Siding debate: cedar shakes vs fiber cement

I had to pick between real cedar shakes and HardiePlank for a house I'm doing in Portland. Went with the cedar because the owner wanted that look, but now I'm dealing with more knots and waste than I planned. The fiber cement would have been cleaner and less picky about grain. Anyone here made that call and regretted one or the other?

2 comments

2 Comments

emery3569d ago

Honestly, I see it a little different. Yeah, cedar has more waste and you gotta sort through the pile, but that's part of the deal when you want something that actually breathes and ages naturally. HardiePlank is predictable and clean, but it's also brittle and if you hit it wrong with a nail it chips or cracks. Tbh, the knots and splits in cedar you can work around or even use for accent pieces if you're creative. And when that cedar gets that silvery gray patina after a few years, there's just no replacing it with cement board. Ngl, I'd take the headache of sorting cedar over factory-made siding any day, just gotta buy 15 percent extra from the start.

amy_sanchez9d ago

Wait, more knots and waste than planned? Like you didn't order extra knowing cedar is a gamble? That stuff can be brutal, I've seen a whole pallet where half the boards had splits running right through the middle. Hardie definitely would've been more predictable, but that wood look is tough to beat if you can stomach the headache.