Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Siding Contractor

Under the waves of a rolling sea, winding around underwater caverns you’ll find the inspiration for James Hardie’s ColorPlus® Technology bold blue color, Deep Ocean. It’s moody and daring, and when the color clads your home’s exterior, it’s sure to steal focus. And the rich, robust hue will stay vibrant longer than field-applied paint. ColorPlus Technology provides a baked-on, fade-resistant, consistent finish on your siding that will last longer with lower maintenance. We love the combination of HardiePlank® lap siding in Deep Ocean and HardieTrim® boards in Arctic White. It feels subtly nautical-inspired for a classic-meets-modern appearance. Here are a few Deep Ocean abodes that make us ready to dive deep into the home siding hue: Minnesota Blues This Minnesota suburban home is clad in HardiePlank lap siding, HardiePanel® vertical siding and HardieTrim batten boards, all in Deep Ocean, with Arctic White HardieTrim boards for a look that utters stylish and stunning.

When it comes to home color trends, this year designers are looking the way of earth tones. Colors inspired by nature—tans, greens, browns and beige—make up the warm, rich and popular palette. T he understated earthy hues add softness to a home’s exterior, making them feel homey-yet-elegant. The collection of colors is versatile, too, so any accent (be it a door, shutters or landscaping) can stand out against the earthy canvas. And if you clad your home in James Hardie® siding and trim, you’ll be happy to know that whichever earthy shade you choose from the ColorPlus® Technology palette will stay vibrant longer compared to field applied paint. James Hardie’s ColorPlus Technology is specifically engineered to help resist damaging UV rays, so your color will stay vibrant longer with less maintenance. Here’s a closer look at homes flaunting an earth-tones exterior, including cladding in James Hardie’s ColorPlus Technology Autumn Tan, Sandstone Beige, Heathered Moss and Woodstock Brown. Beige Meets Brick HardiePlank® lap siding in Autumn Tan clads this Midwest suburban home. The warm beige pairs well with the home’s neutral brick.

Walking past a home with American accents—think breeze-blowing flags, oversized porches, and a white picket fence—evokes a warm and welcoming vibe. These homes just seem to conjure up the feeling of summertime, the smell of a fired-up grill or the taste of iced-cold lemonade—all seeming to say, America. We decided to take a closer look at their siding: the colors, the durability and the timeless and traditional style. Each is clad in James Hardie ColorPlus® products, made up of hues that are crisp, clean and classic, such as Evening Blue, Arctic White and Iron Gray. James Hardie’s ColorPlus® Technology is engineered to help resist damaging UV rays, so your color will stay vibrant longer compared to paint on wood or wood based products. Here’s a peek at a few James Hardie clad homes with true American character: American Beauty This suburban home with a red brick front is clad in HardiePlank® lap siding in Evening Blue. The straight edge HardieShingle® siding in Timber Bark clads the home’s gables. The darker blue shutters complement the rich blue lap siding hue and the American flag blowing the breeze makes this single family home feel downright patriotic.

Don’t you wish you could preview your home’s exterior colors before making a final decision? We know, we do, too. That’s why James Hardie created a brand new color tool with the curated palette of ColorPlus® Technology colors in a variety of home architectural styles. Now you can see your home clad in a deep blue, rich red, or stylish beige siding or trim before you commit to color that will likely clad your home for years. You can envision your dream palette on your home’s architectural style, explore the combinations of a main color and accent hues, even include in the color of the roof, windows and doors—all before the siding and trim even go up. The tool considers the colors and styles available in your Midwest location, your home’s architectural style and your design taste, all in a few simple steps. You can style and save your siding selections and share with your family, friends and contractor. Here’s a breakdown of the tool’s easy-to-use steps. Now you can start designing and envisioning your exterior siding and trim colors sans stress.

Re-siding a home can spark an exterior transformation. You may not think so, but new siding can look so good it makes you second-guess whether you’re pulling into the right driveway. There’s just something about fresh James Hardie® siding and trim that turns a drab-colored, worn-out looking house into a clean, updated, bright home. It’s enough to cause a double take. Why is James Hardie siding the perfect way to enhance your home’s exterior? Here are a few reasons: It provides… Durability: Every James Hardie siding product is engineered to help withstand damage from pests, fire and Midwest weather (such as freezing temperatures, moisture, snowfall, ice, hail, wind and extreme temperature variations). A warranty: James Hardie is so confident in its products that it offers a 30-year non-prorated limited warranty on its HardiePlank® lap siding and HardieShingle® siding and a 15-year non-prorated limited warranty on HardieTrim® boards. Take a peek at these before-and-after images; they may just be enough to get you looking at siding swatches: From Cream to Green This Midwest suburban home went from light and traditional to bold and durable. The creamy siding was upgraded to HardiePlank lap siding and straight edge HardieShingle siding (in the gables) in Mountain Sage with HardieTrim boards in Arctic White. The bold, white trim choice accentuates the dark green and the natural wood garage door matches the front door for a robust and rustic look.

Craftsman homes feel chock-full of character: the simplicity of the architecture, the natural materials, the stone details, the open porches and overhanging gables. They just have a cozy, warm look that make you want to call the structure, home. The style boomed after the elaborate style of the Victorian era. The simple and honest craftsman home stepped onto the scene and showcased the handiwork and craftsmanship that make the home style unique. After years of wear, your craftsman could use a siding refresh to keep it looking beautiful and protected. Thankfully, James Hardie® siding is Engineered for Climate®, with performance attributes that take your 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, able to resist shrinking, swelling and cracking even after years of wet or freezing conditions. When planning your exterior refresh, you have options with James Hardie products. A variety of siding selections highlights your architecture. The classic horizontal boards like HardiePlank® lap siding may be the first siding image that comes to mind, but you can opt for HardiePanel® vertical siding, staggered edge or straight edge HardieShingle® siding, and even different siding widths and textures (like smooth, Cedarmill© or stucco). Here’s a roundup of Craftsman style homes clad in James Hardie® siding and trim that we simply cannot get enough of—feast your eyes on these character-filled quarters. Staggered Shingles and Stone Shingle siding feels right at home on this Craftsman. The homeowners opted for staggered edge HardieShingle siding in Pearl Gray. The light gray siding hue matches the craftsman stone details for a cohesive and clean look.

Neutral siding colors rule the suburbs—they’re safe and sophisticated at the same time. When selecting your home’s exterior hue, it’s important to look around and play off your surroundings. Are other homes on the block neutral? Is your home’s architecture more classic in style? It’s important to connect your siding and trim selections with the look of your Midwest home and neighborhood. The color of fresh linen, desert sand or a beached seashell—Sail Cloth can look slightly different from home to home, but always seems to evoke a clean, soothing vibe. When you choose James Hardie’s ColorPlus® Technology , you can feel secure knowing your siding color will stay vibrant longer with less maintenance. ColorPlus Technology helps resist damaging UV rays that can eventually dull the finish over time. Here are a few homes clad in James Hardie’s Sail Cloth, along with style tips when designing with this color: Classically Creamy Siding This home is clad in HardiePlank® lap siding in Sail Cloth with HardieTrim® boards in Arctic White. We like that the color of the shutters matches the darker roof, all with an inviting neutral backdrop.

When it comes to bricks, red brick is the most common variety in the Midwest. According to market research, about 57 percent of Midwest homeowners have red brick details on their homes. With the scientific advances in the building products industry over the past hundred years, James Hardie Building Products has engineered a fiber cement siding that combines beautiful design with high performance. James Hardie® siding and trim help withstand damage from moisture and rot, resist damage from termites, and generally require less upkeep than wood siding. This siding performs under extreme hot or cold conditions— it is noncombustible and can slow down the progress of flames, as well as help withstand a Midwest blizzard. And it looks great, too, especially when paired with red brick details. Here are some home examples featuring James Hardie’s ColorPlus® Technology colors that complement red brick: Updated Farmhouse This beautiful Minneapolis home is clad in HardiePlank® lap siding in Woodstock Brown with HardieTrim® boards in Arctic White. The gables are clad in staggered edge HardieShingle® siding in Countrylane Red to complement the red brick.

As Midwesterners, we wait for the sunshine to rear its head in spring. And when it does, we can’t get enough of it. That is until the burn sets in, then we look for a little protection. Pergolas offer some sunshade, all with the ability to soak up the spring’s warmer days. Whether you’re grilling in your backyard, hosting a dinner party or simply breathing in the fresh air, there’s really nothing like having an outdoor space to call your own, especially with a pergola pretty enough to make your neighbors’ jealous. As you sit back and bask in the glory of your pergola, having beautiful home siding and trim only adds to your view. And James Hardie has plenty of siding and trim colors that can highlight your home’s natural surroundings. Let’s take a closer look at homes with pergolas and views of James Hardie® siding and trim—it’s the perfect way to spread the sunshine. Shade in the Suburbs This neighborhood gem’s brown-stained wood pergola creates a backyard oasis for this single-family home. The Artisan® lap siding in Timber Bark with HardieTrim® boards in Arctic White make for a clean and modern backdrop while enjoying the outdoor area. The shade of the pergola offers the perfect spot for a lounger, or family style table.