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Minnesota Builder Replacing Stucco Siding With James Hardie

Stucco siding traps moisture in the walls of two separate remodeling projects

Matt Schmidt of AMEK Construction in Bloomington, Minnesota has started to see a trend in some recent home remodeling projects-- replacing failed, cracked stucco siding. AMEK recently completed two separate stucco remodels on million-dollar homes in the Minnesota towns of Bloomington and Shoreville.

"Both homes had the same issues; cracked stucco siding that was allowing moisture to get into the walls," said Schmidt, co-owner of AMEK Construction, Inc. "When stucco fails, it traps the leaked moisture inside the structure. The walls of the Shoreville home had rotted out just three years after the stucco was installed."

In both cases, Schmidt tore off the failed stucco and treated the rot and mold before replacing with James Hardie® siding. James Hardie siding offers the beauty and character of wood without the maintenance problems like rotting and cracking. Durable James Hardie siding is highly moisture-resistant, non-combustible and also resists damage from hail, insects, woodpeckers and flying debris.

"We use James Hardie because of the piece of mind it gives us as and our customers," continued Schmidt. "We used to work mostly with vinyl siding, but in the past four years we've used James Hardie on probably 85 percent of our projects- both remodeling and new construction."

James Hardie siding offers an attractive and low maintenance alternative to wood, stucco and vinyl that doesn't sacrifice the charm, beauty and character of your home. Vinyl siding fades in color and is perceived as a lower quality alternative. Unlike vinyl, James Hardie can be painted any color, holds paint three to four times longer than wood and is also available pre-finished in a variety of colors.

Homeowners receive the added assurance of an up to a 50-year limited transferable product warranty against rotting, cracking and delaminating.

Schmidt concluded that, "James Hardie siding is a much higher quality than vinyl, is easier to install and doesn't crack like wood -- and as I've seen recently -- stucco."