The exterior of your home could be built with so many different materials, for example: stucco, stone, wood, brick, aluminum, concrete, steel and fiber cement.  That last one, fiber cement, is a vague and mysterious siding choice also referred to as HardiePlank siding, which has been around since the 1980's.

So, what exactly is HardiePlank siding??  First, HardiePlank siding is a fiber cement, made out of sand, water, cellulose wood fibers and cement.  Its source materials and design provide it with a number of unique qualities that often interest homeowners....

• It resists flame spread, making it safer in the event of a fire.
• It is a very durable material that resists damage from impact.
• It not susceptible to rotting, or termites.
• The color is baked on, so you won't have to paint for 15 years!
  

Many home buyers in the Shenandoah Valley have not heard of HardiePlank siding, but as soon as they come to understand how it outperforms wood and vinyl products, they become very interested!

HardiePlank comes in all sorts of colors and styles, and you'll start to see it on some newly built homes in this area, for example on the Paired Homes at The Glen at Cross Keys, on this EarthCraft home on Cottage Circle, on most of the homes at Preston Lake, and on Urban Exchange.