Owners of mountain cabins in Colorado are usually people who enjoy the outdoors, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they enjoy all the maintenance involved in wood siding. When you own a vacation home, it’s difficult to get there frequently enough to keep up with the work that wood requires.  This may explain why so many cabin owners are buying James Hardie siding instead.  Unlike vinyl siding, fiber board can be made to look like wood.  It comes in a variety of textures and patterns such as cedar shingles, wooden shake and plank boards, but in reality they are made up of sturdy fiber cement.

Homes located in higher altitudes must be made to withstand a long winter, which includes a lot of snow, wind and ice.  Where wood might rot or warp in such conditions, James Hardie siding can be purchased in collections that are based on the climate where you live.  When people first hear about fiber board plank siding, they wonder if it was just invented, but the truth is that James Hardie siding has been around for a long time.  Home builders rarely use it for new construction unless the homeowner chooses fiber board as an upgrade, but as more people remain in their homes it has become a great way to “reinvent” a home’s exterior.

In a recent article published on the website for a Colorado Springs remodeler called Heart House Creations, the writer takes an objective look at the advantages and disadvantages of fiber board.  To get a contractor’s perspective on this, read “James Hardie Siding – The Pros and Cons of Fiber Board.”  One common misconception about fiber board siding is its price.  Yes, it is more expensive than vinyl, but with an investment like siding you get what you pay for.  Fiber cement siding has been singled out for its ability to improve the resale value of your home in Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report.  James Hardie siding also comes with a 50 year limited warranty that is fully transferable.  The material is completely resistant to insects and rot, and it can even withstand the punishing winds and salt spray that affects homes near the shoreline.

Fiber board siding may not be as popular in every part of the country, but for cabin owners in Colorado it has really taken off.  Perhaps it’s the natural sturdiness and attractive texture of the shingles, but James Hardie siding is gaining converts like never before.

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