Siding in Live Oak Ridge, West Lake Hills, TX

Why did this Live Oak Ridge home need new siding?

The old cladding was showing its age and no longer sealing the walls the way it should. This homeowner wanted a finish that could take Central Texas weather without constant repair.

• West Lake Hills sees 100°+ summers that warp and crack wood siding
• Spring hail is a real threat to softer materials
• Cedar pollen and moisture push into weak seams and fade old paint
• The client found us through an internet search and reached out in July 2023

What did we find when we inspected the home?

Once we started pulling the old material, the front wall needed real attention before anything new went up. The existing substrate was not flat or solid enough to carry fiber cement cleanly, so we added new sheathing rather than fasten over an uneven surface. That extra step matters more than most homeowners realize. Siding is only as straight as the wall behind it, and a wavy substrate telegraphs right through the finished boards. Getting this right up front is why the final walls read so flat and clean.

• Installed 7/16" OSB wall sheathing on the front elevation
• Confirmed a level, secure base before fastening any Hardie
• Planned the layout so seams and courses lined up across elevations

What materials did we use, and why?

We went with James Hardie 6.25" Smooth in a Primed Select Cedar Mill profile. Fiber cement handles Austin's heat and hail far better than wood or older composite products. It will not swell with humidity or feed the moisture that rots wood trim.

The Smooth profile keeps the look clean and modern, and the primed board gives paint something reliable to bond to. That primer-plus-paint pairing is the key to longevity here. Skip proper priming and paint fails early at the joints, where our summer sun and driving rain hit hardest.

• Hardie 6.25" Smooth boards in Primed Select Cedar Mill
• Fiber cement rated for impact and long-term dimensional stability
• Delivered through ABC Supply, staged for a mid-October install

How did the painting go?

Once the siding cured, the crew moved to a full exterior repaint. We used Sherwin Williams SuperPaint for its coverage and its ability to hold color under harsh sun.

• Painted all new Hardie siding for a sealed, uniform surface
• Coated fascia and soffit up to 24 inches
• Refreshed exterior doors and every surface measured per square
• Painting followed shortly after the October siding work wrapped

What about drainage and gutters?

New siding needs water moving off and away from the walls, so we updated the drainage at the same time. Fresh gutters protect the new cladding and West Lake Hills' limestone-heavy soil around the foundation.

• 6" seamless aluminum gutters installed
• 5" Senox gutter runs added where sizing called for it
• 3" x 4" downspouts sized for both single-story and two-story sections

What were the results?

The home now wears one clean, weather-ready finish from top to bottom. The walls are straight, the color is even, and the whole exterior is built to need far less upkeep.

• Flat, sealed fiber cement across every elevation
• Matched paint on siding, trim, and doors
• Drainage tuned to protect the fresh install
• Project invoiced and completed November 8, 2023