Driving around in different neighborhoods, it seems like wood is one of the most popular choices for siding on the market. However, a new player has begun to take over the game. Siding contractors in Calgary have been installing more and more fiber cement siding on homes throughout the city—and with good reason! Fiber cement has a number of advantages over wood and other siding options. Continue reading about the new materials, and why you may want to consider installing fiber cement at your home.
What is it?
Fiber cement siding was actually invented back in 1901 in Austria, and gained popularity in Australia in the 1980s due to its fireproof properties. It’s made from a combination of wood fiber, sand, clay and cement. Although its name may conjure images of an industrial-looking material, fiber cement can come in a wide variety of colors and appearances.
People don’t just use it because it looks nice, though. There are many advantages of choosing fiber cement siding over wood:
- Maintenance: Anyone with wood siding will tell you that you can’t just install it and let it age naturally. Wood has to be painted and treated with special chemicals every few years to maintain an attractive appearance and to ensure it doesn’t begin to rot. Fiber cement, on the other hand, hardly requires any maintenance at all. Fiber cement is the only siding material on the market that’s resistant to insects, fungus and ultraviolet sunlight damage. All you need to do to maintain an attractive appearance is spray your siding down with a power washer anytime it gets dirty. Additionally, fiber cement can be repainted at any time without much prep work at all.
- Durability: Fiber cement was originally called “Eternit,” which comes from a Latin word meaning “eternal.” While it’s not necessarily eternal, fiber cement is just about as close as you can get to it when it comes to siding material! As mentioned above, fiber cement can withstand fires, and can really take a beating year in and year out without showing signs of damage. You’ll certainly never have to install siding again if you choose to use fiber cement!
- Customization: Apart from painting it, there isn’t a whole lot you can do with wood siding to make it look unique. Unlike boring wood siding, fiber cement can be molded into a variety of different shapes. You can have fiber cement siding that looks like brick, wood, stone or any other material you can think of.
- Sustainability: One of the best things about fiber cement siding is the fact that its manufacturing process doesn’t take a heavy toll on the environment. While it is partially made from wood, that wood is just left over from other projects. Anyone trying to be more eco-friendly should definitely consider going green and choosing fiber cement siding!
If you need new siding, look no further than fiber cement. You can trust siding contractors in Calgary who say it’s the best material on the market right now. To learn more, please contact Rhino Exteriors today!