CHARLIE: Jake writes to us from Katy. He says, “Tom, I’m looking at buying a lot and building a beach front house in Galveston.” He writes. He says, “I’ve always heard you say Hardie Siding is the thing, it’s the mac daddy of siding, but I’ve heard that Hardie is not the right choice on the coast because salt and sand wear the paint off quickly, and that vinyl stands up better.” I’m sorry, I’m trying play this straight here. “I’m looking to have this house be a rental house. Tom, what are your thoughts on the siding for it?”
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TOM: Hardie. That’s my thoughts. First off, don’t blame Hardie for the paint. Get a good quality paint. I had a house down there in Galveston, it was not even Hardie, it was wood. And, the paint held up ten years plus. It’s gonna be fine. As far as high winds and damage with storms and things like that, you can’t beat Hardie. Vinyl, you’ll see it just rip off one piece at a time when you get those high winds, and it’s rather amusing. I watched it many times in my neighborhood.
CHARLIE: But, it gives you something to do after the storm. Go find your siding, put it back on your house.
TOM: Well, if it’s aluminum you could recycle it, but vinyl, you can’t even do that.
CHARLIE: You can melt it down and make records.
TOM: Yeah, it’ll end up down in the … somewhere down the… Aransas Pass
CHARLIE: All kidding aside, I mean …
TOM: No, Hardie is the way to go. In fact, you gotta meet wind standards, and the Hardie will do that. It’s more structural and you use the six inch, you have to have special nail patterns. And, just use a good quality paint. The paint will hold just fine.
CHARLIE: So this wives tale he’s heard about the sand and the salt beating paint off Hardie is exactly that?
TOM: Yeah, I’m not sure about the wife part, but yeah.
CHARLIE: But, you know what I mean.
TOM: Well, I’ve had enough of those.