For many styles of architecture, horizontal lap siding isn’t going to be the best fit. Sometimes you need something different to get just the right look and complement for your curb appeal. Board-and-batten siding, which offers a vertical placement and more rustic appearance can often be the answer.
While board-and-batten siding was originally created from wood, its popularity eventually meant that consumers started to look for other, lower maintenance options. While wood board-and-batten siding is beautiful and iconic in appearance, it also requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep to remain at its best. For that reason, many people have chosen to look at other materials, such as Hardie Board, to find an alternative.
Hardie Board is definitely a lower maintenance alternative to wood, but it often comes with drawbacks of its own which means that it’s not always the right choice. Steel board-and-batten siding such as that from TruLog can often be a better fit, giving you the look you want along with the low maintenance care and durability you need with siding.
Drawbacks to Hardie Board
Hardie Board is a type of fiber cement siding, made from a blend of sand, silica, cellulose fibers, and Portland cement. It’s a heavy material that can be molded or shaped to match nearly any type or style of siding, including most classic wood sidings such as board-and-batten.
When compared to wood siding, which can swell, warp, crack, and need regular maintenance in terms of scraping and painting, Hardie Board can seem like a much better alternative. It’s a lot more durable than wood, and doesn’t swell, warp, or crack, so it tends to last a lot longer without needing repair. The color also tends to last longer than paint on wood, so you can go longer stretches between needing to repaint your home.
Hardie Board does have a number of drawbacks that may mean it’s not always the right material for your home. First, it is made from cement, so Hardie Board is very heavy and difficult to install. Considering the fact that board-and-batten means first installing the wide, heavy planks vertically, then placing and installing a batten over them, a heavy material like this can mean a very slow and costly installation.
Hardie Board also contains silica, which can be released into the air when the material is cut. This can cause respiratory ailments in people who may inhale the particles, meaning that additional steps need to be taken during the cutting and handling of the material to help contain the dust. This, in turn, leads to an even slower and more expensive installation.
Finally, while the color does last longer than paint typically lasts on wood, it doesn’t last forever. Homeowners will still find the color fading, peeling, and cracking over time, and will need to scrape and paint, so it’s not quite as low maintenance as many people would like. Considering the fact that board-and-batten styles can be more labor intensive when repainting, it makes sense that more homeowners are searching for an option that’s truly low maintenance.
A Better Hardie Board Alternative
If you’re looking for a truly durable and low-maintenance option for your home with an attractive board-and-batten appearance, there is steel siding. Steel siding is much lighter and easier to install than fiber cement, and the board-and-batten style isn’t made up of several different components like fiber cement either, so it goes on fast.
Steel is highly durable, so it won’t crack or warp, and it also resists insects, moisture, and flames, so no matter what climate you’re in, you can trust that your siding will still perform well.
Additionally, the color on steel siding doesn’t peel, crack, or fade no matter how long it’s been since it was installed. This makes steel siding a truly low-maintenance option, since you won’t need to keep scraping and repainting every few years.
Best of all, steel siding from TruLog has an authentic wood look and texture to it. Your home will have the appearance of a real wood, board-and-batten-sided home, but with all the benefits of steel.
Steel Board-and-Batten Siding: A Better Alternative to Hardie Board
Board-and-batten siding has a classic appearance that complements a wide range of architectural styles. It can give any home a more rustic-looking exterior while increasing curb appeal.
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance alternative to wood board-and-batten siding, consider steel siding from TruLog in place of Hardie Board. Fiber cement may be a lower maintenance option than wood, but it’s still not as easy to install or as long-lasting as steel. Get a truly low-maintenance alternative with steel siding and get a home exterior that will last for years to come. Download our Board and Batten Buyers Guide today!
