Siding in Legend Oaks, Austin, TX (November 2025)

Why did this Austin home need new siding?

The older exterior had taken years of Central Texas abuse. Sun, hail, and cedar pollen wear down wood-based cladding fast in the 78749 area. This home was ready for a material that fights back.

• Home sits in southwest Austin, an area full of aging 1980s and 1990s builds
• Original cladding showed the kind of surface fatigue common on limestone-soil lots
• Scope included removing a gable vent and disposing of the existing gutters

What did the crew find behind the old siding?

Once we pulled the old cladding, the wall assembly told the real story. We replaced the substrate with 7/16" OSB wall sheathing so the new Hardie planks would sit on a solid, flat base. Behind that, we added R-13 roll-in insulation to help the home hold conditioned air through those brutal summer stretches. A homeowner working alone often skips the sheathing check and nails new siding over tired, uneven board. That shortcut traps moisture and leaves the whole wall soft within a few seasons. Doing it right at the stud level is what makes fiber cement last decades here.

Why James Hardie 8.25" Select Cedar Mill?

We chose James Hardie fiber cement because it shrugs off the exact things that destroy wood siding in Austin. It won't rot, it won't feed insects, and it holds paint through 100°-plus heat and sudden hail. The 8.25" Select Cedar Mill profile gives the wood-grain look this street expects without the maintenance headaches.

• Primed Select Cedar Mill planks plus matching 8.25" primed lap
• Hardie 6" fascia (includes 1x2) and Hardie soffit with H-mold
• 4' x 8' Select Cedar Mill porch ceiling, installed and painted
• Brick pocket 1" x 4" detailing where siding meets masonry

Why replace the windows before the siding?

Sequence matters more than most homeowners realize. We installed the new windows first, then brought the siding in around them. That order let the crew flash and integrate each opening before the walls closed up. Doing it the other way forces awkward patching and leaves gaps where Austin's wind-driven rain gets in. On aging homes like this one, the old window openings are almost never square, so setting fresh units first gives the siding clean, true lines to trace. The two trades ended up working as one weather barrier instead of two separate jobs.

• Windows set and sealed ahead of any cladding
• Garage door jamb wrapped, including a double-jamb detail
• New openings tied into the fresh sheathing and wrap

How did the finish and cleanup go?

We coated the siding in Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint and painted the fascia and soffit up to 24". Color and coverage matter here because a good film blocks UV and rinses cedar pollen off easily each spring. We also installed shutters and gable vents to finish the look.

• Two rounds of yard cleanup plus punch-out items
• Shutters and gable vents installed after painting
• Full site walk to confirm nothing was left behind

What were the results?

The home came out with a tight, uniform envelope built for the local climate. New windows, new sheathing, added insulation, and Hardie cladding now work together. It should stay low-maintenance for years.