Pre Primed VS Pre Painted

If you’re considering adding fiber cement siding over other fiber cement materials, James Hardie® is a well-known brand. James Hardie® fiber cement siding is installed on over 8 million houses in North America. Many homes choose James Hardie® because of the brand’s durability, minimal maintenance, and long-lasting beauty.

Choosing between James Hardie® products, on the other hand, might be difficult. Here are some things to consider when selecting between pre painted and pre primed items.

Products That Have Been Primed, Pre primed items (for example, siding) are those that have not been painted but have been covered with a high-quality primer. James Hardie® use a climate-tested primer that provides consistent and long-lasting paint adhesion even in the worst weather conditions.

Pre painted items, such as siding, are those that have been painted in the factory (with regularly applied coatings) and have the color baked on prior to being sold to consumers. James Hardie® products have outstanding color beauty and performance due to the utilization of ColorPlus technology.

Pre painted items offer a more uniform finish, a brighter appearance, and a longer life.

James Hardie® is so confident in the durability of their pre primed and pre painted products that they back them up with a 15-year guarantee.

If you’re unsure whether to choose pre painted or pre primed James Hardie® fiber cement siding, among other products, three major variables to consider are:

James Hardie® Statement CollectionTM pre painted materials are available in 15 plank colors, eight panel and batten board colors, and five trim and soffit colors. If you are unable to locate a pre painted color that you prefer, you may try installing a pre primed product and painting it on-site.

Soffit and trim products are offered in five of the fifteen possible hues, namely Arctic White, Khaki Brown, Cobblestone, Timber Bark, and Monterey Taupe.

Seven colors are offered for panel and batten boards (all the five soffit and trim colors above plus Navajo beige, evening blue, and light mist colors). Pre painted planks are available in the same seven colors as panel and batten boards, as well as eight additional shades: Pearly Gray, Boothbay Blue, Gray Slate, Aged Pewter, Evening Blue, Iron Gray, Night Gray, and Mountain Sage.

If you want pre painted James Hardie® items in a single hue for your house, you must choose one of the five colors (Arctic White, Khaki Brown, Cobblestone, Timber Bark, and Monterey Taupe). Alternatively, you may mix and match colors according to availability.

Alternatively, you may select pre primed siding and customize the color of your siding, trim, soffit, and other exterior surfaces by having them painted on-site.

The end product should also impact your choice of James Hardie® pre painted or pre primed siding. Which is preferable after the job is completed?

Pre painted items such as fiber cement boards are made and painted in the factory. When they arrive at the project site (your house), they are handled by hand and touched several times throughout the job’s cutting, nailing, and other stages.

During the installation procedure, the various contact areas of the planks might leave dirt and stains on the final boards. This might be an issue with brightly colored pre painted objects (such as artic white).

This is not an issue with pre primed items. The finish is superior since painting occurs at the conclusion. While James Hardie® includes a touch-up kit with all pre painted products, touching up has several drawbacks.

For instance, a part of a plank that has been touched up may fade with time. Typically, the fading is inconsistent with the remainder of the plank’s hue, resulting in an uneven appearance. Factory-supplied touch-up paint fades in a unique manner. Pre primed items outperform unprimed ones in this aspect.

Additionally, pre primed materials are superior in terms of joint care. James Hardie® offers boards measuring 12 feet in length. Two boards linked together to create a butt joint are required for a 20-foot wall, but the planks do not include a butt joint sealer.

Pre primed planks offer an alternative to pronounced seams, since they may be treated with a paintable sealer and then painted with a new coat of paint to create a seamless look.

However, you may see caulked butt joints in the future due to caulking’s inherent shrinkage and cracking over time.

Offering pre painted vs. pre primed James Hardie® siding may also be investigated in terms of product size and variety. The James Hardie® Statement CollectionTM of hues is available in a limited number of sizes.

Pre painted products that do not fit within the Statement CollectionTM’s size options are not available. For instance, you may be required to purchase more soffit than necessary simply because James Hardie® pre painted soffits are only available in a limited number of sizes.

Pre painted boards also have a restricted range of designs. While the finish is designed to resist fading and stick firmly for years regardless of the climate/weather, it is now only available in wood grain. Pre primed planks are ideal for homeowners seeking smooth textures or a contemporary farmhouse look.

If you’re not satisfied with the 15 colors available with pre painted items, you’re better off purchasing pre primed products and painting them as desired on-site.

Both products are outstanding.

However, it’s wise to comprehend their distinct advantages and disadvantages, as well as what works best for you.

When working with a seasoned James Hardie® authorized contractor such as KV construction, you can depend on decades of skilled advise when deciding between pre primed and pre painted James Hardie’s products in Seattle, Washington and across the Pacific Northwest Puget Sound region. Contact us for your free consultation.