How Long Does Fiber Cement Siding Last? | Fiber Cement vs. Vinyl Siding Pros & Cons

Fiber cement siding is a strong and durable option for homes. It mimics wood but is made of cement and wood fibers, making it heavy and requiring professional installation. It can withstand fire, salt spray, and hailstorms better than other materials. It comes in various styles and can last 50-75 years. While it requires painting every 15-20 years and occasional re-caulking, it requires less maintenance than wood siding. However, it is more expensive to install and may not provide good insulation on its own. Proper installation and insulation are important to prevent moisture and mold issues. It offers a limited range of pre-finished colors, but can be painted. Pre-finished options have better color longevity. Overall, fiber cement siding is a durable and low-maintenance choice, but requires careful consideration and professional installation. ever get yourself kind of daydreaming looking at your house thinking hmm who's new look well today we're going deep on siding the kind tougher than your average paint job fiber cement siding you got it siding's not just looking pretty it's what stands up to whatever the weather throws at you and fiber cement yeah it's got a rep for being seriously tough stuff we're going off what we got from looks like a contractor maybe even supplies and stuff over in New Jersey might get some local flavor in there but hey that's part of the fun right you out there sounds like you're in the thick of it figuring out if this fiber cement's the way to go for your place I'm getting it right big choice no doubt picking siding it's like this maze of what's it made of hey how much how long is it going to last hopefully we can clear some of that up today alright let's dive in this New Jersey source they say fiber cement's like mimicking wood so we talking some kind of space age fake wood here or what's the deal it's kind of both actually fiber cement it's got these cellulose fibers teeny tiny wood bit basically all mixed up with cement and usually some silica thrown in there too to make it extra strong they make this paste press it into molds to make the siding panels then let it harden up like a imagine a super durable recipe but you're using wood as one of the main parts and strong they say it is this source they're saying 100 square feet of this stuff close to 300 pounds that's heavier than I pictured yeah it's no lightweight that's for sure gotta think about that when it's going up on the house you know vinyl siding that's easy peasy light this stuff you need some muscle the right tools changes the cost you know so not exactly a grab my tools and do it this weekend kinda thing huh probably not the best idea if you want pros on this folks who know what they're doing to make sure that they're right and safe too makes sense speaking of pros our New Jersey contractor they are really into how tough this stuff is they're saying it can handle being by the ocean hailstorms even fires is that just sales talk or is this stuff really that indestructible oh it's built tough that's for sure remember what it's made of that mix it's seriously resilient stuff and yeah they mentioned a class 1a fire rating which means basically really doesn't want to burn that's huge if you're anywhere near wildfires but even in regular homes peace of mind like if some stray firework lands on my roof less chance of the whole place going up if I got this fiber cement stuff that's the idea it's like an extra shield against those uh oh moments and if your house is by the water that salt spray can really do a number on some materials but fiber cement you can handle it way better alright so fire salt what about those crazy hailstorms they get in some parts of the country how's it going to be safe from those ice bombs that's where that cement and silica really earns its keep way less likely to dent or crack compared to vinyl siding that stuff can get brittle when it's cold but not fiber cement okay so this stuff sounds like it can take a beating but besides being all tough and strong I'm guessing folks care about how it looks too right of course yeah nobody wants their house looking like some kind of fortress even if it is super strong that's where fiber cement it's got options our source here they mention it comes in all sorts of styles like your classic lap siding or shingles even trim and you can get a pre-finished shoe looking like different kinds of wood grain and all that so Sam picturing my dream house right got those cedar shingles but I don't want the hassle that comes with them fiber cement that could be the ticket then bingo you nail it get that timeless look but no worries about rot or termites or having to paint every other year plus using it for the siding the trim even those roof shingles it all ties together real nice gives your house that polished look like getting the whole outfit from one shop huh speaking of long-term this source they say this stuff can last 50 to 75 years seriously my car can barely make it 10 that's a long time that's for sure especially for stuff you put on your house the thing about it or a roof you're lucky if that last 20-30 years the fiber cement siding you could be replacing your roof a couple times before that siding needs doing again wild that is so even though it might cost more at the start in the long run that long lifespan you've got to save money eventually right you're thinking right it's an investment gotta look at it that way but then you think how many times you gotta fix it paint it replace it with other stuff it adds up especially if you're planning on staying put for a while makes total sense now what about maintenance or lack of it I guess our contractor friend seems kinda conflicted on this one they're bragging about how low maintenance it is but then saying that love the maintenance because it keeps them in business what's the real story it's like a like any good relationship gotta be realistic it's definitely easier to take care of than wood siding that's for sure but nothing's completely maintenance free remember it's built to put up with the weather not pretend it doesn't exist so what do we talk what kind of upkeep are we in for main thing is going to be painting it comes pre-finished yeah but that doesn't last forever probably looking at a repaint every 15-20 years more often if you're getting blasted by sun all the time or sounds pretty fair to me honestly compared to wood where some places you gotta repaint every couple years practically exactly another thing is the caulking over time that stuff around windows doors all those little seams can get dried out cracked water gets in there you got mold problems so checking it every few years re-caulking when you need to that'll save you some headaches later so instead of little fix-ups all the time it's bigger jobs but less often that kind of trade-off you got it the main takeaway here stay on top of it take care of the siding and it'll take care of you makes that investment worth it all right so we've got the tough exterior covered the style that crazy long lifespan even the whole maintenance thing but I bet you're thinking what I'm thinking there's got to be some downsides right nobody's perfect yeah you're right about that nothing's perfect especially not when it comes to building stuff and knowing the bad is just as important as the good so let's get into it those challenges with fiber cement what's the catch get me with it what are we looking at well we already talked about one installation remember how heavy that stuff is you ain't just packing that up on a Saturday afternoon yeah we put the kibosh on the whole DIY thing a while back good call trust me this stuff to do it right you need to know what you're doing got the right tools gotta be safe about it more work more time which means yeah it's gonna cost more to install than say vinyl so budget-wise gotta factor that in yeah that tracks okay so installations a hurdle what else did our contractor friend warn us about one thing they brought up probably cuz they're in New Jersey is insulation right they said fiber cement itself not the best at keeping the heat in or out mm-hmm doesn't that depend on where you live here in California we're not exactly worried about freezing temperatures you got that right it's all about the climate for sure warmer places but those New Jersey winters they're no joke you'll be wanting extra insulation behind that siding if you don't want to turn into a popsicle so it's like you got your tough outer layer but you might need a sweater underneath depending on the weather there you go and that's why talking to someone local a contractor who knows your area that's key they'll know what kind of insulation you need how to put it all in right to keep your house comfy A&D keep those energy bills down so insulation you gotta think about that depending on where you are anything else our source they mentioned moisture mold yeah a couple times even always makes me a little nervous hearing that is that like a deal-breaker with this fiber cement stuff not a deal-breaker but gotta be smart about it see the material itself pretty darn good at keeping water out is the install that's where things can get iffy think of those panels like I don't know a suit of armor for your house right tiniest little gap cracking that armor water sneaking in next thing you know you got mold, mildew, whole mess so like chain mail is great against the sword but if someone throws a bucket of water on you you're still soaked uh-huh exactly that's why you gotta do it right this installation getting those pros in the ones who know all about flashing, sealing, keeping the water O.U.T. that's how you avoid problems later so it's not just picking the right siding it's picking the right contractor too 100% don't be shy ask them how much they've done with this stuff how they handle keeping things dry warranties all that good stuff good advice okay one last thing before we wrap this up our source they said limited colors that was a downside compared to vinyl is that true? it's true vinyl they got a whole rainbow of colors ready to go but fiber cement it's come a long way lots of companies now they got a good amount of pre-finished colors you're not stuck with just a couple choices plus and this is key you can paint it after it's up so even more options to get that perfect color so you don't have to live with a color you hate 10 years down the line good to know right oh and another pro tip if you are going pre-finished that pre-painted stuff it holds its color better than the kind that's just primed longer lasting looks better longer good to know okay we've covered a lot of tip this stuff's tough it's got the looks lasts forever even though maintenance angle so for everyone listening trying to decide if this toughest nail siding is for them what are the big takeaways I'd say this it's like buying a really well-made winter coat cost a bit more up front yeah but it'll last you keeps the weather out always look sharp big BUT though you got to take care of it love that comparison it's an investment the whole package deciding the install how you take care of it exactly so to know if it's right for you what matters most you want something that will last forever looks classic you okay with spending more up front needing those special installers keep in mind what we talked about those downsides cost of putting it in insulation depending on where you live and if it's not installed right that moisture issue all true balance that with what you gotta spend your house what you like then you can decide could have said it better okay one last thought for you while you're picturing your dream home all decked out in this stuff we talked about how long it lasts but what happens when it does finally give out how easy is it to get rid of put new stuff in that matters too that's a great point like eventually you gotta retire that winter coat right getting rid of it the right way recycling if you can that's all part of it well said this was great really dug into this whole fiber cement world I feel like I learned a lot honestly kinda want to upgrade my own W owning place now thanks so much for coming on for all your knowledge happy to do it remember when you're fixing up your place knowledge is power good luck with those renovations