When fiber cement siding first came on the market in the early 1990s, only a handful of styles were available, most of which were 6-inch planks and board-and-batten type panels.

Cement: Binds the ingredients. Made with limestone, clay, and iron. James Hardie® Fiber Cement Siding Benefits Durability: Resists damage from wet, humid climates as well as cold, dry climates.

Properly installed, cement siding can last for 100 years Published: Feb. 26, 2009, 4:11 p.m.

Corrugated metal siding is about half the cost of fiber cement board siding but it has less effective sound- and thermal-insulating qualities. Interlocking zinc panels cost about twice what fiber ...

A square of cement board siding, which covers a 10 by 10-foot area, can cost anywhere from $200 to upwards of $600, he said. Vinyl typically sells from $60 to $200 per square.