Fiber cement siding is nothing new. In fact, the first fiber-reinforced, cement-based siding was first produced in Austria in the late 19th century. These early sidings contained asbestos fibers and were later deemed unsafe in the 1970s.
Cellulose fiber-reinforced cement siding was introduced by James Hardie in the 1980s, and they became fiber cement planks as we know them today. But while James Hardie was the first to safely re-introduce the product, others quickly began creating their own formulas, colors, planks, sizes and styles so that today consumers have a lot more choices to use in their homes.
James Hardie’s HardiePlank is still one of the most widely used options, partly because of the familiarity of the name. The closest competitor would be Allura. Both companies make high-quality fiber cement products with many options, styles, and colors. But despite these facts, there are some clear differences between the two. AdvertisementGet Siding Estimates at Bus.
Manufacture and Warranty
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HardiePlank is produced largely the same way it was when it was first created in the 1980s. It uses a slurry of wood pulp that is mixed with Portland cement to form their planks, which are then cast in molds. Like all fiber cements, it uses a sand and silica mixture for stability. Some recycled wood products are also used in the mix. It comes with a 30-year limited warranty.
Average cost per square foot
Like many materials, Allura vs. Hardie siding has a range of prices for their materials. This may be partly due to the fact that they have many options to choose from in terms of appearance, width, and size. Also, while Allura’s siding performs well in all regions and temperatures, James Hardie makes a special, more expensive product for sale only in cold-weather areas. This can cause the cost of the material to vary greatly depending on the region you live in, while Allura’s prices fluctuate much less, depending mostly on dealer costs.
On average, you ‘ll pay between $1.56 and $2.08 per square foot for Allura’s lap siding
In contrast, you’ll pay between $1.86 and $2.02 per square foot for James Hardie’s standard lap siding. These averages take into account the various disclosures available for both materials.
There’s also a range of installation costs for both materials, which mainly depends on factors like the layout of the home, the style of siding, and which brand you’re working with. Allura’s material doesn’t break as easily as HardiePlank, which means you’ll need a little less of it, and on average it will cost about 15% less to install. This makes the average installation cost for Allura between $4 and $8 per square foot, while installation costs for James Hardie range from $4.60 to $9.20 per square foot.
This brings the cost of installing 2,000 square feet of Allura siding to approximately $15,640 and HardiePlank to approximately $17,280, provided the style and look of the siding is the same.
Keep in mind that if you live in a colder climate, and choose to use James Hardie, your cost for the same project could rise to $34,000 for their premium material. This product is formulated differently, and is almost twice as thick – ⅝-inch instead of the standard 5/16-inch that both Allura and HardiePlank use.
Options and Styles
Both companies offer a wide range of products aimed at giving you options to customize the look and style of your home. James Hardie therefore
James Hardie also makes wood grain (Cedarmill) and Smooth Lap siding. Cedarmill and Smooth Lap are available in a full range of colors in one size – 8 ¼” x 12’. Their other sizes of Cedarmill and Smooth Lap – 6 1/4″ x 12′, 7′ x 12′, 7 ¼” x 12′, 9 ¼” x 12′, and 12” x 12′ – are ready to paint only.
Both companies also manufacture a full line of shingles.
Allura has several different shingle lines to choose from, all available in 25 colors and their full range of wood stains, as well as ready to paint. These include:
- 5” straight edge shingles
- 7” straight edge shingles
- 7” staggered edge shingles
- 7” Perfection Shingles
- Half Round
- octagons
Additionally, Allura also manufactures individual shakes, which can have either staggered or straight edges (different sizes or the same size), which are available ready-to-use and painted.
James Hardie makes a range of miniature sizes and shapes, available in both a full range of colours as well as ready to paint. These include:
- 7” straight edge shingles
- 7” staggered edge shingles
- 7” Individual Shingles
- Half Round
Both companies also offer options for vertical siding, architectural panels, soffits, and trim. In addition, James Hardie offers its Artisan Collection, an extra-thick lap siding with deep shadow lines.
Color and stain
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James Hardie has 15 standard color options for siding. They use a process called ColorPlus, which helps make the color resistant to UV rays and prevents it from fading. Using their system, they offer a custom color option in their Dream Collection. This allows you to choose from over 700 colors to paint James Hardie products. The ColorPlus system also has a 15-year warranty on the siding finish. Compare Estimates from Siding Experts Get estimates from local professionals to help with your project
Cost vs. Value
Fiber cement siding has been giving a good return on investment on homes for many years . According to reports, living in a fiber cement home gives around 84.3% return on investment. This means that if you spend $14,000 on siding your home with fiber cement, it will increase the value of your home by around $11,802 – this is money that can be recovered at the time of resale.
That’s because regardless of the manufacturer, fiber cement siding is durable, attractive, low-maintenance, and long-lasting. Building a home using fiber cement offers a better return on investment than wood, vinyl, or aluminum siding, making both James Hardie and Allura a good investment in your home.
Allura vs Hardie Pros and Cons
Like all materials, fibre cement has its positive and negative qualities. Both Allura and James Hardie have most of these qualities in common.
Besides being a great way to add value to your home, fiber cement siding is really durable . It’s insect resistant, fire resistant, and moisture resistant. It’s not likely to chip or crack, and both materials have a 15-year warranty on the finish.
Fiber cement also has a Class A wildfire resistant siding rating, and it is more durable and better than vinyl. Although it may be difficult to find a recycling center, fiber cement is recyclable. You can also paint it, so you can change the color whenever you want.
However, it is important to note that fiber cement can be heavy, which means that its installation cost can be higher than the installation cost of other materials such as vinyl. It is also difficult to cut, as it requires either a blade to cut the cement or a special tool to cut it cleanly.Today’s Homeowner Tip
If you choose a blade, it’s important to use a filter and respirator, as cutting the material can release silica dust into the air – a known respiratory irritant, which could lead to illness.
Finally, due to the heavy, rigid nature, the boards can break or crack if dropped. Also, if the material is over-tightened it can crack during installation. Due to the weight of the boards, it is common to have at least two installers to handle each plank, which can increase installation costs compared to other materials.
Alternatives to James Hardie and Allura
Although these are the two top brands for fiber cement siding, and offer the most options, there are other fiber cement companies to consider. GAF Weatherside Nichiha LP SmartSide KW
Roofing company GAF makes a line of fiber cement siding shingles. They’re designed to match old asbestos-based fiber cement if you just need to replace a few shingles, or they can be used throughout the entire house. They have three shingle lines – Purity, which has a straight, wavy or slightly irregular edge, Profile, which has a straight edge and a pronounced grain, and Emphasis, which has an irregular edge. All shingles come in a limited range of colors with a 25-year warranty.