Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: Siding

[Laura Fitch, A.I.A. (lfitch]

Fiber Cement siding is manufactured by Hardi (and maybe others) and is 
known as Hardiplank (looks and is installed like individual clapboards) 
and Hardipanel (sheets goods with vertical lines).  We installed Hardi 
plank at Pathways and Pioneer Valley Cohousing and it was installed at 
Cambridge Cohousing and possibly Cornerstones (also cambridge).  

These are the reasons we chose to use it.
Not a old growth forest product;
local, non-old growth products are not stable (don't hold paint, warp, etc.)
Couldn't afford white cedar shingles (which most of us really wanted)
cement makes clapboard very stable and therefore paint is supposed to 
stay on it longer;
paint on this product came with a 15 year (I think) warranty;
wood fiber is a waste product (good environmentally);
look like wood clapboards (Hardi Plank, that is)

Here are the drawbacks as I see them:
Cement is not a sustainable product - much embodied energy (mining, 
processing, trucking, etc)
It was fairly expensive
Harder than wood to install (need neumatic hammer or pre-drilling, dulls 
saw blades)

As our experience with the product is only a few years onl in this area 
of the country (new england), we put a lot of trust in performance info 
from New Zealand and other areas of the US, and in the 50 year warranty. 
It looks great so far!

Their website is jameshardie.com.  They caxrry other materials such as 
soffits, shingles, etc.

I think it is a good recommendation.

Laura

--
Laura Fitch, A.I.A.
Principal Architect

KRAUS-FITCH ARCHITECTS, INC.
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  01002
413-549-5799
413-549-7918 (fax)

lfitch [at] krausfitch.com



HeidiNYS [at] aol.com wrote:

> Dear Wonderful List Serv Contributers,
>
> Have really enjoyed reading sharings re: CommonHouse use....not much to add 
> on that front.
>
> am writing to ask for your advice/experience.
>
> Having been part of development & moving into Co-ho 4 & 1/2 yrs ago..... I'm 
> moving... next door.  
> I married fairly recently.  By great good fortune, and a lot of work on the 
> part of one dear neighbor, Cantines Island was able to buy a little adjacent 
> piece of property....  one household is re-habing the older house there, and 
> we hope to have three addt'l.
> Steve & I w be building there...
> and so, am writing to ask specifically about HOUSE SIDING......  [long 
> preamble, short question]
>
> Our Architect is recommending Fiber Cement.... is installed in sheets, & 
> painted....  I havent yet seen samples....  Any Experience witht his stuff?
>
> Do/don't you recommend?
> thanks,
> Ruth Hirsch 
> Cantines Island Co-ho
> Saugerties NY.... our gardens/landscaping look great!
>
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