Fiber Cement Lap Siding, Pre-Finished in Any Color
Lap siding is the most common fiber cement profile: horizontal boards installed with an overlap, in widths from 5¼″ to 12″. We stock HardiePlank and Allura lap siding and pre-finish every board in our North Carolina facility before it ships.
Key Facts
- Lap siding is the most common fiber cement profile: horizontal boards installed with an overlap, in widths from 5¼″ to 12″.
- Standard board thickness is 5/16″; standard length is 12 feet.
- Exposure (the visible face after overlap) runs from 4″ to 10¾″ depending on board width.
- Available smooth, cedar-grain (e.g. HardiePlank Select Cedarmill) or beaded; Colortones pre-finishes all of them in any color.
- A touch-up kit ships free with every pre-finished order. Call 800-948-4349.
What is lap siding?
Lap siding — also called clapboard or bevel-style siding — is the classic horizontal-board look: each course overlaps the one below by a minimum of 1¼ inches, shedding water down the wall. In fiber cement it delivers the traditional wood-sided appearance with none of wood’s maintenance: no rot at the butt joints, no woodpecker or carpenter-bee damage, and no repaint every few years when it is factory finished. It is one of five fiber cement profiles we pre-finish.
Widths and exposures
| Board width | Exposure | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 5¼″ | 4″ | Historic and cottage styles, tight shadow lines |
| 6¼″ | 5″ | The most common residential spec |
| 7¼″ | 6″ | Contemporary standard, fewer courses per wall |
| 8¼″ | 7″ | Larger homes, bolder lines |
| 12″ | 10¾″ | Modern wide-plank look |
We stock and finish all standard widths and the matching trim sizes.
Available products
| SIZE | EXPOSURE | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| 5/16” x 5 ¼” x 12’ | 4-inch exposure | 12.1 lbs/pc |
| 5/16” x 6 ¼” x 12’ | 5-inch exposure | 14.5 lbs/pc |
| 5/16” x 7 ¼” x 12’ | 6-inch exposure | 16.8 lbs/pc |
| 5/16” x 8 ¼” x 12’ | 7-inch exposure | 19.0 lbs/pc |
| 5/16” x 9 ¼” x 12’ | 8-inch exposure | 21.4 lbs/pc |
| 5/16” x 12” x 12” | 10 ¾” inch exposure | 27.8 lbs/pc |
Available in both Cedarmill and Smooth textures. Cedarmill & Smooth Beaded is available in 8¼″ only.
Smooth vs. wood-grain texture
Cedar-grain texture is embossed at the factory and reads as painted wood from the curb; smooth boards give a crisper, more modern line and show finish quality more plainly — which is exactly where factory application in controlled conditions outperforms field painting. Both textures take the ColortonesComplete finish identically. See coating and color options ⇒
Installation notes builders care about
- Blind-nailed at the top edge into studs; minimum 1¼″ headlap.
- Keep a 1/8″ gap where boards meet trim, caulked with a paintable exterior sealant — ask us about color-matched caulk for your finish.
- Factory-finished boards eliminate the paint stage: hang, caulk, done. No repaint mobilization, no weather window.
- Cut ends should be sealed; a touch-up kit ships free with every pre-finished order.
Ready to see your color on real siding?
Free samples ship anywhere in the continental United States. Every order is finished in our climate-controlled Western North Carolina facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HardiePlank the same thing as fiber cement lap siding?
HardiePlank is James Hardie’s brand name for its fiber cement lap board — the market leader, but Allura lap siding is dimensionally equivalent and we finish both.
What does fiber cement lap siding cost?
Materials typically run $2 to $6 per square foot before installation, varying with width and texture. Pre-finishing adds the coating but removes the painting contract.
Can lap siding be mixed with shakes or board & batten?
Yes. Because every profile is finished in the same facility from the same color formula, mixed-profile elevations match exactly and ship together.