Fiber cement is the better pick if you want a harder board that takes paint and stands up to hail. If cost and low upkeep come first, vinyl is the practical choice.
We install both, plus brick, on homes around Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. This is the same comparison we walk homeowners through before they choose.
What is the difference between fiber cement and vinyl siding?
Vinyl siding is made from extruded PVC panels. The color goes all the way through the panel, so a scratch shows the same color underneath.
Fiber cement is a blend of cement, sand and cellulose fiber, pressed into boards. It comes as lap boards, shingles and board and batten, and it takes paint the way wood does.
Both copy the look of painted wood. Up close, good vinyl looks like a manufactured product. Fiber cement boards are thicker and stiffer, so they pass for painted wood at a much closer distance.
Which one stands up better to hail?
Fiber cement, by a wide margin. It is much harder than vinyl, and a bump from a mower or a ball does not dent it.
Vinyl takes impact the worst of the three siding materials we install. Large hailstones crack and punch holes in the panels. A hard knock from a ladder can break a section too.
Fiber cement is not bulletproof either. Big hail can chip or crack a board, and a hit can mark the paint even when the board itself survives.
Hail comes through the Chicago area from spring into late summer, so this point decides a lot of siding jobs here. Storm damage to either material is often covered by homeowners insurance. We document it with photos and written notes for the claim.
How much upkeep does each one need?
Vinyl needs almost none. You never paint it, it does not rot, and insects leave it alone. A rinse with a hose or a mild cleaner is about all it asks for.
Fiber cement needs paint. The finish fades with sun and time, and you repaint it every so often to protect the board. How often depends on how much sun the wall gets, the color you chose and the paint itself.
Paint also gives you a choice later on. You can change the color of fiber cement whenever you like. With vinyl, the color you pick on day one is the color for the life of the siding.
Which one costs more?
Fiber cement costs more to put on. The boards are heavier, and they take more labor to cut, hang and seal.
Vinyl costs less per square foot installed. On a big house, that gap adds up fast.
We do not put numbers in a blog post. Your price depends on your wall area, your trim and how much old siding has to come off first.
How does each one handle a Chicago winter?
Both handle freeze and thaw well when they go on right. They just fail in different places if the install is sloppy.
Vinyl moves with temperature. It needs small gaps at the panel ends so it can grow and shrink without buckling. Dark vinyl on a sunny wall can turn wavy if the installer leaves no room for that movement.
Fiber cement barely moves, and it does not swell with humidity the way wood does. Its weak spots are cut ends and joints. Each cut edge needs primer and sealant, and each transition needs proper flashing, or water works in over time.
Is one of them safer in a fire?
Yes. Fiber cement is non combustible, so it adds no fuel to a fire. Vinyl and wood siding both burn.
How do fiber cement and vinyl siding compare side by side?
| Vinyl siding | Fiber cement siding | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is. | Extruded PVC panels. | Boards of cement, sand and cellulose fiber. |
| Hail. | Can dent, crack and puncture. | Much harder, can chip in big hail. |
| Upkeep. | No painting, a rinse now and then. | Repaint every so often. |
| Color. | Fixed when you buy it. | Change it with paint. |
| Cost. | Lower. | Higher, with heavier boards and more labor. |
| Fire. | Burns. | Does not burn. |
| Repairs. | Matching gets harder as the color fades. | Replace the board and paint to match. |
Which homes suit each one?
Vinyl suits most standard homes around here. It fits a tight budget and an owner who never wants to think about the siding again.
Fiber cement suits a house whose style calls for the look of painted wood. It also suits an owner who wants better impact resistance, or who likes the idea of a new color down the road.
So which should you pick?
Start with two questions: how often does hail hit your street, and do you mind repainting? If hail is common and paint does not bother you, fiber cement is the stronger board. If cost leads and you want no paint at all, vinyl does the job well.
We install vinyl, fiber cement and brick, so we have no reason to push one of them. We look at the house, the street and your budget, then tell you straight which one fits.
If the harder board sounds right for you, our fiber cement siding page covers how we install it, including the flashing and sealing it needs. Call or text (224) 518-0278 and we will come out, look at your walls and give you a free estimate.
