Compare siding materials for Bolingbrook homes. Vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement, and LP SmartSide reviewed for Will County weather performance.
Siding in Bolingbrook has to handle freeze and thaw, summer humidity, hail and strong sun on the south and west walls. Three materials do that well: insulated vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement and LP SmartSide engineered wood. Which one suits your house depends mostly on the house itself, so this guide starts there.
Bolingbrook homes at a glance
Bolingbrook was incorporated in 1965 and its first subdivisions, Westbury and Colonial Village, date from that decade. The village kept building through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, so the housing runs from compact 1960s ranches to large newer two-story homes.
Many of the 1960s Bolingbrook homes still have their original aluminum siding, now chalky and dented. It comes off cleanly and the walls underneath are usually sound.
Which siding suits which Bolingbrook home
In Westbury, Colonial Village and the other original 1960s neighborhoods, insulated vinyl is often the best value. The houses are modest in size, the walls have little insulation, and the foam-backed panel adds stiffness and some warmth. If the budget allows, Hardie on the front wall with vinyl on the other three is a sensible split.
In the subdivisions added through the 1970s and 1980s, the cedar or hardboard that is on the house now is the problem, so anything that ends the paint cycle is an upgrade. Hardie is the closest match to the original wood look. Insulated vinyl in a wide plank or a board-and-batten profile is the lower-cost route.
In the newer neighborhoods built in the 1990s and 2000s, the common job is replacing builder vinyl on three sides while the brick front stays. Hardie in a color chosen to sit well with the brick makes the house look custom. A heavier insulated vinyl is the right choice if you liked the low upkeep of vinyl and only want it to look and hold up better.
A typical siding job in Bolingbrook
In the original Westbury and Colonial Village homes, the job is usually removing dented aluminum and installing insulated vinyl, which suits the size and value of those houses and adds insulation the walls lack. In the newer subdivisions it is more often James Hardie on the three vinyl sides of a brick-front two-story.
The three materials compared
Insulated vinyl
The least expensive of the three and the easiest to live with. It never needs paint, it washes with a hose, and the foam backing makes it stiffer and quieter than the thin vinyl builders use. Its limits: it can crack in a hard hail storm, it can warp near a grill or strong reflected sunlight, and darker colors fade faster.
James Hardie fiber cement
Our most-installed siding. It is cement-based, so it does not melt, rot or attract woodpeckers and insects, and the HZ5 line is made for climates with freezing winters. ColorPlus factory finish arrives already painted. It costs more than vinyl and is heavier to install, and after many years the finish can be repainted like any painted surface.
LP SmartSide
Engineered wood strands treated against moisture and insects, with a deep wood grain. It is lighter than fiber cement and takes impact well. Cut edges must be sealed and it needs repainting on a longer cycle, so installation quality matters.
What matters more than the brand
Most siding failures we tear off were installation failures: no weather barrier, no flashing above windows, nails driven too tight, siding run into the roof or the ground. A mid-priced material installed properly will outlast a premium one installed badly. Ask any contractor what goes on the wall before the siding does.
Permits in Bolingbrook
Permit rules are set by the Village of Bolingbrook. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. See our Bolingbrook page for this service, or the same guide for Naperville, or the same guide for Romeoville.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Bolingbrook.