The newer Hardiplank has a beveled edge on the bottom that helps to get water to drip away. It is also more prone to chipping the edge off when getting it off the pallet and on the wall. We always use factory painted stuff and even rubbing the edge with your coveralls during the course of installing a whole wall can cause some chips. They also imprint their name on the top edge so you can't flip a piece over if it does have a bad edge. How will it due during a light hail storm???
I used the Certainteed stuff on my own house in 03. It developed surface cracking about 3 feet in from the ends of a full sheet, I now think it was from expansion/shrinkage. They did replace it with the new 'improved' environmentally friendlier stuff. I don't think they would have payed up if it wasn't on the builders own house (mine), and had the lumber yard on my side. Unfortunately the new stuff has shrunk so bad during this falls near record dry stretch that the joints are opening up.
We used Maxiplank one time and it de-laminated easy. Its made in Mexico.
In summary it all has faults but the Hardi seems to be less so. I can't bring myself to try the OSB based lap siding yet.
I used the Certainteed stuff on my own house in 03. It developed surface cracking about 3 feet in from the ends of a full sheet, I now think it was from expansion/shrinkage. They did replace it with the new 'improved' environmentally friendlier stuff. I don't think they would have payed up if it wasn't on the builders own house (mine), and had the lumber yard on my side. Unfortunately the new stuff has shrunk so bad during this falls near record dry stretch that the joints are opening up.
We used Maxiplank one time and it de-laminated easy. Its made in Mexico.
In summary it all has faults but the Hardi seems to be less so. I can't bring myself to try the OSB based lap siding yet.
