I'm using it and have put a sample through an unbelievable number of informal tests for about 2 years (freezing, soaking, baking, leaving under snow all winter, etc) and it holds up quite well. Take the "complaints" with a grain of salt. The Colorplus is a very durable paint, not indestructible, but very hard nonetheless. My firm recommendation is to treat it as a FIRST coat and budget a painted second coat on top. Be sure the painters adhere to strict James Hardie specs on the type of paint.

I just went through several weeks of trying to decide whether to use color plus or not. It is desinged so that no second coat is needed. Seems to me somwehat defeats the purpose to use the color plus and then add another coat of paint althought I suspect it will not hurt.

I decided against it because of several complaints about the paint peeling in cold climates. We are building in the mountains of NC. I also know some of the people at the local building supply comapany down here. Although they recommended the product, they readily admitted that not many builders used it.

Even with the paint peeling complaints, I probably would have used it had we not decided to face nail my siding since I am in a high wind area. Hardi Plank developed a new siding for cold weather areas which hopefully resolved the peeling problems. Since the siding is going to be face nailed, we would either have to do a second coat (not sure hardi plank recommends this-should read installation instructions), or touch up all the nail heads with touch up paint they provide.

Frankly I think the only reason more builders don't use it is because the installers must be very careful with the siding not to scuff it, etc. and there is some discussion about the touch up paint not matching the pre painted siding. I would say if you are blind nailing, you should be OK if the installers are careful.

I have it on my home and am very satisfied, four/five years now. Coastal BC

My brother and I hold some rental properties in Calgary, quite cold there, and whenever we do a repair or whatever we use Hardi and we have zero complaints.

And a local buddy and I generally build a house a year, he's a contractor, and its sort of an end of hockey season thing we do, we use Hardi exclusively and, again, zero issues. No call backs, honest.

You do have to install it correctly, there are great instructions on the Hardi website and we don't use the colour plus, we use the primed, prime it again in the field (all 6 sides!) and paint using pro painters and top quality paint. One coat all six, one coat after install.

Installation on the Hardi and efficacy of the flashing and painting are the biggest factors, I think. We use rain screen and its over building paper, not plastic. It doesn't work as roofing and it doesn't like to be installed wrong.

Get it right and it is beautiful and very low maintenance.
Do it wrong and its not as bad as other materials installed poorly but you will have issues.

In wind areas I'd just use narrower planks and tighten up the reveal, I get South Easters blowing on my home at 60-80 kph all winter with frequent storms having bursts over 100 kph for hours and sometimes days and I have had no issues.

It sure looks good up.

lorriew-

We have pre painted Hardi in a dark moss green (I blanked on the color, sorry), it's been installed for 4 years now and has held up very well. We're in NNY, the land of ice and snow, and have had no peeling at all, it still looks great.

Good luck-

sandyponder

I used to be more of a fan than I am now.
It did O.K. for 4 years.
We have had a very wet and cold winter. I noticed this winter my Hardi is peeling in areas. I am in South Carolina so I did not expect the peeling to happen. I thought it was only a problem up north in colder climates.
I now worry it will not hold up as long as advertised.

if you paint it you will void the 15 year warranty on the paint finish- just a heads up!

mdev, that is totally and completely untrue. Painting Hardiplank will not void its warranty. Or did you mean the warranty on the original paint finish UNDER the new coat one would add? In that case, it's kind of moot no? So the warranty on the finish under my new coat is voided? It probably should be... so long as the Hardiplank itself remains under warranty. Which it does.

We've had it for seven years now, in a very bright color, and it's still great. No fading, no peeling. We're in Portland, so we don't get much snow, but it rains steadily all winter long, and then the sun is quite strong in the summer. We've been very happy with hardiplank.