Allura fiber cement shake and lap siding, installed as a whole-house re-side or a single-wall replacement. It is heavier, tougher and steadier in the heat than vinyl, and it suits homes where texture matters.
Fiber cement is a strong choice in North Alabama because it does not soften or warp in summer heat and stands up to hail and storm debris better than vinyl. It costs more up front, mostly in labor, and painted boards need repainting eventually. The ACM Pros install Allura shake and lap siding across Huntsville, Madison and nearby towns.
The details
Character homes where texture matters, walls that take the brunt of storms, and homeowners who want siding that will not soften in Alabama heat. It also makes sense on a house you plan to keep, because its strengths show over the long run.
Fiber cement's edge in this climate is not marketing. It is heavier and more impact-resistant than vinyl, which matters in a region that sees hail and storm debris. It also does not warp in heat, a real concern on a wall near reflective glass or a grill.
It holds a painted finish well, too. That is what lets it look right on older homes, where a vinyl profile can look out of place.
Allura Shake has a deep shingle texture that suits gables (the triangle of wall under a roof peak), accent walls and detailed fronts. Allura Lap gives clean horizontal lines and is the more versatile finish for a whole house.
On a historic home in Huntsville's Five Points district, we used both: shake on the gables to keep the home's original proportions, and lap across the main walls. A house does not have to wear one profile, and mixing them is often what makes fiber cement look right rather than applied.
Fiber cement is slower to cut and heavier to hang than vinyl, and most of the price difference between the two is labor, not material. It is cut with dust control, cut edges are sealed, and nails have to hit the right depth. The joints and trim are where a careful install separates from a fast one.
Behind it, the same rules apply as for any siding: house wrap lapped so water sheds outward, flashing at every opening, and soft sheathing replaced rather than covered. We photograph any rot we find and show you before we close the wall.
Against vinyl, fiber cement offers better impact resistance, deeper texture, better behavior in heat and any paint color you like. In return it costs more up front and needs a repaint eventually.
The honest view is that vinyl is a good product and fiber cement is the better one for exposed and character-rich walls. A mix, with fiber cement on the weather side and vinyl on sheltered walls, is a fair answer too, and we will happily quote it.
We price after measuring, line by line, with the materials named. These are the things that move the number.
We walk your exterior, measure, and show you the options. There is no charge and no pressure.
You get a written scope with every line and material named. Then we order for your home.
Cut, fitted, trimmed, cleaned up and hauled away the same day. You never look at a pile of old frames.
Well, and that is the main argument for it here. It does not soften, warp or ripple the way vinyl can on a hot west wall, and it holds a painted finish for a long time.
The material costs more, and so does the install, because it is heavier, has to be cut with dust control and needs precise fastening. The case for it is long life and good looks on a house you are keeping.
Pre-finished boards come coated from the factory and hold that finish for many years. Boards painted on site need repainting on a normal exterior cycle. Which kind you have changes the upkeep conversation entirely.
It is a board made from cement, sand and wood fibers, formed into planks and shingle panels. It will not rot like wood, soften in heat like vinyl, or feed termites.
Yes. We install it as a whole-house re-side or a single-wall replacement. If the rest of the house is vinyl, fiber cement on the wall that takes the weather and vinyl elsewhere can be a sensible mix.
Often it is the best fit, because it takes paint like wood and has real texture. In Five Points, shake on the gables and lap on the walls kept the house's character while adding better weather protection.
Gently. A soft wash or a garden hose with a mild cleaner removes mildew and dirt. High pressure can wear away the coating, so we never use it on fiber cement.
Siding replacement done from the wall out: rotted sheathing fixed, house wrap and flashing done right, then fiber cement or vinyl.
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Rotted soffit and fascia repaired and replaced, with vented soffit checked so your attic breathes and your roof lasts.
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Soft wash house washing for siding, soffit, fascia and trim. Kills mildew and algae without forcing water behind your siding.
Learn moreFull tear-off roof replacement with the deck checked, new flashing and pipe boots, and ventilation built in. Usually one to three days.
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House, roof, driveway, deck and commercial washing, with soft washing for roofs and siding and real pressure only on concrete.
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Both are good siding. Here is how fiber cement and vinyl really compare on Alabama heat, storms, upkeep, looks and cost, and where vinyl is the better answer.
We're based in Madison and work across North Alabama, providing fiber cement siding in every area below. We do not work in Tennessee.
Tell us what you're picturing. We'll come out, measure up, and give you a free written estimate, so you know exactly what to expect before any work begins.
