Blaine Exterior One Product Line, One Standard
We get asked fairly often why we don't offer siding options the way some contractors do. The honest answer: we standardized on James Hardie fiber cement siding years ago and haven't looked back. We don't install LP SmartSide, vinyl, Cemplank, Allura, primed spruce, or cedar. Not because those products don't have a place somewhere, but because after years of working on homes in Blaine and around Whatcom County, Hardie is the only siding system we're willing to put our name behind.
Blaine sits right on the water, which means our homes deal with a specific combination of stressors: salt-laden air off the Strait of Georgia and Drayton Harbor, driving wind-driven rain for a good chunk of the year, and long stretches of damp, shaded conditions that keep moss and mildew active almost year-round. Siding here doesn't just need to look good on install day — it needs to hold up through decades of that cycle.
What James Hardie Actually Is
James Hardie siding is fiber cement — a mix of cellulose fiber, sand, and Portland cement pressed and cured into planks, panels, and shingles. It's non-combustible, which matters more each year as wildfire smoke and ember exposure become a regional concern even out here in the corner of the state. It doesn't swell, rot, or attract insects the way wood-based products can, and it doesn't have the expansion-contraction issues that plague vinyl in temperature swings.
The HZ5 Climate Engineering
James Hardie engineers its products by climate zone. Homes in our region qualify for the HZ5 product line, engineered for wetter, colder climates with freeze-thaw cycles and sustained moisture exposure. That's a meaningful distinction from a one-size-fits-all siding product — the moisture management and durability specs are built for exactly the conditions Blaine throws at a house.
ColorPlus Technology: The Finish Matters as Much as the Board
A big part of why we trust Hardie is the factory finish, not just the substrate. ColorPlus is a baked-on, multi-coat finish applied in a controlled factory environment, not brushed or sprayed on a jobsite where weather and temperature affect cure quality. It's UV-cured and backed by its own finish warranty separate from the product warranty. In a climate with this much rain and grey-sky UV exposure, a factory finish that resists fading and doesn't need repainting every several years is worth the premium.
Field-applied paint — the kind required on primed wood siding and often recommended as a maintenance step for other systems — is exactly the kind of ongoing maintenance burden we try to steer homeowners away from. Repainting siding on a two-story coastal home isn't a small task, and moss growth in our shaded, damp microclimates just accelerates the cycle.
The Product Lines We Install
- HardiePlank Lap Siding — the most common choice, available in several textures including cedarmill and smooth, in a range of exposure widths.
- HardieShingle — for homes wanting a shingle-style look without the maintenance of actual wood shakes.
- HardiePanel — vertical panel applications, often used for board-and-batten style facades or accent sections.
- HardieTrim — matching trim boards so the whole exterior envelope is consistent in material and finish.
Warranty Structure
James Hardie backs its siding with a 30-year non-prorated limited warranty on the substrate, plus a separate finish warranty on ColorPlus products, and both are transferable to a subsequent owner within the terms of the warranty. That transferability matters for resale — buyers and their inspectors recognize the Hardie name and know what they're getting.
Why Installation Quality Is Half the Equation
Fiber cement is only as good as the install behind it. Proper flashing details, correct fastening patterns, appropriate clearances from grade and roofing, and factory-mitered or properly caulked joints all matter — especially in a climate where wind-driven rain will find any gap you leave it. We install to Hardie's published specifications, not just general siding practice, because that's what the warranty and the product's real-world performance depend on.
Our Standard, Not a Sales Pitch
We're not going to tell you every other siding product on the market is worthless — plenty of them perform fine in the right application. But we made a decision as a company to install one system, install it correctly every time, and stand behind it without hedging. For homes in Blaine and across Whatcom County dealing with salt air, sustained rain, and moss pressure most of the year, James Hardie fiber cement is the product we trust to hold up and keep looking right.
If you're weighing a siding replacement or new build and want to talk through what Hardie would look like on your home, we're happy to come out for a free, no-pressure estimate and walk the exterior with you.