Once a popular choice for residences throughout, hardboard siding has become known for being both affordable and visually striking. Its imperfections have been noticeable in time. For those who reside in a home with hardboard siding or are considering an exterior update, it’s essential to comprehend the challenges it poses. This blog will investigate hardboard siding, its weaknesses, and the strategies you can adopt to fix or prevent these issues.
Made up of wood fibers, wax, and resins that are milled into boards, hardboard siding is a typical construction material. Famously known as ‘Masonite siding’ after its leading manufacturer, it found favor as an affordable alternative to wood. Hardboard siding has a smooth texture mimicking the appearance of real wood, leading past homeowners to often choose it as their preferred wall covering.
Still popular, hardboard siding exhibits some weaknesses. With time, these vulnerabilities can result in considerable harm if they are not effectively resolved. Below are the most common failures associated with hardboard siding:
The number-one adversary of hardboard siding is water. Due to its composition from wood fibers, hardboard easily takes up moisture, even more so if not adequately sealed. This extra moisture causes swelling, buckling, and warping, leading to aesthetically compromised panels. If ignored, the siding’s integrity will be weakened over time, exposing your house to additional damage.
Moisture infiltration causes layers of the siding to separate in a process called delamination. As water seeps into the areas separating the fibers of the wood, it weakens the adhesive that links them, causing problems like blistering, flaking, or bubbling in the siding. This can also cause more important structural problems for your residence.
Should the siding keep absorbing moisture, it may likely begin to decay. It often takes place in the lower rooms of a house, where rainwater can splash up from the ground and stay on the surface. Inspecting hardboard siding for peeling surfaces could result in the deterioration of these surfaces, which, in turn, could create gaps through which pests, mold, and tons of moisture can enter.
To defend against the elements, hardboard siding is usually painted; sunlight over an extended period, however, can cause the paint to fade or ‘chalk’. Chalking involves the formation of a powdery residue on the siding’s outside, which indicates the deterioration of the paint. This not only looks unappealing but also renders the siding more vulnerable to moisture penetration.
Over time, hardboard siding turns brittle. Temperature variations, together with routine wear and tear, may lead to boards cracking or splitting. Any aesthetic concerns related to cracks in siding are surpassed by the practical challenges they present.
Having examined typical failures, it’s time to explore why hardboard siding often fails.
One of the largest contributors to challenges with hardboard siding is irregular installation. In the case of improper siding installation—with insufficient space allowed for expansion and shrinkage—the result can be warping and buckling. Also, if the edges are inadequately sealed or painted, moisture can readily seep into the material.
Just as any material found on the exterior, hardboard siding calls for consistent upkeep to maintain it. A great deal of homeowners tend to overlook the importance of repainting or resealing their siding through time. If this protection is absent, the siding is left at the mercy of the elements, allowing moisture to seep in and possibly cause a number of the problems we talked about earlier.
Hardboard siding does not perform optimally in high-humidity areas or regions with frequent rain. When there is always moisture present in the air, the siding becomes much more liable to water damage. Moisture can seep in through minor cracks or unsealed edges, and once inside, it kicks off the deterioration process.
Let’s admit it—hardboard siding was not made to stand the test of time. There are still many residences that have hardboard siding that was set up years ago, and time has dealt a harsh blow. Whilst it remained a popular option for many years, contemporary materials have now outclassed it regarding durability and longevity.
If you have elected for hardboard siding and are observing any of the listed failures, don’t get worked up. Here’s what you can do:
If the harm is mostly related to looks—such as fading, chalking, or small cracks—a new layer of paint or sealer can do much good.
You might be able to replace only the affected parts if you see evidence of delamination, swelling, or rot in certain locations.
If the siding has suffered considerable damage, it may be advisable to think about a complete replacement.
As we have seen now, while hardboard siding was popular for a time, it appears that there are considerable drawbacks to the material. Water damage, warping, and mildew are all within easy reach in case of failure regarding the regular care of this surface. Even if your home has been equipped with the best siding material, hardboard siding is not an exception so it is advisable to always check out for signs of damage and make sure you fix it before things get worse.
If you are thinking of replacing the hardboard siding or if you have some issues with the siding, we can help you out at JC Construction. Equipped with numerous suitable contemporary materials and efficient services, we will accomplish the best appearance to the exterior of your home with the durability to protect it for years. Get in touch with us now and let’s schedule an appointment, to make sure your house is well maintained!