Difference Between Hardi-Plank & Hardboard

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HardiePlank is a brand of lap siding made by the James Hardie company. It features a 30-year limited warranty and is the siding on more than 4 million homes in the United States. Hardboard is a type of wood product available from many companies. The name hardboard defines how it is made.

James Hardie

The James Hardie company specializes in home siding. James Hardie says its siding is non-combustible and termite- and rot-resistant, unlike wood-based siding. The company claims that the products stand up well in extreme weather.

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HardiePlank

HardiePlank is a specific product of James Hardie that comes in several colors and patterns, including Custom Colonial Roughsawn, Select Cedarmill, Smooth and Beaded Smooth. The thickness of all patterns is 5/16 inch. The planks are 12 feet long, and all HardiePlank weighs 2.3 pounds per square foot. Widths of the planks vary from 5.25 to 8.25 inches. The exposure ranges from 4 to 7 inches.

Hardboard Description

According to Intermountain Wood Products, hardboard is "made of wood fibers like MDF," or medium-density fiberboard, but the fibers are usually not as fine. The wood in hardboard usually is recycled from pallets or other sources, and hardboard is cheaper to make than MDF. Tempered hardboard is different from standard hardboard because oil added to the water and fibers makes the wood more rigid. Hardboard is harder to paint than HardiePlank.

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Types of Hardboard

Because hardboard is made of wood fibers, different types of wood can be recycled to create it. Wood that already has a high oil content is preferable, because the oiliness adds to the stiffness of the board in the pressing process.

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