Fiber Cement Siding Installation Dubbo / New South Wales / Australia

FIBER CEMENT SIDING INSTALLATION AND REPAIR SERVICES – WHAT IS FIBER CEMENT SIDING?

Fiber cement siding is a type of siding made up of fibers (usually cellulose), a cement material (often Portland cement), and sand or other non-reactive filler material. These are compressed and blended into a durable solid plank material that is stronger and more durable than wood or vinyl. It is often abbreviated as FCS and may go by a variety of trade names in different countries or regions. 

Fiber cement siding installation and repair service providers point out that there is a wide variety of fiber cement siding, including pieces that come pre-primed, and those that aren’t primed and need to be primed and painted once installed. Some manufacturers offer standard pre-painted color options, and some fiber cement siding installation and repair service providers will also provide the option of pre-painted siding installation. Typically, the FCS pieces delivered in plank form then cut to size and installed like traditional wood or vinyl siding.

FIBER CEMENT SIDING INSTALLATION AND REPAIR SERVICES – BENEFITS / TRADEOFFS

There are several benefits of using fiber cement siding to home or office applications. Experts from fiber cement siding installation and repair services highlight some of the key attributes as follows:

• Versatility – FCS can be made to look like wood or shingle-style siding, and therefore can fit in with many overall design plans for a home or office,
• Durability – fiber cement siding lasts significantly longer than wood siding, owing to its much higher resistance to moisture and rot,
• Safety – FCS also has a much higher resistance to fire than wood siding (after all, wood siding is made primarily of wood, and fiber cement siding contains a significant portion of non-combustible materials, like cement and sand),
• Design Options – fiber cement siding can be painted pretty much any color, and often can be pre-painted by the manufacturer (who may offer a set color palette) or by the installer, saving time and effort as opposed to painting after installation,
• Affordability – FCS has the right balance between durability and cost, costing more than some less-durable materials like wood, but costing less than options like stone, slate, or brick.

According to information from several fiber cement siding installation and repair services, we can provide a general overview comparison between some of the most common types of siding, their lifespan, and their cost. The calculations are only for the purposes to demonstrate differences; prices hugely vary by the countries and regions.

Fiber cement siding

• 40 years of average siding lifespan
• The one-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $6,000 (approx.)
• $0.04/square foot/year of life

Wood siding

• 50 years of average siding lifespan
• One-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $24,000 (approx.)
• $0.12/square foot/year of life

Vinyl siding

• 25 years of average siding lifespan
• One-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $5,500 (approx.)
• $0.06/square foot/year of life

Aluminum siding

• 25 years of average siding lifespan
• One-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $15,000 (approx.)
• $0.15/square foot/year of life

Brick

• 100 years of average siding lifespan  
• One-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $32,000 (approx.)
• $0.08/square foot/year of life

Stone/Slate

• 100 years of average siding lifespan
• One-time cost - 4,000 sq. ft of $64,000 (approx.)
• $0.16/square foot/year of life

FIBER CEMENT SIDING INSTALLATION AND REPAIR SERVICES – INSTALLATION PROCESS

The installation process for fiber cement siding is very similar to the traditional wood siding. While the specifics may vary by brand, type, etc., in general, fiber cement siding installation and repair service company will provide the overall installation process steps below.

• If no existing siding, no removal work needs to be done. If the siding must be replaced, then existing siding must be removed.
• Preparation work includes wrapping the house with insulation or special backing paper over the standard plywood and marking out stud locations.
• Fiber cement siding installation and repair services will often use a variety of means and variable steps as to measuring, sizing, and cutting the siding pieces. These can include a circular saw, specialized shears, a jigsaw/table saw or scoring with special knives. In general, corners/edges will be installed first, followed by the main body of the siding.
• The siding is attached using one of several possible methods, including manual nailing, pneumatic gun nailing, or corrosion-resistant screws, all of which typically are designed to penetrate at least one inch into the stud.
• Once complete, the homeowner or the fiber cement siding installation and repair services company may need to paint the siding (if it is not pre-painted). The Primer may be required (if it is not pre-primed). In all cases, this kind of information should be included as part of the consultation and materials selection, as many homeowners prefer to get pre-painted or at least pre-primed siding to avoid extra work later. 

FIBER CEMENT SIDING INSTALLATION AND REPAIR SERVICES – TYPICAL REPAIRS

Like any other part of a home or office building, siding can become damaged over time, and require repairs. Fiber cement siding installation and repair services are often one-in-the-same – that is, it is rare to find a company that installs fiber cement siding but does not do repairs and vice versa. So, typically, if an owner has had their siding installed by a company, it may be advisable first to seek out that company’s services for repairs – after all, they should be most familiar with their work.

Regardless of which fiber cement siding installation and repair services company is chosen, some of the most common issues that need repairs include:

• Cleaning or power washing – this is one of the tasks that might not fall under the provenance of fiber cement siding installation and repair services, as it is more of a maintenance job than a repair task. Specialized companies who do power washing of siding are often available.
• Loose fiber cement boards can develop over time, either due to poor installation, or more often, wear, tear, and house settling. It is common in areas of high seismic activity or for homes built on more water-logged and unstable ground, which can lead to home shifting over time. Usually, these are relatively simple repairs, utilizing nails or screws to fasten the siding planks back into place on the studs.
• Warping can occur over time if the planks were not properly installed, or gaps were not left at ideal measurements.  Repairing this problem can be fiber cement siding installation and repair services first attempt to re-fasten the board or, if that fails or warping is too significant, they may have to remove the plank, cut it, and re-apply.
• Paint issues can also develop over time. Whether professionally painted, pre-done by the factory, or done by the homeowner, paint can chip and flake over time. It is both an aesthetic problem, as well as a functional one – it can leave the underlying material more susceptible to damage from the weather. In most cases, re-painting (which may involve some abrasion, scraping, or sanding) will solve these problems.

FIBER CEMENT SIDING INSTALLATION AND REPAIR SERVICES – CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, fiber cement siding is a relatively low-maintenance, balanced option for home and office siding needs. It is not the cheapest type of siding, but not nearly as expensive as others. Regarding long-term cost (cost as a function of expected lifespan), fiber cement siding is one of the best choices. It is far more durable and resistant to moisture and rot than wood while lasting quite a long time. Any siding installation is a big task, and while fiber cement siding is no more complicated than a wood siding installation, both should be left to the fiber cement siding installation and repair services experts, to ensure the job is done correctly. For repairs or maintenance, the same fiber cement siding installation and repair services companies can usually fix most minor problems with ease and at a relatively low cost.