Siding & Windows in Montopolis, Austin, TX

Why did this Montopolis home need new siding?

The old cladding had taken years of abuse from Austin summers and spring hail. Fiber cement was the clear fix for a home in this ZIP code.

• Board and batten gives a bold vertical line that suits older Montopolis homes
• Fiber cement won't swell or rot the way wood does in humid stretches
• The 16-inch on-center spacing keeps the batten pattern even and clean

What did the crew do about the windows first?

We handled the windows before touching the siding, and that order matters. Doing it backward is a mistake we see often. When windows go in after new cladding, the flashing gets awkward and the seals never sit right.

We ordered the windows on May 1st. They arrived in early June, and our team set the full run in a single day. That let us flash and seal each opening properly before the fiber cement went up around it. The result is a weather-tight envelope with no shortcuts hiding behind the boards.

What materials did we use, and why?

We chose James Hardie board and batten for its track record in heat and hail. Central Texas is hard on exteriors, and fiber cement handles it.

• 3/8-inch Hardie trim wrapping the beams for a crisp edge
• Wrapped porch columns to match the new siding lines
• Specialty siding pieces for the trickier transitions
• Fascia and soffit painted up to 24 inches

Here's the deeper reason fiber cement wins in this area. Our summers push past 100 degrees for weeks, and that heat cooks wood siding until it warps and splits. Fiber cement holds its shape through those swings. It also stands up to hail far better than vinyl, which cracks when a storm rolls through. On a limestone-heavy lot like this one, the material's stability pairs well with a home that has already settled over decades. That combination is why we specified Hardie here instead of a cheaper alternative.

How did the installation go?

The siding phase started in mid-June and ran several days. Paint followed once the boards and battens were set.

• ABC Supply delivered the Hardie material to the site
• We coated the siding in Sherwin Williams Super Paint
• Two rounds of yard cleanup and punch items closed out the work
• Final completion landed on July 26, 2024

What were the results?

The home now wears a clean, uniform board and batten exterior that reads far newer than its age. Cedar pollen season and summer sun won't chew through this finish the way they did the old one.

• A sealed, flashed window set under fresh fiber cement
• Painted fascia and soffit tying the roofline together
• A single-source exterior that ages evenly