Picked fiber cement siding over vinyl for my 1950s bungalow

Had to make the call between fiber cement and vinyl siding for my house in the Strathcona area. I went with fiber cement even though it cost me about $4,000 more for the whole job. Two years later and the paint still looks fresh, plus a hail storm last summer put dings in my neighbor's vinyl but mine came out clean. The installer said the old houses in this neighborhood have better curb appeal with fiber cement. Anyone else in Edmonton stuck with the pricier option and felt it was worth it?

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jessica_miller4mo ago

Makes sense, @luna_clark38, I’m just glad my wallet hasn’t cried itself to sleep over that $4k yet. Honestly, I’d probably shatter my own foot trying to replace a cracked fiber cement panel anyway, so maybe vinyl was smarter for my clumsy self. That hailstorm in 2021 was nasty though, my neighbor’s vinyl looked like a golf ball and mine just needed a rinse.

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luna_clark384mo ago

My buddy in Garneau went fiber cement on his 1920s foursquare and swears it held up way better through that hailstorm we had back in 2021. His vinyl neighbor had to replace three whole panels.

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luna_clark384mo ago

Three panels over one storm doesn't really prove much though. Vinyl is cheap and easy to patch, fiber cement is pricier and harder to replace if it does crack. My buddy's parent's place got hit by a tree branch and the fiber cement just shattered in a way you couldn't really fix smoothly. Plus vinyl absorbs impact better in some cases, I've seen it dent rather than break. Not saying either is perfect, but one bad hailstorm isn't a full test.

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