Hardie does everything in their power to avoid covering their product under warranty. I've dealt with Hardie reps on a hand full of occasions. I've called them out to job sites to examine their product while its still on the skid. It was a full skid that hadn't been touched or re-stacked. Better than 50% of the panels had paint damage. IE: paint was chipped or rubbed off by the panel next to it with both plastic strips still intact. The rep told me "It's common" and not to worry about it. He said: "I've dealt with homeowners in the past and told them it's an exterior product and it doesn't matter." My response was "It's a PRE-FINISHED exterior product." His response was It's your problem now because it's well within our quality standards. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? That covers only one of the problems with the prefinished panel. As for fiber cement in general, there is an underlying problem with EVERY brand on the market that no one has covered here. When you drive a nail through it "IT DELAMINATES" Click to Enlarge 14.54 KB Picture a chip in your windshield. It forms this nice little circle. If you don't fix it, eventually it will turn into a crack. Every time you drive a nail threw a piece of fiber cement siding, the back of the panel turns into something resembling that chip in the windshield. It doesn't mater if the nail is hand driven or done with a nail gun. Screws and fine gauge trim nails do the exact same thing. The only way to avoid it would be to predrill holes and then hand drive nails until the head is just touching the siding. If the head breaks the surface, it's on it's way to delaminateing. It may take a few years but it will do it eventually. Can it be installed in a way that it will look good for many years? Yes. Can it be installed in a way that it will EVER live up to its warranty? Not a snowballs chance!!! Would I ever recommend fiber cement to any homeowner? No Will I still install it? Yes, because Hardie spends so much money on advertising it can't be avoided. James Hardie does two things well. Advertise and pass the buck.
