Fiber cement siding identification photos & markings: here we explain how to identify the manufacturer, brand, or type of fiber cement siding installed on a building.
This article describes the characteristic embossed fingerprints of woodgrain or knots on some fiber cement siding products, the markings and stampings on others, and the dimensions or details on still others, all of which can help make a reliable identification of just what fiber cement siding product is installed.
We also summarize the differences among manufactured "lookalike" siding products such as asbestos cement siding, fiber cement siding, and hardboard siding - differences that can be confusing to many people.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Marie Carr provided the photograph below along the product's identification from construction records.
Watch out: informal surveys we performed in 2012 and 2013 in which we reviewed the top 20 website discussing fiber cement siding failures or performance issues we found a lot of confusion: hardboard siding was mistaken for fiber cement siding, and people were also inclined to assign a manufacturer's name to a product before it was positively identified.
On some of our own field investigations of siding installations in that same period we found that onsite "experts", even manufacturer's representatives were not much more helpful. Too often the onsite consultant confined himself to simply stating "that's not our product".
Note: James HardiePlank™cement board siding is a cementious product that has been installed on more than 5 million homes.[10]
This material is NOT the same composition as hardboard siding products sold by Abatibi Corp, Masonite Corp., Boise Cascade, and Georgia Pacific Corp, all of which experience failures of delamination, swelling, softening, and general deterioration when exposed to water and weather, depending on the quality of installation, exterior coatings, and maintenance.
(Also see SIDING, ASBESTOS CEMENT).
Below we illustrate a loose fiber cement siding problem discussed
at SIDING, FIBER CEMENT DEFECTS
Unfortunately more nailing defects were apparent at the gable ends of the home where the lap siding abutted (or was supposed to abut) the gable end trim.
Left un-nailed the corners of most of these siding boards were curling away from the building. .
Consistent with our earlier warning that one bad turn suggests more are in store, even in a casual inspection we noticed other disappointing details on this home that was less than ten years old:
Above we are examining the texture and saw marks of the end cut of fiber cement siding as created at the factory, and we measure its thickness.
Below is a photograph of a knot embossed in the siding at the home that whose fiber cement siding installation is illustrated beginning
at SIDING, FIBER CEMENT DEFECTS.
Comparing the characteristic wood grain "knot" pattern in our "unknown" brand siding (above right and below right) suggests that while the unknown product is not a CertainTeed siding product, it may be an imitation or effort at copying the CertainTeed marking shown at below left.
This siding was back primed but included no numbers or markings on its reverse side, of dimensions 8 1/4" wide by 9/32" thick with squared edges.
That detail rules out HardiePlank® as you'll read below. Our knot comparison, given next, seems to rule out Weatherboard.™
At below left is a characteristic knot ID pattern from CertainTeed Weatherboard™ - on order to focus on the imprint pattern and not color, we shifted the hue to match that of the unidentified product at below right. CertainTeed fiber cement lap siding will include an imprint on the reverse side, using numbers and letters including one of these three letter pairs: RR, TH or WC.
Above: the characteristic identifying knot pattern in CertainTeed fiber cement siding.
More about identifying CertainTeed fiber cement siding is just below
at CERTAINTEED WeatherBoards identification markings.
Below: a knot pattern that is simimlar to CertainTeed but reversed in depth, found in a "Brand-X" unidentified copycat fiber cement siding product.
On 3/20/2013 we learned that James Hardie has now told the homeowner of the mystery siding that the siding on their home is not Hardieplank. It appears that the mystery siding is also not a CertainTeed product.
Site visits to collect siding samples and to review conditions at the building were made during 2012 and 2013. Conversation with a Chinese fiber cement siding manufacturer who had contacted us with the exciting news that they had now come back into possession of molds to create wood grain product.
Several people asked if it were not possible to compare wood grain patterns as an identifying fingerprint for fiber cement lap siding products, as has been the case with similar products in the past. Well yes, and perhaps no or maybe.
First, not all fiber cement products rely on an identifying wood-grain pattern or knot. For example HardiePlank fiber cement siding illustrated below is identified by other markings both embossed as a nail line or in data stamps on the product back side.
All CertainTeed fiber cement products can be easily identified by one of two means, both of which are accepted by the company when processing product warranty claims: [5c]
Other Certainteed Weatherboard siding observations & characteristics:
[Click to enlarge any image]
Don said:
The "Unidentified FC Siding" image at the top
of SIDING, FIBER CEMENT IDENTIFICATION is the same as my house.
Above: Don's Siding flipped upside-down to ease the comparison with our page top FC Siding image (shown again just below).
Look closely, these images are very similar but not identical. The unidentified FC siding has the knot closer to the middle of the board, and to the extent that it copied the original Certainteed product, it is reversed in several regards.
We think that this "unidentified" product may be a different generation of Certainteed's FC siding or simply a copy of it.
Below: "Unidentified" FC siding.
Below: a longer view of Don's Certainteed Weatherboard™ fibre cement siding in proper orientation.
On the back side, it is stamped DuraPress. I found a Contractor guide published by Certainteed in 2001 & 2002 which talks about DuraPress as part WeatherBoard line - Can anyone confirm this? - private email from Don Anonymous 2016/08/15
Watch out:however we included the two images above because of confusion about this characteristic knot mark in Certainteed siding. The right-hand image is very similar to the "official" Certainteed knot mark but is an obverse.
Look with care when making these comparisons and if you like use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send photos for comment.
Don's original comment included a link to a Certainteed document describing Certainteed Weatherboards™ Fibercement siding. Certainteed produced Weatherboard™ fiber cement siding in various colors and designs including lap siding in four designs, vertical panel siding in stucco, smooth, grooved and un-grooved cedar, soffit coverings, and in the company's "Shapes siding" panels are provided in a several lap shingle designs.
Here is a copy of the Certainteed document providing various siding images that can aid in identification of these products:
Don is quite correct that the DuraPress® grain definition is a Certainteed registered trademark. DuraPress® is a proprietary manufacturing process using the company's DesignMold™ plates providing embossed patterns such as wood grain.
So if you find a DuraPress® stamp on the back of your fiber cement siding product then it's a Certainteed siding material. Quoting the company's brochure cited above:
CertainTeed’s proprietary DuraPress® System of manufacturing gives WeatherBoards siding superior protection against the elements. And to further protect its beauty, WeatherBoards is available factory-sealed with the exclusive FiberTect™ Sealing System.
Your home deserves the great looks and long-lasting durability of WeatherBoards siding, America’s finest fiber cement siding. - Op. Cit.
Watch out: the same name DuraPress, a registered Certainteed trademark is also occupied as a .com website by a domain name squatter. Avoid that site.
The photographs of installed fiber cement siding shown immediately above and below were provided by a anonymous reader who informed us that the siding was identified as a Certainteed™ product. - Anonymous by private email 2018/03/05
[Click to enlarge any image] Enlarge the images above for a sharper image of characteristic knot-markings on Certainteed fiber cement siding.
The problem of poor siding nailing and siding gaps such as those you see in some of these photos is discussed separately
...
...
Above and just below: Certainteed DuraPress® fiber cement siding from a 2001 product brochure cited earlier.
Below: Certainteed Weatherboard® DuraPress® fiber cement siding in wood-like shingle patterns.
...
Below: Certainteed Weatherboard® DuraPress®-embossed fiber cement sheet siding in a stucco pattern.
Class members: homeowners of a structure on which Certainteed Weatherboard FiberCement siding was installed on or before 30 September 2013, provided your siding shows "qualifying damage" as set forth in the settlement agreement
Settlement approved by the court: 20 March 2014
Claim Filing Deadline: 6 years from 20 March 2014
Certainteed Weatherboard Class Action Information Website: http://www.certainteedfibercementsettlement.com/
Our photo just below shows the nail line markings embossed into the upper edge of certain James Hardie HardiePlank® products. This marking was found on James Hardie's pre-finished Autumn Tan HZ5 Cedarmill Hardie fiber cement siding at the Galow Homes fiber cement replacement job we describe in this article series.
HardiePlank's hz5-canada brochure available from the company at www.jameshardie.com also includes a product photo (adapted at below left and quite a bit blurrier than our own image) suggesting that one can identify the product by the James Hardie imprint along the nail line (which in blind nailed lap siding should be covered by the overlap of the succeeding siding course). [12c]
About the nail line on Hardieplank® FC siding, the company warns:
HardiePlank® HZ5® lap siding is manufactured with a nail line that should be used as a guide for proper nail placement when blind nailing. This nail line should not be used as a lap line. [12c]
This means you won't see this line on installed siding jobs unless you remove a section of the material.
While we searched in vain for a unique identifying knot or imprint photo online and at the company's website, nevertheless the company provides indirect assistance: you can send siding photos to their warranty claim office [if you think it's a Hardie product], or you can start by noticing that James Hardie's fiber cement product should be easily recognizable by
Our photographs just below illustrate the top and bottom edge profiles of Hardieplank®HZ5® lap siding fiber cement product.
These pictures were taken of siding still placed flat on the delivery pallet, rotated to their "installed" position, so the edge bevel and bottom drip edge profile may not be in the "installed" position on the building.
Our photographs above and below illustrate what are probably mill and lot identification stamps found on the back of some Hardieplank® HZ5® lap siding fiber cement boards.
Below: on more-recent fiber cement products from James Hardie the company's name is plainly-stamped onto the reverse side of the fiber cement shingle or board, as you can see in this siding damage photo of a broken FC shingle on a buildng in Saratoga, New York:
The illustrations below are of a Chinese-made fiber cement siding product produced by Ningbo Yihe Greenboard Co., Ltd.
While we have no specific complaint about this product, it and similar fiber-cement siding board products may add to difficulties in determining the origin and manufacture of various modern fiber-cement siding products.
This siding is described by the Zhejiang manufacturer as having these dimensions:
Watch out: That fiber cement siding is available from a variety of sources is evident from the list given
Identification of Chinese-Made Fiber Cement siding may be aided by this additional detail offered by the manufacturer: beginning in 2012, fiber cement siding from the supplier listed above is provided only with a smooth finish. The embossed wood grain patterns that were used before 2012 have, according to the manufacturer "been mostly destroyed".
In the spring of 2013 the company contacted us with this update
While,unfortunately,since last year we had already stopped producing the Fiber Cement Siding Boards in wood-grain pattern. Because,most of the moulding plate that are used for wood-grain embossing were broken. And now,we can only produce common Fiber Cement Siding Boards without wood-grain embossing.
We have asked for identifying markings and a siding fingerprint.
Above: fiber cement siding board showing its end-cut, factory-finished.
Below in a close-up of plant-based or wood based hardboard siding you can see the characteristic brown woody fibres
...
Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.
On 2022-07-04 by Kevin - James Hardie SOS fiber-cement siding has very similar pattern
Found this James Hardie SOS fiber-cement siding has very similar pattern to the picture I just posted below.
However, it is discontinued or out of stock everywhere. If it is what I need, does that mean there is no way for me to buy new ones to replace my broken ones?
Thanks!
Re-posted by mod, deleted link and included the image, below.
Hi, can anyone help in identifying whether this is cement fiber siding? If yes, what brand? Thank you!
It was found in US, Virginia McLean. The house was built in 1978 but I don't know when the Fiber cement siding was installed. Thank you so much for responding to me
On 2022-07-04 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)
@Kevin,
Looks like James Hardie fiber cement siding.
Tell us the country and city where the building and siding are found and the building age as that can help.You can use any brand fiber cement siding product to replace damaged or lost JH fiber cement siding on your building; as long as you can get a close color match or paint to match.
You can even get a very close color match without having to re-paint the whole wall; just bring a scrap of the damaged existing siding to your paint supplier and they can mix a close color paint you can use to be sure the new board matches the existing siding.
For instructions on replacing damaged FC siding see
SIDING, FIBER CEMENT BOARD REPAIRSI agree that the FC siding in your photo is more likely much newer.
Let us know how your repair project proceeds.
On 2022-07-04 by Kevin
Thank you! It is great news that I can use any brand fiber cement to replace mine. Does every brand have the same thickness in the siding though?
On 2022-07-04 by InspectApedia-911 (mod)
@Kevin,
The boards are usually quite similar in thickness and taper; key is the board width.
Check the specifications of your manufacturer.
For example, Allura traditional lap siding has a wood-grain and is sold in these dimensions:
More options are at
FIBER CEMENT PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS
On 2022-06-01 by Karen Bonin
Any idea if this is Certainteed? John Hardie already said it wasn't theirs.
Installed 2005 and said us was 50 year fiber cement siding
On 2022-06-01 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - use identification photos of siding and knot patterns to identify siding
@Karen Bonin,
Best bet is to look through the identification photos of the siding and knot patterns given on this page and in these related articles.
On 2022-05-10 by Kris Bryan - identify this fiber cement siding?
I am wondering if someone can identify this siding. We built our house in 1999-2000. We need to replace some of the boards and would like to match it.
On 2022-05-10 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator
@Kris Bryan,
Best bet is to look through the siding pattern discussion and photo examples on the page above.
OR when you remove siding boards, take and post here your photos of any stamps or markings on the board's back surface
On 2022-04-20 by Allen - what is the brand of this fiber cement siding?
Trying to find this brand of cement siding
On 2022-04-21 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - look for a manufacturer's stamp on the back surface
@Allen,
Best bet if you have not pulled a section of siding off of the building is to compare the grain and knot patterns with the fiber cement siding identification keys given on the page above.
If you remove a section of siding you may see a manufacturer's stamp on the back surface.
On 2021-08-16 by Jeffrey Folinus - Hardie Beaded Cedarmill without brand marking?
We have siding installed 1998 that was represented as Hardie Beaded Cedarmill at the time. The panels do not have any Hardie branding. They appear to be several 1/16"-inch-thick +/- layers laminated. together. Any idea what this could be? I did not see anything on this page that dealt with the subject of lamination.
On 2021-08-16 by inspectapedia.com.moderator
@Jeffrey Folinus,
I'd sure like to help but just from a brief text description I'd be simply making wild guesses; your best bet is to step through the various ID details and pattern photographs given above.
About that lamination: are we sure it's really lamianted layers? That sounds unusual; is it possible you're seeing a material that is simply delaminating on its own?
Post some sharp photos, one per comment, of the siding grain and knot patterns, and of the edge views that show these laminations, and of the back if there are any markings .
Also giving the surrounding context information is important in any of these identification projects:
Building location: country, city, building age. Any evidence that the siding is original or a date of its installation.
On 2021-07-19 by carol - can't find proof of purchase of fiber cement siding brand/product
I had my house built in 2013 and it has siding which I believe is HardiePlank, it is shrinking at the seams so in order to file a claim I need Proof of purchase (invoice, receipts or contract) indicating the type of siding and finish on your home.
I have contacted the contractor but he is not sure if he still has the records and I honestly do not recall ever getting any records stating what all was put into the home. Can anyone tell me how to pinpoint if it is Hardieplank siding Please?
On 2021-07-20 by danjoefriedman (mod) - distinctions between different fiber cement siding brands
@carol,
Sure, that's exactly the topic addressed above on this page.
Do take a look as you will see the distinctions between different fiber cement siding brands
On 2020-09-18 by HAMID - how much does FC siding weigh per square foot?
Hello,
What is the weight/sq.ft. for a cement base siding?
On 2020-09-18 by (mod) - typical weight of fiber cement siding
Hamid
Thank you for the helpful question on the weight of fiber cement siding.
Fibre-cement siding weight will vary by individual manufacturer and specific product, but here is an example.
James Hardie's HardiePlank HZ5 5/16 in. x 8.25 in. x 144 in. Fiber Cement Primed Cedarmill Lap Siding,
One HardiePlank HZ5 144-inch long board weighs 20.65 lbs and covers 8.25 square feet.
That works out to be 0.4 lbs per square foot.
Also FYI, these Hardieplank boards are 8 1/4" wide and 0.312" thick.
On 2020-07-17 by Mary - Does this siding emit radon since it is cement ?
Does this siding emit radon since it is cement.
Best bet, and more complete than if I try a made-up off the cuff reply, is a scan through the FC siding identification photos above on this page.
Please give that a shot and let me know what you think.
I am certain you'll find that knot pattern among our FC siding ID photos.
On 2020-07-20 - by (mod) -
Mary
Thank you for a very interesting question of whether or not Cement Products such as fiber cement siding emit radon. I haven't been able to find any citation that claims that condition. Let's both research further.On 2020-08-21 by will
@Mary, I haven't checked to see which brand I have on the house I just purchased, but I recently put a radon mitigation system in the basement. Before the system, I was getting a reading of 2.89 pCi/L on the second floor and after the system, I get about 0.20 pCi/L on the second floor.
Who knows where the remaining radon is coming from. Some is still coming up from the basement because the reading fluctuates with the weather (I believe it's been as low as 0.10 pCi/L over a 24 hour period). There are other potential contributors of small amounts throughout the house. If the siding is contributing, it doesn't seem to be contributing much.
On 2020-08-21 by mod
If you find radon inside a building most-likely it's coming from the surrounding soil.
On 2018-04-27 by Linda Brooks - what can I use on FC siding in place of nails or screws?
What can I use to hang something on my hardy cement siding . I don't want to
use a nail or screw.
On 2018-04-27 by (mod) - hang something on my hardy cement siding
There are adhesive as well as epoxy-adhesive hangers that can support a limited amount of weight.
Check to be sure they're approved for outdoor use
On 2017-09-27 by Sean - 2000 FC siding needs repairs: can I buy the same brand ?
My home was built in 2000 with fiber cement siding. I need to make some repairs and would like to see if I can buy the same brand. I have one 12' board that i examined and there are no markings front or back. . Edge
The builder was a large spec home builder with many homes in construction at one time. He was buying direct from manufacturer in volume. He believes it may have come from a manufacturer in Pennsylvania.
Photos have been emailed. After reading the article I was not able to make an id. Maybe the pics will help. Thanks again.
On 2017-09-27 by (mod) -
Sean,
But my best information on identifying FC siding is in the article above on this page.
If you can't match a knot pattern or identification stamp to your siding product the next smart step would be to check with local building suppliers to find what brands of FC siding they stock and stocked in 2000. That's because most builders are going to get their materials close-by.
s are square top and bottom. Siding was finished in the factory. I have pics of wood grain but need help with instructions on how to insert them here. Thank you.
On 2017-01-19 by russell turner - is my siding eligibe for claims settlement payment
How do I identify if my failing soffit and porch panels are CertainTeed fiber cement eligible for settlement
On 2017-01-19 by mod
You need to identify the year of installation and then compare that with the settlement period offered.
On 2016-09-14 by Mike Duffy - do I have to replace my fiber cement siding to sell my house?
I bought a house with fiber cement siding. Now five years later as I'm trying to sell the house I'm told that the siding has to be replaced due to all of the defects that are mentioned in this article.
I'm having problems identifying the brand of siding. On the back is just a serial number (M1021515B 15:27). Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
On 2016-09-16 by (mod) -
"Has to be replaced" and "told" ? By whom - under what authority? What evidence is there that the issue is functional (leaks, rot, damage) rather than cosmetic?
I don't recognize the production run number you cite, but there are other siding ID clues such as distinctive markings and knots, grooves, beads and reverse side stampings (look further at your siding) in the article above.
What's the relationship between cost of re-siding the whole house vs house sale price or time on market?
Why are we trying to ID the siding manufacturer?
On 2016-08-15 by Don - I have DuraPress siding- part of the Weatherboard Line? Is that Certainteed?
Don said:
The unidentified siding above is the same as my house. On the back side, it is stamped DuraPress. I found a Contractor guide published by Certainteed in 2001 & 2002 which talks about DuraPress as part WeatherBoard line - Can anyone confirm this?
REPLY from MOD:
Don included a link to a Certainteed document describing Certainteed Weatherboards(TM) Fibercement siding.
Here is a copy of the Certainteed document: inspectapedia.com/exterior/Certainteed_Fibercement_DuraPress_Brochure.pdf
He is quite correct that the DuraPress(R) grain definition is a Certainteed registered trademark.
Watch out:however we included the two images above because of confusion about this characteristic knot mark in Certainteed siding. The right-hand image is very similar to the "official" Certainteed knot mark but is an obverse. Look with care when making these comparisons and if you like use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send photos for comment.
Don: please use the page bottom CONTACT link to send me some sharp photos of your siding including the DuraPress marking on the siding back and the embossed wood pattern including the characteristic knot on the siding face. That would assist other readers as well.
Daniel
On 2015-07-20 by Anonymous - should I be able to see the product name on the finished HardieShingle installation on my home?
We recently had HardieShingle Shakes put on upper portion of house. After installation and paint we noticed that the Hardie name is showing and it is embossed and visible on the bottom of the shakes. Why? Are these samples?
On 2015-07-20 by Mod - James Hardie embossed name on FC siding appears along the nail line.
Hardie includes an identifiable marking to make it easier to identify their product, as you can see in our James Hardie siding photos above on this page.
The text "James Hardie" appears along the nail line on the siding - that is, it is located where the siding nails should be driven.
So your siding may be improperlyt-nailed, perhaps nailed too high so that the exposure of each plank is more than the manufacturer recommends.
6" exposure would be typical. Some siding uses an even smaller exposure.
Measure the siding board exposure - from the underside of the board above to the lower edge of the siding board in question, and tell me whnat you found.
Use the CONTACT link at page bottom to send me some photos if you can and we can comment further. Post some photos and let us take a look.
...
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