They are dam near identical. Certainteed is a well known name in the building material industry. There have been issues with both, but there are also issues with wood so consider the source.......

IâÂÂve picked up samples for both. It seems that Certainteed are slightly lighter than the Hardie equivalent. IâÂÂm also told that the former contains/produces less Silica dust when cut. I doubt any siding company really takes this in mind when quoting a job, but the end result might be that it gets done quicker (less safety gear to deal with). I havenâÂÂt gotten a quote done up on the Certainteed as the Hardie Board âÂÂIron Greyâ color has grown on us, but supplier tells me it is the more expensive of the two.

SweetFish - we are in the same sitaution - we like the Certainteed colors better. From what I have researched, I think they are probably equivalent products.

Nichiha
I believe it to be a superior product to the other two.
We've had it up only one year but it looks great and sailed through hurricane Sandy. Our roof however did not.

I went back and forth on this, as well. I didn't like Certainteed when I held samples in my hand as it felt flimsy, but I liked their colors. I was all set to go with Nichiha, but I fell in love with the Artisan boards from Hardie. So, that's what we settled on.

My framer won't use certainties. He says he's done over 100 homes with Hardie and never been called back. He had an issue with a certainties home that shrunk and they blamed it on him not driving his nails fully or something like that. They paid to replace the siding after he tore it off but he's still pretty bitter over it since he still lost money. My lumber supplier also said they had too many call backs on it so they were steering people away from it.

Just what I've heard around here, I'm sure some folks can probably say the opposite.

I also prefer the Nichiha. It has deeper embossed grain and was a bit cheaper last time I bought it.

Beware of factory finished (painted) siding. Even if you opt for the MUCH more expensive pre-finished trim, you will still need to putty and caulk. The color matches for these specialty products are usually not perfect and get much worse over time as the putty and caulk tend to collect dust and deteriorate quickly because they are not protected by latex paint.

I just had my new construction sided and my siding guy says he wouldnt touch Hardie, he says they dont stand behind their product. I used Certainteed fiber cement shingles and LP Smartside siding.

I've heard too many stories of failure with the Certainteed siding. One close friend had to have his whole house redone within a year of new construction due to cracked siding. I just finished our new home with Hardiplank Cedarmill Select siding. IMO it is superior to Certainteed and looks great. I would recommend NOT to get the pre-painted version though. The installation process will invariably result in nicks and scuffs. I went with the pre-primed and had it painted after installation. We are very happy with it so far but time will tell.

I wouldn't trust either company to stand behind their warranty.

We used Certainteed 8 yrs ago. Cracking after 2 yrs. they replaced the cracked boards but not the labor. We still have the boards in storage and haven't decided if we will pay someone to replace them. Is it really worth it? And will it cause more damage than good? We caulked and painted the cracks, but are not happy with how they look.

I doubt that Hardi is any better from my research.

My dh refuses to use fiber cement again.

It is easy to Google Problems with CertainTeed and Hardi Cement board products to learn about class actions they have dealt with settling claims for problems with their products. Now that I have visited homes that have had cracking and shrinkage issue , I would not be suggesting anyone to use these products.

The Cement board products are all made to match the look of Western Red Cedar because of it's exceptional natural beauty. Why not just use Cedar? I have seen houses on Queen Ann Hill a very distinctive neighborhood in Seattle WA that were built by lumber barons over 100 years ago that are as nice today as when they were first built. They have Cedar Siding and Trim. That seems to be working out fine. Just sayin.....

Any particular reason you being a pro are bringing up a two year old thread? Let me guess, you just joined Houzz!

Also there is a HUGE difference between cedar siding on a 100 year old house and cedar grown and harvested in recent years.......

I haven't read one good thing about Certainteed. I'm hoping to use Nichiha and have it stained at Carolina Colortones.

We need to learn from two year old class action law suits related to failing cement board products.

There is no difference in the Cedar we are selling today from what was used 100 years ago. I am referring to Coastal Grown - Tight Grain Western Red Cedar that is available in all standard dimensions & patterns. Cedar is the wood that is known world wide for it's incredible dimensional stability and it's natural beauty. Oh yeah, it is also rot resistant - accepts stains, paint and is being sustainably grown and harvested. All of the scraps are recyclable unlike the waste from Cement board products that are clogging our landfills. UGH !

cpartist if you don't mind I am going to expand on your point.

When your first post is an obvious attack on a competing product most of this board will discount most of what you have to say. You are really not doing your product any favors with these posts. If you have a good product, then there is no need to put down the competition. Talk your product up without talking someone else's down. Refrain from even helpful posts that are just self serving. In the end, with many of us, your credibility is now completely shot.

Also, the fact that class action lawsuits have been filed is really not that big a deal. We all got the letter about the Apple class action lawsuit that basically stated Siri doesn't know everything. Siri couldn't find a business and now Apple is getting sued...

bry911: It is obvious in my post that I was pointing out to those of you who don't really understand, that Cedar is the same today as it was 100 years ago. It is the wood that has proven from experience to be the durable, beautiful Siding and Trim solution for builders seeking to use a sustainable, safe to work with, sustainable building material that is not involved with class action product failures.

Just sayin..... and sticking to the facts.

Also, Class action lawsuits against Hardi and Certain Teed are a BIG DEAL to the people involved.

Please refrain from misleading statements that are only your opinion not founded on fact as that does not help the conversation. Your statement " really not that big a deal" is disturbing to consider.

Just imagine your dream home needing to tear off the siding and trim only to be repaid a fraction of the costs. Not to mention the upsetting of your life with damage to all of your established landscaping. This is happening and it is a, BIG DEAL!

I am hoping you and I can be seeking positive results that cannot be discounted.

I have Hardiplank on SEVEN homes which I own. Speaking from experience the James Hardy product is pure junk. It is highly hydroscopic, meaning iT absorbs water readily. Once the siding has absorbed water, paint peeling is the likely result.

We observe that on the south, west and eastern sides of our homes paint peeling is generally less of a problem as the sun exposure warms the siding and drives out most of the moisture absorbed in a heavy rain. The northern exposures are a different situation and that's where paint peeling is the biggest problem.

In coastal locations Hardiplank is at its worst. Wind driven rain will force its way behind the siding and will often find its way behind the laps and will literally get between the siding and the paint forming large balloons under the paint filled with water! These balloons can be as large as a foot or two wide and unbelievably can hold 4-6 ounces of water for months until the peeling sets in. You pop the balloon and water runs down the side of the home!

Additional areas where paint peeling and Hardiplank delamination often occur are any location where there is a high 'slash' effect off of gable roofs or splash from decks or porches back onto this siding. iF YOU READ THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, THEY WANT YOU TO KEEP THE PRODUCT 'X' INCHES AWAY FROM DECKS AND ROOF SURFACES, HOWEVER THIS ISJUST NOT PRACTICAL IN MANY CASES. In a real sense this is Hardy's own admission that the product is not suited for geographic areas of the US which receive a fair amount of rain due to water absorption.

I've read lots of painters saying the problem is the paint. Over the years, we've tried all the major brands including Behr and Sherwin Williams and numerous others, and in our experience the paint makes little to no difference. In our view the product is not suitable as an exterior siding unless the structure is located in an arid environment like the southwest.

Many homeowners have been told it's an installation problem. Except in the rarest cases, I do not believe it. I have seen rampant delamination of the product 2" from a patio surface and 20' above as well. I have experienced the butt joints open up as much as 3/4 of an inch on hot southern exposures. All this means that the product is swelling and shrinking constantly and inherently causes paint to peel as a result.

In short, the product does not appear to be suited for the purpose for which it is intended: SIDING. I would not put it on a dog house!

We have Certainteed installed on our building and the panels are cracking. I would like to know if we can we expect all the panels to crack over time or just those that get a lot of sun. Our experience so far (3 years post install) is that only panels that are high on the building and get a lot of sun have cracked. I live on the west coast of Canada so it's a moderate climate; lots of rain but never too cold or hot. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

We have Certainteed and it is the worst decision we have ever made. Our siding is gapping, cracking and warping. Our next door neighbor installed James Hardie at the same time due to hail damage. Their siding looks perfect. After researching, we have discovered that there is a class action lawsuit involving Certainteed. We are in the process of getting all the pictures and measurements to file a claim. If we receive any money, it will not come close to covering the cost to remove, install new, seal and paint.

STAY AWAY FROM CERTAINTEED.