding Cons
As with any product, no matter how good - there are always going to be a few items in the con column, whether that be cost, maintenance or otherwise. With Hardie board the primary cons that stand out is that because the material weighs more, it’s going to require a more technical install and better resources to make sure it’s properly installed and eventually you will have to repaint the siding.
- Installation and Labor Costs are higher: Not every siding contractor or installer can properly install Hardie Board to last because it requires extra resources, a little bit of extra time and know-how to install properly. For reference, 100 square feet of Hardie Board is going to weigh about 300 lbs, while vinyl siding options will weigh only about 70 lbs. Infinite Roofing and Construction is a fully certified Preferred Contractor with James Hardie.
- Re-painting: Eventually you will have to repaint Hardie Board, however for the first 15 years any chipping or peeling of the finish is covered by James Hardie, their warranty even includes the labor costs!
What is Vinyl Siding?
Vinyl siding is made up of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and you’ve probably heard “vinyl” used in blinds, flooring, even bath tubs! It’s a very flexible and durable material, and in the case of Vinyl siding, the material is the same as that’s used in luxury vinyl flooring and it is often made to mimic wood textures like cedar, or mimic stone features. The primary advantage is that you can have the look and feel of the natural materials, without the high cost of installing organic.
With vinyl, there are flexible options that include shingle siding, vertical planks, horizontal planks and even log-cabin inspired “faux logs.” In Saratoga, horizontal siding is especially popular as an option and insulated versions protect your home against the extreme cold of the winter time, which makes them particularly well suited for energy efficient homes.
Vinyl Siding Pros
Because vinyl siding is made up of a special kind of PVC resin, it’s really quite strong. Compared to materials like aluminum or metal it isn’t going to rust, it won’t become electrified and it’s not going to dent if the kids accidentally hit it while throwing the baseball back and forth.
It isn’t going to wear down with exposure to sun, rain or wind and it’s rated to be so long-lasting that it’s going to come with a manufacturer’s warranty and has been known to last upwards of 40 years. But, the best benefit listed by our clients around Saratoga comes down to one thing: cost.
Vinyl siding isn’t normally going to cause sticker shock because it’s all man made and the materials aren’t expensive to produce.
Like Fiber cement, vinyl siding comes in an extremely large variety of colors while being able to almost perfectly imitate natural materials like wood and stone. We’ve even had historic homes opt to go with vinyl siding because it’s able to blend in so seamlessly with the original materials!
Because this type of siding isn’t going to attract any pests like termites, it’s not going to require a lot of maintenance or upkeep, and usually the most common type of repair you’re going to come across over it’s lifespan is either holes or cracks from extremely strong impacts that puncture it, or people working on the vinyl while it’s extremely cold outside (causing it to crack because of the rigidity that winter brings, so if you have repair work that needs done on vinyl, wait until the summer time).
A Few of the Cons of Vinyl Siding
While extremely durable and dent resistant, vinyl siding isn’t unbreakable, so if you get too close with the lawn mower or snow blower, you can chew up the siding and case it to crack. If the siding contractor who installed the project didn’t do so properly, the next time there’s a Nor’easter or major wind storm, panels can fall off if they aren’t fully secured.
Another note on improper installation: it can actually leak, which means that water and the elements can get in and cause the wood underneath to begin rotting and decaying. Plus if there’s ever an issue with a panel (such as a puncture hole or crack), you can’t mend PVC, you can only replace the whole panel.
Finally, the last “con” of vinyl siding is, due to it’s extreme popularity with homeowners and property owners, it’s also very common, so it’s likely to not make your house stand out significantly compared to your neighbors if that’s a major selling point in your home improvement project.
That being said, if you do choose vinyl siding, you can still be unique, it just requires a little more mixing and matching of different design elements, sizes, textures and colors to stand out and be different from the neighbors.
Which Siding Installation Option is Best for Your Saratoga Property?
Painting - Colors:
Both fiber cement and vinyl siding come in a nearly infinite combination of colors, if you can dream it, you can probably get it in that color. Both options are also paintable without worry.
Fiber Cement:
- Will need a new coat of paint roughly every 10 years, sometimes a little less given how harsh the winters and elements can be around Saratoga.
- Best to buy pre-painted options to save on labor costs (rather than buying a base color and painting over it) and take advantage of color warranties.
Vinyl Siding:
- Won’t need a new paint job unless you absolutely want a new color.
- If you opted to go pre-painted, you’ll want to repaint once every 5 to 10 years.
Winner: The lowest maintenance cost when it comes to color & painting is vinyl siding.
Types & Style:
Fiber Cement:
- Premium Thickness that produces deeply textured products that look like wood or stone
- Can resemble stone, wood lap boarding, logs, shingles (both wood shake and cedar) plus more.
Vinyl Siding:
- Imitates wood shingling, logs, stone and lap boards
- Varied styles like fiber cement
- Not as thick as fiber cement
- Stone replicas don’t look as textured because they lack depth.
Best Option: Fiber Cement Siding
Costs:
Fiber cement is generally going to be a costlier install because of the expertise required to properly install, plus more repainting over time, while vinyl siding has a simpler installation process and doesn’t need repainting unless you went with a pre-painted option.
Most cost effective: Vinyl Siding
Summary: If you place a high emphasis on design quality and aesthetic, you’re going to be happiest with fiber cement. If cost is the biggest driving factor for you, then vinyl siding is the best option.
Infinite Roofing & Construction
25 Walker Way, Ste 2A
Colonie, NY 12205
(office) 518-444-ROOF
(mobile) 518-221-1003
(email) info@infiniteroofingny.com
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