Highlights
Brick siding and fiber cement siding are both beautiful and durable.
Fiber cement siding is available in hundreds of styles and colors.
Brick siding is a classic and eco-friendly choice.
Fiber cement siding costs from $4–$15 per square foot, and brick siding costs from $9–$28 per square foot.
The siding on your home is the first line of defense against the elements—and it also has a big effect on curb appeal. For these reasons, choosing a strong and stunning exterior siding material is extremely important. If you’ve narrowed down your options to either fiber cement siding or brick siding, this guide will help you make your decision by detailing the pluses and minuses of each.
Fiber Cement Siding Pros & Cons
You might not even realize a home has fiber cement siding until you get up close and personal. That is because fiber cement siding is available in a myriad of finishes that mimic other types of exterior siding, including wood, stone, brick, and stucco, as well as a variety of styles such as shingles, shakes, lap siding, and vertical siding.
Fiber cement siding can take on all of these shapes because it is made of versatile materials: cement, sand (fly ash), water, and cellulose fibers (wood pulp). However, while it comes in many colors and styles, it might be more difficult to find than other types of siding, because it is only available at select local suppliers.
Pros
Hundreds of color and style options are available.
Lasts for up to 50 years
Impressive durability: It’s resistant to insects, rot, heat, wind, rain, and impact.
Requires minimal maintenance
Cons
Siding requires repainting every 10–15 years.
Due to the heavier weight, it cannot be installed on all types of homes.
Brick Siding Pros & Cons
Brick is a classic siding material that has been used on home exteriors for centuries. Bricks come in various shades of red, pink, cream, gray, purple, brown, and tan, and they can be laid in many different patterns.
Traditional brick siding is made of solid masonry construction. Modern construction has introduced a brick veneer application. The difference is that with solid masonry, the brick is structural and holds up the building, while a brick veneer is simply for appearance and provides no structural support. In this article, we are considering brick siding to be brick veneer.
Pros
Superior insulating properties
Impressive durability: It’s resistant to insects, rot, heat, wind, rain, and impact.
A classic design style that stands the test of time.
Made of eco-friendly, natural materials.
Requires minimal maintenance
Cons
Fewer color and style options compared to other types of siding
Higher installation and maintenance costs
Mortar joints between bricks require re-pointing as needed.
Fiber Cement Siding vs. Brick Siding
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing between fiber cement siding and brick siding beyond how your home will look. Here’s how the two materials compare when it comes to durability, return on investment, and more.
Appearance
Brick is a traditional siding option that stands the test of time. It looks stately on any style of home, especially when used alongside other materials like wood or stucco.
Fiber cement siding is a versatile material that can take on the look of many types of siding, such as wood.
While the aesthetic choice between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference, fiber cement siding has more options available to fit every type of style.
Most aesthetically pleasing: Fiber Cement Siding
Durability
Both materials stand up well to wind, rain, impact, insects, and the like. But the way brick veneer is installed, with mortar joints between the layers of bricks, puts it at a slight disadvantage.
These joints are prone to breaking down over time, which can allow water to seep inside your home. Fiber cement siding does not have this issue because the rows of siding overlap one another, making it a slightly more durable choice.
Most durable: Fiber Cement Siding
Price
Brick siding and fiber cement siding are more expensive than some other siding options, including vinyl and wood. But how do their costs compare to each other?
The cost of brick veneer is between $9 and $28 per square foot with an average of about $15 per square foot. The cost of fiber cement siding, meanwhile, is anywhere from $4 to $15 per square foot or about $10 per square foot. This makes fiber cement siding the cheaper option.
Most affordable: Fiber Cement Siding
Ease of Installation
Both brick and fiber cement are heavier than traditional vinyl or wood siding. This means installation is more complicated, takes a longer time, and may require additional anchoring for support.
Brick, however, is the heavier of the two, and the mortar joints are a time-consuming process. It is therefore more complicated than fiber cement siding to install. Fiber cement siding is installed in a similar manner to wood siding.
Fiber cement siding and brick siding both require some skill to install. To ensure your siding is installed correctly and your home is properly sealed from moisture, hire an experienced local siding contractor for your project.
Easiest installation: Fiber Cement Siding
Maintenance
The upkeep for brick siding and fiber cement siding require about the same amount of effort. Both need to be washed annually to clean off dirt and debris.
For brick siding, the mortar joints will need to be repointed, but not that often—the mortar can last up to 50 years. Inspect the joints regularly to make sure there are no holes or other damage.
You should repaint fiber cement siding every 10 years or so and repair any cracks or splits with caulking or replacement siding sections.
Easiest maintenance: Tie
Energy Efficiency
Your exterior siding, in addition to your insulation, is part of your building envelope which keeps your home’s temperature regulated. The better the insulating properties of your siding, the more energy-efficient your home will be.
How well a material resists heat flow is measured in R-Values. Brick siding has an R-Value of 0.44, which is slightly better than fiber cement siding at 0.37.
Best energy efficiency: Brick
Return On Investment
Certain home upgrades will add value to your home, giving you a return on your initial investment when you go to sell. Exterior siding is one of these upgrades that homebuyers are willing to pay more money for.
Fiber cement siding has an ROI of 76 percent, while brick siding has an ROI of anywhere from 65 to 75 percent. In other words, their ROI values are just about the same.
Best ROI: Tie
