Wood and stone are a classic combination for high-end homes, but they come with inevitable issues: rot, water damage, cracks, insects, and fading. As a result, many homeowners are choosing a long-lasting combination of Hardie siding and stone veneer.
Looking to upgrade your exterior? Before you settle on materials, take a closer look at how siding and stone veneer can combine to give your Chicagoland home decades of upscale style.
What is Hardie Siding?
When people talk about Hardie siding, they’re referring to products from the James Hardie company, has been in business since 1888. It’s a world leader in siding innovation and design, and top-ranked by restoration professionals for the company’s careful attention to historic detail.
Hardie siding is also environmentally friendly and exceptionally durable. Its durability is attributed in part to its zoned engineering, which matches each client’s siding to its specific climate. Plus, it’s not susceptible to weather and insect issues, like wood.
In general Hardie siding comes in strips, boards, or panels that fit together perfectly to protect a home’s exterior. The siding is available in a huge array of colors, including those that are color-matched to specific historic periods and design styles.
What is Stone Veneer Siding?
Made to look like real stonework, stone veneer siding is a durable and sustainable substitute. It’s also lightweight and much easier to install than actual stones, so it reduces your time-to-install and overall cost.
Stone veneer siding comes in lots of looks and colors. If you’ve always loved the style of a massive stone entryway, the same look can be accomplished with veneer siding at a fraction of the expense.
In Chicago, HardiPlank Siding & Stone Veneer can provide the look and feel of stonework. Add stone veneer to an entrance, next to windows and doors, or skirted all the way around the exterior for an instant classic style.
Why Are Hardie Siding and Stone Veneer a Good Match?
Wood/stone home exteriors are sprinkled across the pages of upscale magazines across the world. The most sought-after look has wood siding on the top half of the house, with a base skirt made of large stones. This cozy, sophisticated look of wood and stone gives great curb appeal, but it comes with a hefty price tag and years of ongoing maintenance.
But there’s a way to get the same look at a lower price, with far less hassle. When you combine Hardie siding with stone veneer, the same high-end style comes with these additional benefits:
- Lower cost than traditional wood and stone
- Lighter-weight materials that reduce shipping and installation cost
- Color and design options unavailable in wood or stone
- Durability for decades to come
- Easy or no maintenance
- Installation by James Hardie Professionals
Custom-Made for Chicago
Chicago weather can cause serious damage. Snow, ice, sleet, hail, and bitter windstorms batter the siding on your home. But a mix of Hardie siding and stone veneer can handle anything the weather dishes out.
The right siding/veneer combo fits together tightly and has no gaps that allow water or weather to break through. When you request a mix of Hardie siding and stone veneer, siding professionals install it together in one fast, seamless process.
Ready to explore a new siding combination for your home? Request a free quote from Siding & Windows Group, a leader in Chicagoland siding installation and one of Chicago’s James Hardie Professionals.
