A: Painting over a stain is often the best way to go, especially in a case like yours, where the stain is old and probably tenacious. Painting is also a good solution when you aren’t sure what caused ...

Fiber cement siding has the durability of cement, a class 1A fire rating, is impervious to wood-boring insects, does not rot, and is resistant to deterioration from salt and ultraviolet rays.

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.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions, and your fiber-cement siding can last more than 100 years. I can show you houses with cement siding installed before World War I that still looks as good as ...

For instance, vinyl, fiber cement and Hardie board siding have dozens of different colors. On the other hand, natural stone, brick and metal siding are more limited in available colors.

Installing fiber cement siding, a wood-look product that’s more expensive than vinyl but less costly than the real thing, recoups 88.5 percent. Only four remodeling jobs do better.

Use a blend of Portland cement, sand, fibers, chemicals and water. This method only requires a single application and is typically applied over the rigid foam board and lath to provide durable siding.