Its the same withfiber-cement house siding boardand vinyl siding.
Siding Thickness
Fiber-Cement Siding
HardiePlank is significantly thicker than vinyl siding.
Just like real wood lap siding,HardiePlank is thick.
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While thicknesses do vary, HardiePlank averages between 5/16- and 1/4-inch thick.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is far thinner than HardiePlanks at between 0.040 and .046 inches thick.
This means that vinyl siding is considerably thinner than HardiePlank.
Vinyl siding can be backed with foam sheathing or insulation, providing greater exterior thickness.
Once vinyl siding is installed on a house, it is difficult to discern the product’s total thickness.
Combustibility
HardiePlank is composed of cement-like materials and about 5- to 10-percent cellulose (wood) fibers.
Upon cutting, HardiePlank fiber-cement board kicks up clouds of cement dust.
Extreme care must be taken since inhaling the dust may result in acute silicosis.
The fortunate byproduct of all of this cement content is that HardiePlank is difficult to burn.
James Hardie Industries considers HardiePlank and all of its fiber-cement products to not be"explosive or flammable."
HardiePlank is only considered to be fire-resistant, not fireproof.
Vinyl siding is more affected by fire and extreme heat than HardiePlank.
Vinyl siding is treated with fire retardant, but this only retards or slows down the spread of fire.
Houses with vinyl siding neighboring a burning house will badly warp in response to the adjacent heat.
Often, a burning house will affect an adjacent house with vinyl siding.
Barbecue grills set too closely to vinyl siding will warp and distort the siding.
Even the concentrated light from mirrors can warp or melt vinyl siding.
Texture and Realism
Because HardiePlank is thicker, it offers deeper texturing than vinyl siding.
Vinyl siding usually does have a wood-like relief.
Large format HardiePanel (the HZ5 series, 4-foot by 8-foot) costs about $43.
One piece of Georgia-Pacific Vision Pro Vinyl Siding Panel Double 4 Dutch Lap Clay costs about $9.
Both HardiePlank and vinyl siding have little to zero appeal to destructive insects, mainly carpenter ants and termites.
HardiePlank, being essentially a long, thin sheet of concrete, will crack upon impact.
HardiePlank will not warp or melt.
Vinyl siding can become damaged when impacted by a lawnmower or shovel.
Freezing temperatures make vinyl siding more prone to cracking.
Heat will warp it.
Place a barbecue too close to vinyl siding and it will be warped beyond repair.
Typically, panel replacement is the only fix for warped vinyl siding.
Preventing Silicosis and Death in Construction Workers.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Moisture-, Impact-, Fire-, and Pest-Resistant Exterior Siding.
U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
