Is Fiber Cement Siding Better Than Vinyl Siding?
Anyone who owns a home probably knows the importance of siding, which is its finishing touch. Siding protects the interior of the house and is responsible for its overall aesthetics, which is why it is so important to select it so that it meets all our requirements.
There are many types of siding available on the market, one of the most popular by far being vinyl siding. However, an increasingly common choice in the United States is fiber cement siding. Accordingly, today’s article will thoroughly compare these two types of siding. Therefore, if you are curious whether fiber cement siding is better than vinyl siding be sure to stay with us!
Fiber cement siding vs vinyl siding
As we have already mentioned, in today’s article we are going to deal with fiber cement siding and vinyl siding comparison. Accordingly, we will take a close look at both fiber cement siding and vinyl siding. We will discuss their most important properties and juxtapose them to answer the question of which one is the better choice.
Durability and longevity
So let’s start with the most basic information regarding both vinyl siding and fiber cement siding, or strength and longevity. At the outset, it should be noted that vinyl siding is made of a much lighter and also thinner material than fiber cement siding. As a result, fiber cement siding is distinguished by much better resistance to impact and extreme weather conditions. However, it cannot be unequivocally said that vinyl siding is not durable, because it is. On the other hand, compared to fiber cement siding, it performs noticeably less well.
What about longevity? The answer to this question should be obvious, in that fiber cement siding is much more resistant to various weather factors and is also more long-lasting. To further illustrate this, it suffices to mention that, statistically, fiber cement siding lasts between 40 and 60 years, while vinyl siding usually requires complete replacement after 20 years or so. However, the truth is that if we take proper care of our siding, whether it is made of vinyl or fiber cement it will last for many years.
Colors and design options
In this criterion, both vinyl siding and fiber cement siding perform very similarly. There are very many manufacturers of both one and the other siding available on the market, and with practically all of them we can choose from a wide range of styles and colors without the slightest problem.
Current coloring methods are so advanced that fiber cement siding and vinyl siding are available in virtually any color we can think of. Therefore, both vinyl siding and fiber cement siding will meet virtually all consumer requirements and fit into all possible architectural styles.
Water and fire resistance
So let’s move on to water and fire resistance. Both vinyl siding and fiber cement siding are distinguished by good water resistance, so this will not be extremely elaborated on. However, much more important is fire resistance. In this case, fiber cement siding once again fares better, which is simply fireproof, and can only deal with extremely high temperatures. Vinyl siding, on the other hand, is no longer so fireproof. Of course, it won’t burn from every little spark, however, it can take care of itself much more easily and quickly.
Cost
In order to make the most accurate comparison, we must end today’s article with a comparison of the price of vinyl siding and fiber cement siding. Let’s then move on to the specifics. Namely, the average cost of building a house facade with vinyl siding is up to twice as cheap as with fiber cement siding.
Installing vinyl siding on an average-sized house costs between $15,000 and $25,000, while installing fiber cement siding on an average-sized house costs between $23,000 and as much as $35,000. The difference is significant, however, there is no denying that the value for money in both cases we described is very good.
Summary
In conclusion, in today’s article we have made it quite clear that fiber cement siding has significantly better characteristics than vinyl siding. However, hand in hand with the better parameters also goes the price, which is clearly higher, however, is adequate to the quality of fiber cement siding. Therefore, it is important to think carefully before making a final decision, so that we are sure to choose a siding that will 100% meet our expectations and requirements.
