HardiePlank Lap Siding: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

Envision your home with beautiful, timeless siding. It’s authentic, just like natural wood, but it’s also durable and water-resistant. Decades later, it still looks just as impressive as when it was first installed, giving you confidence that when you sell your home, you will be able to make back your initial investment—and more. 

Does this idea sound impossible? With HardiePlank lap siding, this dream can become your reality! 

Here’s everything you need to know about this attractive, long-lasting option to transform your home’s exterior.

What Is HardiePlank Lap Siding?

HardiePlank is the most popular product manufactured by James Hardie. It combines the classic look of lap siding with the strength of fiber cement to create a beautiful, durable product that protects your house.

Lap siding is made from long panels that are fastened horizontally to your exterior. When the siding is applied, the panels overlap, hence the name “lap siding.” You can find this design in a variety of materials, including vinyl and fiber cement.

Fiber cement is made from a blend of Portland cement, sand, water, and cellulose fibers. Together, these components create a durable, long-lasting siding material. 

Valuable Features of HardiePlank Lap Siding

Long Lifespan

HardiePlank siding is Engineered for Climate, meaning each product is designed to perform best in your region. It’s built to stand up to rain, hail, snow, humidity, and heat and can withstand damage from moisture and rot.  

Since this siding is weatherproof, it looks great for years—even without excessive maintenance. You can be confident your home exterior will enjoy decades of long-lasting beauty without frustrating repairs and costly replacements.

Authentic Appearance

Homeowners love HardiePlank siding because the material closely mimics the look of real wood. Fiber cement siding is nearly as thick as natural wood, and a rich wood grain appearance is embossed on each panel. The result is a home with a welcoming, classic look that will turn heads in your neighborhood. 

Although the wood texture is popular, James Hardie also offers a smooth texture lap siding for a sleek, contemporary style.

Great Investment

Since fiber cement siding installation is a specialized skill that requires a significant amount of time to complete, fiber cement is more expensive than its alternative, vinyl.

However, unlike other siding options, Hardie Plank is an excellent investment. According to Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value report, Indianapolis homeowners who install fiber cement siding on their homes will recoup 80.5 percent of their initial investment.

Fire Resistant

HardiePlank is fire-resistant, meaning it will not ignite when exposed to a flame. It also will not fuel a fire.

The petroleum in vinyl feeds flames, and obviously, wood siding is highly combustible. For this reason, fiber cement siding is the safest option to protect your family against house fires.

Pest Repellant

Certain types of siding, like wood, tend to attract pests—but not fiber cement siding.

Since HardiePlank is made from cement, sand, and cellulose, it offers no appeal to woodpeckers, termites, and other insects. You won’t have to worry about costly damage from pests, like moisture intrusion.

Environmentally Friendly

Homeowners concerned about their environmental impact will feel confident about installing HardiePlank siding. The natural materials used to make fiber cement siding, like sand, aren’t scarce, like wood. And unlike vinyl, the production of these panels does not release toxic chemicals into the environment. 

Not to mention, fiber cement lasts for decades. By replacing your siding less frequently, you will reduce the amount of waste you produce during your lifetime.

HardiePlank Lap Siding Styles

Indianapolis homeowners have four HardiePlank lap siding styles to choose from to match their home’s individual style:

• Select Cedarmill siding offers a heavily grooved texture that mimics natural wood. 
• Smooth siding has a level texture that creates a sleek, modern look. 
• Beaded Cedarmill siding has a natural, grooved wood texture with a beaded edge for a charming twist on classic cedar siding. 
• Beaded Smooth siding is clean and contemporary, but the beaded edge adds depth and character.

HardiePlank Siding Colors

James Hardie offers two paint collections, The Statement Collection^™ and The Dream Collection^™, and also produces boards primed for paint.

The Statement Collection

The Statement Collection offers 20 classic shades with baked-on ColorPlus Technology. These popular hues will help any home make a statement, and they are created exclusively for Select Cedarmill and Smooth siding:

The Dream Collection

The Dream Collection also offers baked-on ColorPlus Technology, but these shades are only available for Smooth and Beaded Smooth siding. You can choose from hundreds of colors in this collection, categorized by:

• Classic Lights and Darks
• Grays and Neutrals
• Blues and Greens
• Earth Tones
• Peaceful Pastels

Primed for Paint

Each HardiePlank style can be primed for paint, which gives you the power to choose the perfect shade for your home. 

After your contractor installs these boards, a reliable painter can use the color you select to complete your home exterior’s new look.

Picture Your Home with Beautiful, Long-Lasting HardiePlank Lap Siding

With so many phenomenal benefits and dozens of colors and styles to choose from, it’s easy to see why homeowners across the country trust James Hardie siding to protect their most significant investments.

JD Hostetter has helped hundreds of Indiana residents, just like you, transform their home exteriors with this timeless, durable siding option. Explore our photo gallery of past projects completed by our professional, skilled team to visualize how HardiePlank lap siding can beautify your exterior and add longevity to the home you love.