The difference between Vinyl Siding and Fiber Cement Siding

There are many factors you need to carefully consider when choosing the best siding for your home such as the durability of the material, the amount of maintenance your siding will require to keep it looking fresh and tidy, the cost, the siding’s energy efficiency and eco-friendliness, and how well it will insulate your home from both heat and cold....

Two of the most popular siding choices for today’s homes are vinyl and fiber cement, Compared with wood, both vinyl siding and fiber cement are very durable exterior cladding options

Unlike fiber cement siding, which are formed by combining wood pulp with Portland cement, Vinyl siding is made primarily from PVC, a rigid plastic material, and is securely affixed to your home’s exterior in a manner that allows it to expand and contract with changing temperatures.

For choosing the best one, please consider the belows factors:

DURABILITY

In general, if installed properly, both fiber cement board and vinyl siding are far more durable than natural options. But in fact, vinyl may be slightly more durable.

Fiber cement has one drawback. It does absorb moisture. That means if you are installing fiber cement and there is a place where moisture collects, that moisture could eventually damage your home.

Vinyl siding, including insulated siding, is the only exterior cladding with a product certification program administered by an independent, accredited quality-control agency that ensures products and colors meet or exceed the industry standard for performance.

MAINTENANCE

While it requires far less maintenance than natural materials, fiber cement does require more maintenance than vinyl.

Fiber cement needs to be caulked and painted (unless you opt for the prepainted version), unlike vinyl siding, which needs no additional work before or after installation. Over the long haul, you’ll need to paint fiber-cement siding periodically because it will fade due to the demands of Mother Nature.

In the case of vinyl siding, other than periodic cleaning and spot repairs in the event of inclement weather, vinyl is very low maintenance. In fact, most years, you will need little more than some soapy water and a garden hose to keep your vinyl siding in like new condition.

COST

In fact, vinyl boards watse lowest installed and maintenance costs while fiber cement runs more than 50% higher than vinyl siding, not counting initial painting

From an initial installation standpoint, vinyl siding is definitely cheaper. According to an RSMeans 2014 Residential Cost data report, vinyl siding costs $201 per 100 square feet to install while fiber cement costs around $300.