Combustibility
Non-combustible, will not melt or release toxic fumes, eligible for insurance discounts due to non-combustibility.

Combustibility
Melts or burns when exposed to a significant source of heat or flame, releases toxic fumes when burns, not eligible for non-combustibility insurance discounts.

Color
Paint in any color of the rainbow whenever desired, excellent color retention lasting many years

Color
Color cannot be changed once installed, bland pastel colors recommended to delay fading, vinyl on different sides of the house fade at noticeably different rates, repairs/replacement pieces are obvious, almost impossible to do partial homes because limited color options means often cannot match current color of other sides of the house

Aesthetic Performance
Deep, realistic wood grain with less pattern repetition, available in various grain finishes, solid boards are more than five times the thickness of vinyl, increases curb appeal and appreciation, consistent beauty from porch to street

Aesthetic Performance
Thin, unnatural imitation wood look, overlapping seams, limited textures, decreases curb appeal and appreciation

Durability
Designed to last a lifetime, withstands winds up to 130 MPH, 50-year transferable product warranty

Durability
Brittle when cold, vulnerable to impact and/or wind damage, extreme weather causes expansion and/or contraction

Endurance
Dimensionally stable, will not sag or lose its shape over time

Endurance
Due to thinness of product, vinyl has difficulty maintaining its original shape, may warp or crack over time

Environmental Impact
Environmentally neutral

Environmental Impact
Fossil fuels required as a component of product

Consumer Perception
Premium alternative, high-end, advanced technology, Natural compliment to stone and brick-work

Consumer Perception
Research shows that within five years over half of homeowner's with vinyl siding would have considered a different siding method

Combustibility
Non-combustible, creates very little smoke when exposed to flame, eligible for insurance discounts due to non-combustibility

Combustibility
Burns when exposed to a significant source of heat or flame, not eligible for non-combustibility insurance discounts

Aesthetic Performance
Maintains original appearance over product lifetime, increases curb appeal and appreciation, consistent beauty from porch to street

Aesthetic Performance
Frequent painting, caulking and spot repairs required

Pests
Impervious to termites and other insects

Pests
Susceptible to damage by termites and other pests

Endurance
Dimensionally stable, will not rot, warp, buckle, swell or deteriorate even in the harshest climates, maintains original appearance over product lifetime, holds paint up to three times longer than wood, easy to handle and install

Endurance
Susceptible to rotting, warping, buckling, swelling, shrinking and expanding, is prone to deterioration from exposure, instability causes paint to crack and peel

Consumer Perception
Premium alternative, high-end, advanced technology

Consumer Perception
Increasing negative perception in view of multiple class-action lawsuits due to product failures

Combustibility
Non-combustible, creates very little smoke when exposed to flame, eligible for insurance discounts due to non-combustibility

Combustibility
Burns when exposed to a significant source of heat or flame, not eligible for non-combustibility insurance discounts

Aesthetic Performance
Increased curb appeal and appreciation, consistent beauty from porch to street

Aesthetic Performance
High maintenance required in order to maintain original aesthetic performance

Pests
Impervious to termites and other insects

Pests
Susceptible to damage by termites and other pests

Endurance
Dimensionally stable, will not rot, warp, buckle, swell, or deteriorate even in the harshest climates, maintains original appearance over product lifetime, holds paint up to three times longer than wood

Endurance
Can split and crack over time, extreme weather causes expansion and/or contraction, knots have a tendency to shrink resulting in unsightly gaps and exposure to moisture damage, moisture issues cause paint failure

Uniformity
Consistent building surface, no cracks, knots, or other imperfections, less construction waste, reliable supply available

Uniformity
Dwindling availability of quality old-growth forest supply can result in inconsistent surfaces, cracks, knots, and other imperfections resulting in construction waste, sorting through random board lengths and qualities can be time-consuming, susceptible to resin/tannin bleeding

Consumer Perception
Premium alternative, high-end, advanced technology

Consumer Perception
Viewed as high-end, but consumers are wary of high maintenance required.

Combustibility
Non-combustible, will not melt or release toxic fumes, eligible for insurance discounts due to non-combustibility

Combustibility
Melts when exposed to a significant source of heat or flame, not eligible for non-combustibility insurance discounts

Color
Paint in any color of the rainbow whenever desired, excellent color retention lasting many years

Color
Bland pastel colors recommended to delay fading, different sides of the house fade at noticeably different rates, repairs/replacement pieces are obvious, almost impossible to do partial homes because limited color options means often cannot match current color of other sides of house. If painting, a full coat of metal primer is recommended before applying topcoat.

Aesthetic Performance
Deep, realistic wood grain with less pattern repetition, available in various grain finishes, solid boards thicker than metal, increases curb appeal and appreciation, consistent beauty from porch to street

Aesthetic Performance
Thin, unnatural imitation wood look, limited textures, decreases curb appeal, many aluminum products tend to "chalk" over time creating a blotchy appearance

Durability
Designed to last a lifetime, withstands winds up to 130 MPH, 50-year transferable product warranty

Durability
Many steel products actually have vinyl coating, which is vulnerable to impact damage

Endurance
Dimensionally stable, will not sag or lose its shape over time

Endurance
Due to thinness of product, metal has difficulty maintaining its original shape, may warp over time

Consumer Perception
Premium alternative, high-end, advanced technology, Natural compliment to stone and brick-work

Consumer Perception
Viewed as higher-end than vinyl, but consumers are wary of metal siding

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
JH operates the only U.S. state-of-the-art research and development facility dedicated to fiber-cement, assuring incomparable innovation, quality and value across all product lines; we own and improve our technology

Research And Development
Other companies buy generic formulations and production equipment externally and do not regularly modernize them

Product Differentiation
JH has one focus: fiber-cement, fiber-cement is constantly evolving and JH is the company that will revolutionize the market now and in the future, JH produces to specifications proven over 20 years of industry leadership, proprietary equipment, processes, and formulations assure flexibility to produce the best-performing and most attractive products on the market, JH offers the widest selection of textures and accessory products

Product Differentiation
Other fiber-cement producers use purchased, commodity formulations and pressing production methods, these methods can result in overly-dense products that exhibit increased brittleness, handling difficulty, and nailability issues

Industry Leadership
JH has been manufacturing fiber-cement products for almost a century that have been used on over 3 million homes in the U.S., JH owns a powerful share of the fiber-cement products business in the U.S., JH's monthly production in its plants exceeds the annual production of its nearest competitor, production scale and efficiencies allow JH to offer significant advantages in price, features, and product availability

Industry Leadership
Fiber-cement is not a dedicated focus with other manufacturers

Formulation
JH product formulations are internally developed to provide optimum density, appearance, and performance at JH's dedicated state-of-the-art research and development facility

Formulation
Other fiber-cement producers use purchased generic formulations and equipment

National Awareness
JH is considered the leading brand of siding in America, JH builds consumer awareness and demand through national advertising in such publications as Sunset, Southern Living, Sports Illustrated, and Coastal Living as well as targeted public relations activities

National Awareness
No established fiber-cement consumer brand among other fiber-cement producers

Service
JH has a dedicated field sales force of over 100 seasoned fiber-cement professionals, JH has the production capacity to meet builder needs, JH's distribution system gets the product into the builders' hands efficiently and reliably

Service
Lack of scale limits effective service of national markets