Siding & Exterior Painting in Cherrywood, Austin, TX

Why did this Cherrywood home need new siding?

The old wood cedar siding had reached the end of its life. Cracks, soft spots, and years of Austin sun had worn it down. Repainting alone would have just hidden the damage for a season or two.

• Original cedar boards were splitting and holding moisture
• A brick section and a planter were removed to clean up the wall line
• Vinyl gable vents were rotted and needed full replacement
• The homeowner wanted the cedar look without the constant upkeep

What did we find once we opened up the walls?

Pulling the old siding told the real story of this house. Behind the boards, the sheathing was tired and no longer sealing the wall the way it should. That is a common find on Austin homes from this era, where decades of heat cycles and driving rain slowly work the structure loose. We made the call to install Zip System sheathing instead of patching the old substrate. It gives you a built-in air and water barrier in one layer, which matters a lot during our sudden spring storms. Skipping that step is the mistake most homeowners never see coming, because the new siding looks fine on day one while moisture quietly does its work behind it.

Why James Hardie fiber cement for this project?

We chose James Hardie 8.25" Smooth in Primed Select Cedar Mill for one main reason: it survives Central Texas. Fiber cement does not warp in 100°-plus heat, and it shrugs off hail that would dent or crack lesser materials. The Cedar Mill texture keeps the woodgrain character the homeowner loved about the original cedar.

• Board delivered through ABC Supply Co. for the fiber cement run
• Primed Select finish gave us a clean base for paint
• Smooth 8.25" profile matched the home's existing scale
• Cedar pollen and grime wipe off far easier than they did on raw wood

How did the exterior painting come together?

Once the new siding was up, the painting phase brought the whole home into one look. We used Sherwin Williams coatings picked to hold color under harsh Austin sun. Every exterior surface got attention, not just the walls.

• Painted fascia, skirting, and the exterior stairs
• Coated the gutters and downspouts by the linear foot
• Painted both entry doors and the garage doors
• New vinyl gable vents were painted to match the body color

How long did the whole job take?

The siding and paint phases each ran over several days in late fall. Crews worked the fiber cement install first, then moved to full paint coverage. Two rounds of yard cleanup and punch work closed things out in November.

• Siding install completed before the paint crew mobilized
• Two yard cleanups plus a dedicated punch-out pass
• Final punch items wrapped by November 30, 2023
• Electrical support handled by a licensed local contractor