Choose cedar if you love real wood and will keep up the finish; choose James Hardie fiber cement if you want the lowest upkeep and the best resistance to rot and fire. Neither is wrong. Six-Point installs both, so Dave has no reason to push one, and the right pick depends on your house and how you live with it.
Appearance
Real cedar is hard to beat. The grain, the warmth, the way it weathers: it looks like a house that was built, not assembled. For Craftsman homes and 1950s to 1970s ranches that wore cedar originally, it is often the most faithful choice.
Fiber cement has come a long way. James Hardie’s HardiePlank in Select Cedarmill carries a wood-grain texture, and HardieShingle is made to echo classic cedar shake. Hardie also sells Artisan lines and board-and-batten panels. Up close you can tell it is not wood, but from the street it reads as cedar and stays that color.
Rot and moisture
This is where Oregon decides it. In a climate with steady rain and wind-driven weather off the Gorge, wood stays wet a lot. Cedar naturally resists decay better than most species, but it is still wood. Neglected finish, poor flashing or a missing gap behind the boards will let it rot, usually first at the bottom courses and around windows.
James Hardie says its fiber cement is moisture-resistant and does not appeal to termites or woodpeckers. It does not rot. It can still be damaged by water getting behind it, though, because the wall behind is wood. Good installation counts for both.
Fire and wildfire
Hardie states its fiber cement is noncombustible, although the coating itself can char. Cedar burns. With wildfire smoke now a regular Oregon summer problem, that difference matters to many homeowners, and sometimes to insurers. Ask your insurance agent how they view each.
Maintenance
- Cedar: The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association says siding stains typically last 3 to 5 years. The same guidance says never to use a pressure washer to strip coatings and not to use steel wool or wire brushes, which can stain the wood. Mildew has to be cleaned off before restaining. In Oregon, plan for moss patrol on shaded north walls.
- Hardie: With factory ColorPlus finish, upkeep is mostly washing and keeping caulk joints sound. Hardie’s FAQ lists a 15-year limited finish warranty and a 30-year non-prorated product warranty, with conditions. Eventually the paint will need renewing, just much less often than a stain schedule.
Repairability
Cedar’s best quality. A cracked or rotted board can be cut out and a new one worked in, and paint or stain blends over time. This is why older cedar houses can be kept going for generations.
Fiber cement is repairable too, but color matching a factory finish on one plank can be harder, and cutting it takes dust control. Dave can walk you through what a repair would look like on your wall.
Upfront and long-term cost
Published national installed ranges overlap: roughly $5 to $14 per square foot for fiber cement and about $5 to $11 for cedar, depending on thickness. Cedar’s total cost includes re-staining every few years; Hardie’s includes much less. Our cost guide explains what moves the number. Every house is different, and Dave gives free exact estimates.
Resale and curb appeal
Buyers in the Portland area tend to like both. A well-kept cedar house reads as character; a clean fiber cement house reads as low-maintenance. What hurts resale is neglect: peeling stain, moss and soft trim on either material. Pick the one you will actually take care of, and the house will show it.
Warranty
Products carry the manufacturer’s warranty. Hardie’s terms depend on proper installation and care, so read them. Six-Point does not make separate warranty promises beyond what the manufacturer provides.
Why Dave does not install vinyl or LP
Dave does two materials and does them right: fiber cement and cedar. Vinyl is a thin plastic that can crack and fade and cannot match real wood. Engineered wood siding like LP depends on its edges and finish staying sealed, which is a hard job in Oregon rain. Those are Dave’s reasons. Other contractors will install them.
Which should you pick?
- Pick cedar if you have an older cedar house, love the look, and will clean and restain on schedule.
- Pick Hardie if you want low upkeep, fire resistance, and a long run with minimal rot worries.
- Pick Hardie cedar-look if you want the cedar profile without the finish schedule.
- Undecided? Dave will show you samples and tell you honestly what he would do at your house.
Either way, the installation decides how it performs: flashing, a drainage gap and clearances. See our rainscreen and house wrap guide and our overview of the best siding for Oregon rain.
Quick answers
- Is Hardie better than cedar? Better against rot, fire and upkeep; cedar is better for natural look and easy board-by-board repair.
- Can Hardie look like cedar? Yes: Cedarmill texture planks and HardieShingle.
- Does either need paint or stain? Cedar needs recurring stain; Hardie ColorPlus is factory finished.
- Which lasts longer in Oregon? Both can last decades when installed and cared for correctly.
Ask Dave
Dave Shaffer, a second-generation sider with about 40 years of experience, installs James Hardie siding and cedar siding in the Portland metro and East County. CCB #153635, licensed, bonded and insured.
Call or text Dave: 503-260-7647. Free estimates.