Just my two (or three) cents..... We are doing a remodel/addition of a 1930s dutch colonial in Norfolk, VA. Initially, we had selected Hardie fiber cement. Seemed to be the most available in our area, and seemed to be a decent looking product. As we did some more research and discovered the other brands, we switched to Nichiha mainly because at the time it was a thicker material than Hardie (I believe Hardie has since introduced a thicker line to compete). We thought the thickness would be more architecturally in line with a 1930s house. And, to take things one step further, we are installing the siding ourselves and have found the thickness actually makes the installation 'easier' -- you have less snapping, and one person can carry the pieces. (Plus, carry a few pieces a fiber cement and suddenly you don't have quite the need for the annual gym membership!) From a price perspective, the two products were pretty much a wash. I think actually for our job nichiha priced out slightly cheaper, but we are using a combo of smooth (nichiha was a little more) and shake (hardie was more), so I'm not sure this is the norm. Finally, and I am only basing this on a comparison to hardie's hardie-soffit which we are installing as well, the nichiha just has a better/more substantial feel to it. Truthfully, hardie feels like a reinforced cardboard. Nichiha feel more like cement. Best of luck!

ascorsonelli: Love your house! Did you find that imperfections in paint were more easily visible with the smooth Hardie? I am building a house that is traditional in style, but I like the smooth finish. Trying to decide which to use, and my husband thinks the one advantage to wood-grain is that paint drips will be more easily disguised. Do you still love your smooth finish? Thanks!

We live in MN. Our builder loves Boral and recommended it to us. Easy to work with, stable and works well for our climate. Pricing comparable to Azek and other products. Here is a link: http://www.boralamerica.com/truexterior

Hi, I need to decide on a siding material for a new build in the mountains of Colorado. I want it to be low maintenance and resistant to fire. High winds are also a concern as we regularly get 100 mph winds up here. I love the look of real wood, especially the Drift line by Thermory, but the maintenance is a concern. I would love something that looks like wood, so that is why Fiberon caught my eye. Has anyone used Fiberon, or Drift for cladding? I have used stained Allura siding in the past, but that process was rather lengthy and delayed the project. Thanks for any advice!