It's a cladding made from cement, sand and cellulose fibres, pressed into boards and panels. It looks like wood but won't rot, warp or feed insects, and it holds paint longer than wood siding.

James Hardie formulates its products for different climates. HZ5 products are built for regions with freeze-thaw cycles, snow and ice, which covers most of Canada. They're the standard for the markets we serve.

Yes. James Hardie fiber cement is recognized as noncombustible under CAN/ULC-S114, which makes it a strong choice where fire performance matters. Always confirm requirements with your local building authority.

Primed products arrive ready for a 100% acrylic topcoat in any colour. ColorPlus® products are finished in the factory with a baked-on coating that resists fading and chipping, so they're ready to install with no painting on site.

Yes. Lap, panel, shingle, trim and soffit are designed to work together. Pairing HardiePlank® with HardieShingle® in a gable, or HardiePanel® with batten boards, is common.

Very little. An occasional rinse keeps it looking fresh, along with regular checks of caulking and flashing. Primed product must be painted after installation, following James Hardie's timelines.

James Hardie backs its siding, trim and ColorPlus® finishes with limited warranties that vary by product. Our team can share current warranty documents with your order.

Nicholson Cates supplies dealers, retailers, builders and manufacturers.

Yes. We ship full truckloads and mixed-load orders that combine siding, trim and soffit with other building materials, on flexible delivery schedules.

Each product section below links to its James Hardie installation and best practice guides. Always install to the manufacturer's current instructions and local code.

Yes. Panels can run vertically or horizontally. Horizontal installs use matching T and H trims and Z-flashing at the joints.

dern homes, multi-unit residential and light commercial buildings. It works on full elevations or as an accent paired with lap siding.

Yes. James Hardie specifies 16-gauge stainless steel finish nails, spaced 4 in apart at each stud, for a clean face with no visible heads.

Artisan is 5/8 in thick, about twice the depth of HardiePlank®. The added depth creates bolder shadow lines and a more substantial, custom-built look.

V-Groove, Shiplap and Square Channel boards interlock from course to course. That keeps boards aligned and gives a tight, uniform reveal across the wall.

Artisan is supplied primed and ready for a 100% acrylic topcoat, so it can be painted any colour the project calls for.

Install HardiePanel® vertically, then fasten HardieTrim® batten boards over the panel at your chosen spacing.

Sierra 8 has vertical grooves every 8 in with a woodgrain face, similar to traditional T1-11 panel siding.

Yes. It's often used in gables or on upper storeys above HardiePlank® to add texture and contrast to an elevation.

Narrower boards (4–5 in exposure) suit traditional and heritage styles. Wider boards (7–8 in exposure) give a bolder, more contemporary line and cover more wall per piece.

Select Cedarmill® has an embossed woodgrain texture that looks like cedar. Smooth has a clean, flat face for a more modern finish.

Each course overlaps the one below by at least 1¼ in. Exposure is the board width minus that overlap.

4/4 boards are ¾ in thick and 5/4 boards are 1 in thick. Thicker 5/4 trim sits proud of the siding for more depth around windows, doors and corners.

It's designed for James Hardie systems. It can be used with other claddings, but install details and warranty coverage may differ, so check with our team first.

Batten boards are a narrower ¾ in × 2½ in strip made for board-and-batten designs over HardiePanel®. NT3® boards are wider and used for corners, fascia and openings.

Straight Edge gives a neat, uniform line with up to 7 in exposure. Staggered Edge varies the bottom edge for a more rustic, hand-split look with up to 6 in exposure.

Each 4 ft panel covers many shingles at once. That means fewer pieces to handle, faster installation and more consistent spacing.

Gables, dormers and accent walls are most common, though it can clad an entire home. It pairs naturally with HardiePlank® below.

Use vented panels where the attic needs airflow at the eaves, and non-vented panels for porch ceilings or areas with separate venting. Local code sets the ventilation required.

Vented panels provide 5 in² of net free ventilation per lineal foot of soffit.

Yes. Cedarmill® and Smooth textures, plus ColorPlus® colours, match HardiePlank® and HardiePanel® for a consistent finish from wall to roofline.