May 26, 2016
Whether they’re in New England or the heart of the Midwest, Cape Cods were initially built as traditional English style homes that could withstand against the local stormy weather. The colonial Cape Cod designs were simple in style—a story and a half, pitched roof, weatherworn shingles, a central chimney, and gables. Nowadays, Cape Cods typically have a more modern sensibility—dormered roof, larger in size, and sometimes sporting screened-in porches. Even hundreds of years later, we’re still worried about protecting homes against the weather, some things don’t change. Lucky for you, James Hardie® siding is Engineered for Climate®, with performance attributes that take your exact region’s climate into account. The HardieZone® System breaks down North America with climate-specific product formulations, and there’s one zone specifically for the Midwest – the HZ5® product zone. HZ5 siding is winter ready (even for the sometimes-Arctic Midwest), able to resist shrinking, swelling and cracking even after years of wet or freezing conditions. We’ve corralled our favorite Midwest clad Cape Cods—stylish and climate-specific. Balanced and Blue Unlike the Victorian homes popular in the earlier part of the 20th century, Cape Cod homes are distinguished by their symmetrical designs. This modern Cape Cod is screaming symmetry. The HardiePlank® lap siding in Boothbay Blue gives this home a traditional look despite its contemporary form.