One of the most common questions we receive when discussing Hardie siding products is, does the finish on Hardie board fade over time?
Yes, Hardie siding will fade after prolonged periods of sun exposure. This is the case with any exterior product - any manufacturer, supplier, or contractor telling you otherwise is either lying or mistaken. The wonderful thing about the finish on Hardie is, the fading is minimal.
Below we’ll list some info as to why that is the case, but first, we’ll prove it. The picture below features one piece of siding that is 8 years newer on a South facing, high UV exposure wall in Edmonton. Can you find the piece?
Hardie siding products in Alberta are sold in a pre-finished selection of colours with ColorPlus technology. In Edmonton, it is far and away the most common purchase, with over 95% of homeowners choosing pre-finished (rather than a primed board to be painted after installation).
ColorPlus is unlike a simple paint that you would apply to wood siding. This is a finish designed specifically for fiber cement. It is baked on to the siding in the same factory where the product is manufactured, and is warranted for 15 years. James Hardie’s in-house research and development team developed their ColorPlus finish, and it can’t be purchased at any store.
The finish looks fantastic and is backed by a warranty from a company that has been around for over 130 years. But how do we know it will last? Thankfully, ColorPlus has been sold in Edmonton for approximately 15 years now, so we can check the colour fade against a new colour samples. And the results are fantastic.
No, the 15 year old siding isn’t as vibrant as the colour samples - but it isn’t far off either. The finish dulls down a bit relative to a brand new piece, but it doesn’t have sun spots showing across a piece or wall. (If you do see spotted fading on your Hardie siding, it’s probably due to poorly applied touch up paint. Check out our post on Hardie install errors for more information.) The fading that does occur is distributed evenly, and is not something you would notice without a new sample.
Now, about that photo. The piece immediately above the top of the window is the new piece - congrats if you could see it! We were called in to replace that board to investigate a window leak, and thought it was a great opportunity to show the colour consistency in Hardie.
If you look closely, you can see the profile edges of the new board are actually different than the old boards (the original boards on the wall were purchased before the introduction of Hardie’s eased edge profile), making this stand out even more than it would otherwise.
Interested in learning more about siding products? Check out our blog for more info on topics like installation errors, colour selections, design trends, and warranties.
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