Hardie Board Siding Painting
Painting primed and factory-finished James Hardie fiber cement siding on newer North Texas homes, with acrylic coatings and clean prep.
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Painting James Hardie and other fiber cement siding
Fiber cement siding, sold most often under the James Hardie name, can be painted, whether it is new primed board or a factory finish that has faded. Safe Choice Painting paints it as part of our exterior painting work. It is common on newer homes in our North Texas towns.
About 97 percent of Lantana's housing and about 54 percent of Argyle's was built in 2000 or later, by Census estimates, and many of those homes have fiber cement on some or all of their walls.
What's different about painting fiber cement?
Fiber cement is made of cement, sand and cellulose fiber. It does not rot or swell the way wood does, but it is alkaline and porous, and it holds paint best with a coating made for it. The joints, butt ends and trim are where water gets in, so caulk at those spots matters more than on most siding. Prep is mostly cleaning and sealing rather than scraping:
- Wash off dirt, chalk and mildew, by pressure washing at a setting the boards and caulk can take, and let the siding dry.
- Replace failed caulk at butt joints, corners, windows and trim, using a sealant rated for fiber cement.
- Spot-prime any bare cut edges or patched spots.
- Apply two coats of 100 percent acrylic exterior paint.
How soon must primed Hardie board be painted?
James Hardie's Technical Bulletin S-100 and its installation instructions say factory-primed products must be painted within 180 days of installation, and unprimed products within 90 days. If a builder left the siding in primer longer than that, the primer is checked, cleaned and, where it has weathered, reprimed before topcoats.
Can you repaint factory-finished ColorPlus siding?
Yes. Hardie's installation instructions spell out what it recommends when repainting ColorPlus products: make sure the surface is clean, dry and free of dust, dirt and mildew; repriming is normally not necessary; use 100 percent acrylic topcoats; and apply the finish according to the paint maker's instructions for coverage, method and temperature. Hardie also says not to caulk nail heads on ColorPlus products. Repainting is the usual route when a ColorPlus color has faded on the sunny sides or the owner wants a new color.
What paint works on Hardie board?
Hardie recommends 100 percent acrylic topcoats and says not to use stain, oil or alkyd paint, or powder coating on its products. Within those rules, the choice is mostly sheen and color. A low-sheen or satin finish hides minor board texture differences; very dark colors show fading sooner on south and west walls. Hardie also advises not painting when the siding is wet and back-rolling when the siding is sprayed, which is how we apply it.
Trim and soffits on fiber cement homes
Many fiber cement homes have fiber cement trim, PVC trim or both. Fiber cement trim takes the same 100 percent acrylic as the siding. AZEK's painting guidelines for PVC trim require 100 percent acrylic latex with a light reflective value of 55 or higher, and darker colors only from its approved palette, because dark paint can make PVC move in the heat. Our trim, fascia and soffit page covers those surfaces. Fiber cement is often installed on older houses over or in place of the original wood siding.
Timing a fiber cement repaint
Hardie says not to paint when the siding is wet. After rain or washing, the boards are given time to dry before primer or paint, and the job stays inside the temperature range on the paint label. NOAA's normals show May and October as Denton's wettest months, so spring and fall jobs are planned around the forecast.
How long does paint last on Hardie board?
Fiber cement holds paint longer than wood because it does not move as much with moisture, but sun still fades color and breaks down the topcoat. Angi puts typical exterior paint life at 5 to 10 years overall. The first signs are chalk on the south and west walls and open caulk at butt joints. Our siding painting page covers other materials, and brick homes with fiber cement only on gables and second stories are covered on our brick house painting page.
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Common questions
How long can primed Hardie board go without paint?
James Hardie says factory-primed products must be painted within 180 days of installation. Past that, the primer may need cleaning and reprime before topcoats.
What kind of paint goes on Hardie siding?
Hardie recommends 100 percent acrylic topcoats and says not to use stain, oil or alkyd paint, or powder coating on its products.
Can you paint over ColorPlus?
Yes. For repainting ColorPlus, Hardie says the surface should be clean, dry and free of dust, dirt and mildew, that repriming is normally not necessary, and that 100 percent acrylic topcoats are recommended.
How often should fiber cement be repainted?
It varies with sun exposure and color. Check the south and west walls for fading and chalk; those show wear first.
Can you match the original Hardie color?
Usually closely. We match from a clean, shaded spot on the siding, and repainting the whole elevation gives an even result.
How to get an estimate
- 1
Tell us about the project
Call (903) 778-7777 or send the short form. Photos help but are optional.
- 2
Get a written estimate
We look at the job and send a written scope and price, including prep, repairs, materials and cleanup.
- 3
Schedule the work
Pick a start date that works for you. We confirm the plan before we begin.
Request an Estimate
Tell us about the outside of the house and our team will contact you. Rather talk now?
Call (903) 778-7777See the towns we serve.