Fiber Cement Siding: What it is and how to maintain

Over the past 20 to 25 years, fiber cement has become the most commonly used siding material on new homes—other than vinyl siding for home in our service area of San Antonio, TX. One of the main reasons fiber cement siding has grown in popularity is because of its durability and longevity.

Our team at CertaPro Painters® of NE San Antonio would like to share insights about how you can best care for your fiber cement siding and how we can help you with your painting needs.

What is fiber cement siding?

Fiber cement siding, often called hardie board or hardie plank, is considered a low maintenance material because of its high durability. One reason this type of siding has such high durability is that it absorbs less moisture, allowing for fewer cracking instances. Additionally, its cement composition can help homes better withstand extreme weather‌.

How to best maintain your fiber cement siding

With fiber cement siding becoming common for new home builders over the past couple of decades, you may not know how to best maintain it. That’s why we’d like to share some tips you can use to preserve your fiber cement siding and enjoy its longevity for years to come. Some things to look out for are:

• Check your caulk regularly. This can help you make sure your home is more protected from moisture damage, because while fiber cement siding is moisture resistant, your caulk may not be.
• Clean your gutters periodically. Doing this can help ensure rainwater can flow freely through your gutters, rather than sitting in them for extended periods of time.
• Make sure your siding stays clean. Simple processes, like power washing, can be useful to prevent dirt and debris from sitting on your siding and protect them from those materials.
• Plan to repaint your siding. While you may think your fiber cement siding doesn’t need to be repainted, doing this every so often will help you keep your siding looking fresh and prevent peeling paint.

Is the fiber cement siding on my home damaged?

If not properly maintained, one of the first signs of damage you will notice is delamination. As the siding boards absorb moisture, they can begin to swell. This swelling can lead to delamination, which is when the top layer of the siding material fails. It will almost look like peeling paint, when it is the actual siding board material that is peeling. A regular painting cycle will help to avoid this.

Interested in working with CertaPro Painters of NE San Antonio for your home’s painting project?

If you’re interested in working with our team at CertaPro Painters® of NE San Antonio, we’d love to hear about your upcoming project. All you need to do is to give us call at 210-490-0460.