Hardboard siding, sometimes known as Masonite siding, is a particular type of hardboard exterior siding composed of compressed wood fibers, waxes, resins, and wood chips. If properly manufactured, installed and maintained, hardboard siding is an attractive and cost effective construction material that can be used to shield your home from damage caused by the natural elements. However, if it is not manufactured properly, hardboard siding can unduly deteriorate, exposing your home to serious damage.
If your home was constructed or new exterior siding was installed during the 1980s or early 1990s, you may have Masonite Siding. Before the 80s, Masonite Siding was considered the industry standard in top quality building and exterior siding material. During the 80s to mid 90s, though, changes in the manufacturing process led to a severe decline in the quality of their product, and its effectiveness and longevity was greatly diminished, leading to a class action lawsuit as countless homeowners were faced with home exteriors that were buckling, rotting, softening, blistering, and/or swelling, leading to cracked exterior paint or stucco, a buildup of mildew or mold within the walls, bowed wall studs, and even indoor leaks.
Even today, many homeowners are just now discovering the costly impact of the improperly manufactured Masonite Siding of the 80s and 90s on their homes. Because the moisture enters the hardboard siding material from the backside, it is said to rot from the inside out, and by the time the damage is discovered, it is sometimes past the point of repair. A reputable professional residential painting contractor can help you decide if your Masonite siding can be salvaged, or if it must be replaced.
To repair Masonite Siding, stave off any future moisture absorption, and stop or slow the deterioration process can be a costly and daunting task, one that most homeowners are not qualified to undertake. But because performing the right repairs is ultimately much, much less expensive than siding replacement, it is absolutely a method of preservation that should be considered. A professional Kansas City painter has all of the tools, materials, knowledge and experience to repair and restore your Masonite Siding and bring it back to life so it can continue to protect your home from the elements for many more years to come.
