When it comes to choosing an exterior siding for a building, there are two main choices: vinyl siding and cement board siding. Both have their advantages and benefits, as well as their drawbacks. Cost, ease of use, appearance, ease of maintenance, and more, all come into the equation. What you may gain in one direction can be negated by a disadvantage in another direction. It’s all really a matter of personal choice.

Vinyl siding was introduced in the 1960s and became very popular immediately. It is made from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, and it is extremely durable and long lasting. In American homes, vinyl siding can be found on twice as many houses as any other type of siding.

Cement board siding in its current form was introduced by James Hardie in the 1980s. It is also extremely hard wearing and durable. It is a much heavier material to work with, and requires more skill to install than most other types of siding. Both types have their place, and depending on the situation, may have benefits over the other.

Durability

Cement board siding has a definite edge in durability. This product will typically come with a 30 to 50 year warranty. It is much less susceptible to weather damage and will withstand the impact of wind-blown debris much better too. Cement board doesn’t change much over time. It doesn’t become brittle or lose strength. It remains one of the more dependable home solutions for siding options on the market today.

Vinyl is less durable than cement board. It will need replacing much earlier too. It also becomes brittle after long exposure to a hot sun, making it less suitable for a hot climate. When it becomes more brittle, it is much more easily damaged, and then even a heavy hail storm can cause damage to the siding. Wind-blown debris will definitely pose a potential hazard to a vinyl siding that has been up for some time and become brittle. Vinyl siding will typically come with a 25 year warranty.

Energy efficiency

Cement board has poor insulating qualities on its own. If you need your home to be well insulated, you should not depend on cement board to provide that. Its R-value, or measure of its insulating qualities, is around 0.50. This is very low when you consider that the fiberglass matting, used for insulation in walls and ceilings, can typically have an R-value of R-19.

Vinyl on its own is no better than cement board, when it comes to insulation qualities. However, it is now possible to buy vinyl with built-in insulation. This makes it a more rigid and stronger material to work with. It also made it possible to produce the material in a wider reveal.

Maintenance

Vinyl definitely has the advantage when it comes to maintenance. It never needs painting, and in fact, cannot be painted. Cleaning can be performed through simply washing down with a garden hose. One drawback is the fact that you are stuck with the color you buy for the lifetime of the product. This is unlikely to be a problem for most people, however. Additionally, vinyl will never rot or disintegrate.

Cement board needs painting every five to ten years, or so. This has the advantage that you can change the color of your house at this time if you choose to. Because cement board contains wood fibers, it can degrade over time if it is not installed properly, or not properly cared for through regular painting and caulking.

Cost

Vinyl is certainly the less expensive of the two materials, which is probably why it is the more popular. Vinyl prices vary, but should be at least 10% lower than cement board. However, cement board is generally recognized as having the greater overall quality, and is usually chosen with the long-term view.

Installation

Vinyl is usually the easier of the two materials to work with and install on a building. Cement board is heavy and it requires at least two men to handle a board. Cutting cement board is also more difficult. It releases a toxic dust when sawn, and should be cut with special cutters. Vinyl, on the other hand, is very easy to work with.

Both vinyl and cement board have their advantages and disadvantages as a siding material. Both offer special benefits that the other lacks, so it really in many ways comes down to personal choice.