The battle of cladding is one that will never end. With numerous big-name brands and expansive product lines between them, deciding which siding to put on your house is a major decision. It’s all the more important because it affects the look and feel of your home, can have a significant impact on the comfort of the interior, and is a decision you need to live with for decades to come.
Two of the big brands you’ll often find on the market here in New Jersey are James Hardie and Everlast. The two brands are very different and offer different pros and cons, so let’s talk about what you’ll likely need to know and which is more appropriate for your New Jersey home.
Before we begin, keep in mind that this is a generalized post tailored to the New Jersey area. Your home specifically may have additional concerns, so if you want to have a more personalized discussion, your best bet is to talk to us directly. We can discuss specific details and give you a free estimate, so don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!
All About James Hardie Siding
James Hardie is a very old company, as is often the case with companies named after people. Originally from Scotland, James Hardie, the man, moved to Australia and founded his company in 1888. He originally imported leather supplies, but transitioned to fiber cement materials in the early 1900s, and into housing materials shortly after.
The main siding product that James Hardie offers today is the Hardie board, a proprietary form of fiber cement that combines Portland Cement, fiber materials, and additives to create an extremely strong and durable board.
Hardie siding comes in numerous styles, including traditional lap planks, grooved panels, vertical board-and-batten, cedar-mimicking shingles, and larger architectural panels. All of these come in a variety of sub-styles and across a range of colors, or can be primed to take paint of your choice.
All About Everlast Siding
Everlast siding is actually the brand name for the siding product, and not the company that makes it. The company is Chelsea Building Products, which was founded in Pennsylvania in 1975.
Chelsea was created as a company making various housing materials, including windows, shutters, gutters, siding, railings, and doors. The siding, Everlast, is one of their most popular offerings today.
Everlast siding is a composite siding. The composite material is made up of proprietary blends of minerals, polymers, resins, and colorants. The end result is a tough, durable material that is heavier and more resilient than vinyl siding, but lighter than fiber cement.
Everlast siding comes in three styles: a 7″ lap, a narrower 4.5″ lap, and a vertical board-and-batten. All of them come in a select range of around 15 different color options, from white and cream to red, blue, and green.
Now, how do these two products stand up to one another? Let’s compare them in ways that are important to homeowners in New Jersey.
Hardie vs. Everlast: Range of Products
In terms of the range of products on offer, Hardie wins out. Both companies offer standard lap siding and board-and-batten siding, both of which are popular options for homes here in New Jersey. However, Hardie also offers faux-shingle styles, larger panels, and other styles that stand out.
If all you want is simple lap, or a standard board-and-batten design for your home, either brand will work. But, if you want the look of cedar shakes, panels that look like stucco, or broad architectural panels, Hardie is going to be your option, at least between these two brands.
Colors, too, can be a consideration. Both brands offer a range of colors, but Hardie’s colors all tend to be in the spectrum of muted grays: gray-cream, gray-brown, gray-red, iron-gray, and the like. Everlast has some more vibrant color options. That said, Hardie also offers primed-for-paint siding, so you can paint it any color you like. It’s an extra expense and extra labor to paint the siding, certainly, but if you want that custom color you can’t find anywhere, it’s the only way to get it.
Hardie vs. Everlast: Material Comparison
The material the siding is made of can play a significant role in a few different aspects of the decision you’re making.
Both Hardie and Everlast siding are made of very durable materials. Fiber cement is very resilient, and when cared for properly, it can last for decades without issue. It’s a heavy and resistant material that resists pests, water, and impact damage.
Everlast is potentially an even stronger material in some ways, though not necessarily in others. As a polymer and resin composite material, there’s nothing organic about it, so pests, moisture, and other sources of damage aren’t going to touch it. On the other hand, it’s potentially more sensitive to heat, similar to vinyl.
Hardie vs. Everlast: Durability and Longevity
New Jersey’s environment can really put siding through its paces. Just think of all the threats that your siding has to endure:
- Hot environments in the peak of summer.
- Cold environments in the depths of winter.
- Repeated freeze and thaw cycles in and out of winter.
- Constant UV ray exposure from clear skies.
- Generally humid environments with constant moisture.
- Coastal air with salt and minerals carried on the winds.
- Pests like insects, birds, and rodents trying to get in.
- High winds from storms throughout the year.
- Impacts from blown debris or neighborhood kids.
What siding can stand up to all of this? Well, fortunately, the answer is most of them, though the specific strengths and weaknesses of each can vary.
Hardie boards, in particular, are strong against everything on the list. The boards themselves are extraordinarily durable and shrug off heat, cold, UV, moisture, and impacts without a care in the world. In fact, Hardie is frequently recommended for the humid and coastal New England environment because of this durability. Other materials, especially organic materials like wood, can rot in a matter of years.
Everlast siding is also resilient to just about everything on the list, in slightly different ways. It’s a lighter and thinner material, which makes it a little more vulnerable to constant UV degradation. It’s thinner, which means it’s potentially more likely to crack or break under impact, though any siding will have issues if you hit it hard enough. Things like summer heat, winter cold, and storm winds are nothing to it.
One major caution is that both kinds of siding need to be installed properly. Improper installation can leave gaps where moisture can intrude. The siding itself won’t be damaged, but trapping moisture between the siding and the rest of your home can lead to serious rot issues in your frame and inside. This isn’t a problem when the siding is installed properly, so make sure to talk to your local home renovation professionals at Magnolia Home Remodeling for expert installation.
Another detail is the fire rating. Both Everlast and Hardie are better at fire resistance than something like wood siding or vinyl, but Hardie is more fire-resistant than Everlast. Both of them will provide adequate resistance to summer heat or a nearby grill, but Hardie would be better in the event of a serious fire, like a neighbor’s house fire or a wildfire.
Both Hardie and Everlast boast the ability to last as much as 50 years. However, neither material has existed in its current form for 50 years yet, so it’s impossible to say what the high end actually is. One thing is certain, though; with proper care, 30 years is an easy average, and you could expect as much as 40 without serious issues. What is proper care, though?
Hardie vs. Everlast: Maintenance Burden
It’s one thing to install siding, and it’s another to make sure it’s in peak condition for the decades to come. You want siding that stands the test of time, right? Many top siding brands boast 20-40 years of durability, so how do Hardie and Everlast stand up?
This is actually one area where Everlast comes out ahead.
Everlast siding is infused with its color all throughout. As a durable plastic material, it’s resistant to the kinds of degradation that can make other siding styles warp, buckle, bubble, or fade over time. Generally, all it needs is a routine inspection to make sure it’s still well-mounted and sealed (which is the same for any siding type, truthfully), and some routine cleaning to make sure the humidity doesn’t lead to mineral build-up or mold growth over time.
In fact, homeowners with Everlast siding who feel like it’s fading often find that it’s just dirt and dust building up, and a simple clean restores their home to its vibrant, bold color.
Hardie siding is a bit higher maintenance when it comes to maintaining color. While some Hardie boards have color infused through them, the limited range of colors means many homeowners choose to go with custom paint. Paint can chip, flake, bubble, or fade over time, and needs to be refreshed every few years. Hardie siding also requires routine inspection to make sure the sealant is still good to go, as well.
Hardie siding also requires sealant around the panels for a proper water-tight seal. While this sealant can last 5-10 years, it does periodically need to be replaced, and it needs routine inspection.
Hardie vs. Everlast: Cost and Budget
We know that your budget is usually going to be one of the biggest driving factors in any home improvement project. While we offer financing to help make your choice easier, it’s important to know the overall costs.
When it comes to siding, you’re usually operating on a spectrum of costs. Vinyl siding is the cheapest, though premium reinforced vinyl or insulated vinyl can be more expensive. Materials like composites and fiber cement are in the middle. Wood siding can run the gamut depending on the kind of wood. Natural stone, brick, and other cladding are more expensive.
When it comes to the fiber cement of Hardie and the composite of Everlast, the costs are actually somewhat similar. Hardie usually clocks in at $2-3 more per square foot than Everlast, though details like availability of the color you want can vary.
Labor is also a consideration. Hardie is a heavier and more difficult-to-handle material, so it can take longer to install properly, which can increase your overall cost for your project. If you’ve chosen a custom paint color, the paint and painting process are also going to add to both the cost and the timeline.
Over time, maintenance can also add up. A fresh coat of paint every handful of years means Hardie is a bit more costly to maintain than Everlast, which generally only needs routine cleaning.
Which Choice of Siding is Right for Your New Jersey Home?
Here at Magnolia Home Remodeling, we’re big fans of Hardie siding. We consider it one of the premium, top-end materials that will stand up against anything New Jersey can throw at it. It looks beautiful, it’s extremely durable, and it comes in styles that fit with the neighborhood in ways Everlast siding doesn’t match. In particular, our clients love the look of cedar shakes without the many cons of real wood siding in an environment like ours.
That said, we’re more than happy to discuss your project with you directly. We don’t just offer Hardie siding; if you want siding from brands like AZEK, Royal, CertainTeed, or Alside, we offer those as well, and we’re happy to help you choose the siding that best matches your home.
If it’s time to replace the siding on your New Jersey home, reach out to Magnolia Home Remodeling group today. As a family-owned business in operation for over 30 years, we’ve earned the trust of New Jersey residents with thousands of interior and exterior projects and satisfied clients. Feel free to check out our portfolio or chat with us directly about your needs.
