HardiePlank

HardiePlank siding is fiber cement lap siding for homeowners who want horizontal siding on their house. It’s engineered to resist damage from moisture, rot and weather. Your main finish choice is primed boards ready for painting or ColorPlus, with the finish cured onto the boards at the factory.

James Hardie makes HardiePlank as part of its broader building-products business. The company has more than 130 years of experience. It pioneered fiber cement technology in the 1980s.

Primed or ColorPlus

Settle the painting plan first. Primed HardiePlank is ready for painting, so finishing becomes part of the work on your house. It’s the practical choice when you’re planning around a particular paint color.

ColorPlus is applied in a controlled factory and cured onto the boards during manufacturing. The finish is engineered to help resist damaging ultraviolet rays. Choose ColorPlus when you want a factory-applied finish and a color offered for your project ZIP code.

Choose color and texture together

Getting attached to a color before checking regional options can send the selection process backward. James Hardie offers different products and colors by region, and its ZIP-code selection identifies the colors and textures for your area. Establish those choices before narrowing the palette.

HardiePlank samples let you judge color and texture together. A texture’s shadows can change how a color reads. Compare samples beside your roof, trim and masonry, in daylight and shade.

For the whole-house view, James Hardie’s visualization tool lets you put products on a photo of your home, adjust the style, material and ColorPlus color, and save the images. Use the photo to judge how the siding works across the house and the physical sample to judge the surface.

Plan the installation before hanging boards

James Hardie provides separate HardiePlank installation instructions for its two climate zones. Start with the instructions that match your zone and wall construction. Its HardiePlank Fastening Tips and Butt Joint & Horizontal Lap Treatment guidance address the details that need a plan before work starts. Settle the course layout, fastening and joint treatment before the first course goes up.

HardiePlank’s resistance to moisture damage is useful on an exterior wall, and proper flashing and drainage help water move out of the assembly. On a residing job, inspect exposed sheathing and flashing and repair damage before covering the wall.

Keep the exterior maintained

James Hardie provides cleaning and maintenance guidance for its products. Plan on cleaning and checking the exterior, including the joints intended to be caulked. Maintain those joints according to the installed siding details.

HardiePlank specifications

Detail	Specification
Product type	Fiber cement lap siding
Main ingredients	Sand, water, cellulose fibers and Portland cement
Finish choices	Primed and ready for painting; ColorPlus factory-applied and cured finish
HZ5 climate formulation	Designed to resist shrinking, swelling and cracking in wet or freezing conditions
HZ10 climate formulation	Designed for hot, humid conditions and strong sun
Regional selection	Products, colors and textures vary by project ZIP code
Warranty	Hardie fiber cement products: 30-year non-prorated warranty. ColorPlus: separate 15-year limited warranty covering paint and labor for peeling, cracking and chipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HardiePlank siding?

HardiePlank is James Hardie’s fiber cement lap siding, made with sand, water, cellulose fibers and Portland cement. It gives you a horizontal siding exterior engineered to resist moisture, rot and weather damage. The fiber cement is noncombustible, though applied paint and coatings can char when exposed to flames.

How do you install HardiePlank siding on a house?

Installing HardiePlank starts with the instructions for your climate zone and wall construction, which govern the fastening, clearances and joint details. You need the course layout and flashing worked out before the first board goes up. If your wall has continuous insulation, James Hardie provides separate guidance for that setup.

What’s the difference between HardiePlank HZ10 and HZ5?

The first is designed for hot, humid conditions and strong sun; the second is designed to resist shrinking, swelling and cracking in wet or freezing conditions. They’re climate formulations, so the choice depends on where you’re building. James Hardie’s regional selection system identifies the appropriate product, and each formulation has its own installation instructions.

Does HardiePlank come in Mountain Sage?

Mountain Sage is a HardiePlank color, but whether it’s an option for your house depends on your project ZIP code. Colors and textures vary by region. You can compare up to three samples in different colors and textures before settling on the combination.