Say goodbye to aluminum or vinyl siding. Did you know that Hardie Plank is taking over as the number one siding replacement or new build siding product to put on homes?
Also called fiber cement siding, this exterior material is made of concrete substrate. It’s semi-rigid, so it maintains some flexibility, and it’s known for being a durable, long-lasting and low-maintenance material. It’s more expensive than vinyl siding, but it costs less than brick, synthetic stucco and some wood siding options.
Giving your Hardie Plank siding a fresh coat of paint is a great option if your siding color is outdated and needs an update. Painting Hardie Plank siding is completely doable, and it’s a great way to refresh and maintain the exterior of your home. Turn to a painting professional to ensure you use the right type of paint for this project, though. As long as the right type of paint and correct process is used, a fresh coat of paint on Hardie Plank siding can last up to 20 years!
Before Painting Begins
If you’re installing Hardie Plank for the first time on a new build, or replacing old siding, you can choose fiber cement that is pre-primed. Most unpainted fiber cement siding will be primed at the factory once it’s shipped to you, so your professional exterior paint expert can paint as soon as the siding is installed.
If you’re repainting Hardie Plank fiber cement siding, you need to first clean it with a pressure washer. Painting should always take place on a clean surface. Pressure washing will remove the build up of:
- Chalking (old paint dusty oxidation residue from sunlight exposure)
- Dirt
- Dust
- Mold
- Mildew
Some older Hardie Plank needs caulking replaced on the edges, usually never in the middle. However, the newer Hardie Plank has special backing that does not need caulked. Your painting professional should be able to consult with you on what Hardie Plank you have and what caulking, if any will be needed.
Popular Hardie Plank Siding Paint Colors
Two coats of high quality, 100% acrylic exterior paint (when applied correctly and with the proper prep work) can look fantastic for up to two decades. When it comes to color choices, here’s what we see as the most trendy choices right now:
Zombie: This popular paint color is a dark, cool, onyx black with a charcoal undertone. It’s all the rage right now for use on Hardie Plank siding, and it looks fantastic with high contrast colors like bright white.
Ostrich Feather: This shade is a midtone, gray, golden greige with an almond undertone. It’s very similar to the Hardie Plank siding prefinished in the Cobble Stone shade, and it pairs well with darker accent colors.
Phoenix Fossil: Looking for a saturated, warm, slate gray with an ebony undertone? Look no further than this popular shade of gray.
Knight’s Armor: More and more homeowners are going dark with their hardie plank siding. This paint is a deep, cool, chalkboard gray with a true black undertone.
Cavalry: If you like dark colors but aren’t a fan of gray, consider this darker blue. It’s a dark, gray, twilight blue with a lavender undertone.
Delicate White: This paint is a pale, true, winter white with a non-existent undertone. It pairs well with literally any other paint colors. As they say, white goes with everything, right?
Mercurial: This shade is a midtone, warm, tree bark gray with a cocoa brown undertone. It’s similar to Hardie Plank siding prefinished in the Monterey Taupe shade, and pairs perfectly with lighter shades of beige and white.
Chinaberry: Dark blue used as an exterior paint color is more popular than ever. If you’re not afraid to go bold, try this dark, neutral, monarch purple with an indigo undertone. It’s similar to Hardie Plank siding prefinished in the Evening Blue shade.
Juniper Berry: This bold exterior color choice is a deep, neutral, jade aqua-green with a malachite undertone. It pairs well with soft neutrals, and looks similar to Hardie Plank siding prefinished in the Mountain Sage shade.
Solitary State: This paint color is a soft, warm, stormy gray with an ebony undertone. It’s one of PPG’s most popular paint colors, and it will look classy on Hardie Plank exterior siding, especially when paired with bright white trim.
Are you still not sure what to do with your Hardie Plank siding? No worries. A professional painting company typically offers color consultations as a part of their overall service package. If you know you want a new siding paint color, but aren’t sure what to choose, they can help. They can look at your neighborhood, your decor and your general style to recommend colors that you’ll love for years to come.
Professional Interior and Exterior Painting Services
Our home painting experts are ready to help you tackle your painting project. We provide interior room painting, stair painting, kitchen cabinet painting, basement painting, and exterior painting to take the workload off your shoulders. Contact us today for a free painting quote.
