Compare siding materials for Plainfield homes. Vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement, and LP SmartSide reviewed for Will County weather performance.
Siding in Plainfield 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.
Plainfield homes at a glance
Plainfield has a small historic core along Lockport Street and a very large ring of subdivisions built between the mid-1990s and 2008. That means most Plainfield homes are now 18 to 30 years old, which is right when original builder windows, roofs and siding come due.
Plainfield sits on open, flat ground with little to break the wind. Thin builder vinyl on the west and south walls takes the worst of it, and loose or rattling panels are a common call.
Which siding suits which Plainfield home
In the village core around Lockport Street, we recommend James Hardie lap siding in a narrow exposure, with real corner boards and window casings. It reads as painted wood from the street, which is what these houses were built with, and it will not need scraping and repainting every few years. Vinyl tends to flatten the trim details that give an older house its character.
In the subdivisions built from the mid-1990s through 2008, which is most of the village, 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 Plainfield
Most Plainfield siding jobs are a full replacement of original builder vinyl on a 2000s two-story. The vinyl is thin, it has taken hail and wind for 20 years, and matching panels are no longer made. Hardie holds up far better on the exposed west walls. If you stay with vinyl, choose an insulated panel, which resists wind rattle much better.
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 Plainfield
Permit rules are set by the Village of Plainfield. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. Homes in a designated historic district may also need design review for exterior changes. See our Plainfield page for this service, or the same guide for Joliet, or the same guide for Naperville.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Plainfield.