Yeah, I hear you on the fiber cement. I’ve used it on a couple of rentals near the water—honestly, the install is a pain, but after that, it’s basically set-and-forget. No tenants calling about peeling paint or rot. The look isn’t 100% cedar, but most folks don’t notice unless they’re right up on it. For me, the low maintenance wins out every time, especially when you’re managing multiple properties. That salt air just eats everything else alive anyway...
Fiber cement’s definitely a workhorse, but man, I still remember the first time I tried cutting those boards—dust everywhere, and my arms felt like noodles by the end. Worth it, though. I’ve got a little beach shack that used to be all wood siding, and every spring it was the same story: scraping, patching, repainting. Swapped to fiber cement five years ago and haven’t touched it since. The color holds up way better than I expected, too.
I do miss the warmth of real wood sometimes, especially up close. But after watching my neighbor’s cedar shingles curl up and split after just a couple seasons, I’m not sure the trade-off is worth it. Salt air just doesn’t play fair with anything organic. If you’re after zero headaches, fiber cement’s hard to beat—even if it’s not winning any beauty contests from two feet away.
Totally get what you mean about the dust—cutting those boards is no joke. I’m in the middle of my first reno and went with fiber cement for the same reasons. The low maintenance is a huge relief, especially since I’m not exactly handy. I do wish it had a bit more character up close, but honestly, after seeing how fast wood gets wrecked by the salt air, I’ll take boring over constant repairs any day. Maybe someday someone will invent a siding that looks like real wood but holds up like concrete... until then, I’ll stick with what works.
Not gonna lie, I get why people go for fiber cement—it's basically bulletproof in salty air and you can almost forget about it after install. But I gotta push back a bit on the “boring over constant repairs” thing. I mean, yeah, wood is a pain if you’re near the coast, but there are some newer engineered wood options that are way tougher than the old stuff. They cost a bit more upfront, but with the right sealer and regular checks, they actually hold up better than you’d think.
“I do wish it had a bit more character up close, but honestly, after seeing how fast wood gets wrecked by the salt air, I’ll take boring over constant repairs any day.”
I used to feel the same way until I saw my neighbor’s place. He went with this composite siding—kinda like a hybrid of wood fibers and resin—and it looks shockingly close to real wood, even up close. He’s right on the water, gets hammered by storms every winter, and it still looks solid after four years. No peeling, no weird swelling, just a quick rinse now and then. It was more work to install (lots of little pieces and extra flashing), but I’m starting to think it’s a decent middle ground if you want something that doesn’t scream “suburban office building.”
One thing I learned the hard way: budget for the right blades and masks if you’re cutting fiber cement. The dust is no joke, and those blades get dull fast. I actually ended up borrowing a friend’s saw with a built-in vacuum attachment, and it made a huge difference. Worth every penny, honestly.
Guess it comes down to what bugs you more—maintenance or not loving the look. For me, a little extra up front is worth it if I don’t have to look at bland siding every day. But I get the appeal of “set it and forget it,” especially if you’re not into weekend repair projects.
I keep going back and forth on this because, honestly, I can’t tell if I’m more afraid of my siding falling apart or just hating the way it looks for the next 20 years. But does composite ever get that weird faded look? My cousin’s place started out looking great but now it’s kinda… patchy? Maybe he skipped the rinse step.
