September 13, 2022
Bellwether is proud to be an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor because we believe in the quality and the benefits
Colorado homes with wood siding are popular for their charming, rustic appearance and natural wood grains. But in a dry climate, prone to wildfires, Bellwether experts caution against any natural or composite wood siding. It isn’t worth the risk to begin with, and also, our in-house design team has so many fire-rated options that will protect your home with the same beautiful appearance of wood.
Bellwether siding experts strongly recommend fiber cement siding products, and especially James Hardie fiber cement siding. You can use fiber cement siding to achieve a wood-forward aesthetic while relying on the durability and resiliency of a composite product to protect against environmental elements, such as wildfires.
To maximize the wood-like appearance of your fiber cement siding alternative, Bellwether recommends Woodtone products. Woodtone is a pre-finishing company from British Columbia that pre-stains other manufacturers’ products, including James Hardie fiber cement siding panels. Woodtone also pre-finishes Allura products, LP Substrate products, and real wood planks.
The Woodtone technology utilizes a double application to achieve a true wood-grain look, even on fiber cement siding. Woodtone applies a base coat in the desired color, and then reapplies the same color, wiping away the excess to bring out light and dark color gradients against the texture of the siding material. This process finishes beautifully, presenting like wood grain in one of multiple color or stain options.
What’s more, these treated, fiber cement siding products can be installed using various joinery techniques, just as wood, for the look of lap siding, board and batten, shingle or shake and others. Our in-house design team also prefers Woodtone treated materials for soffits and accents to add a pop of brilliant wood detail to your home design.
As an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor, Bellwether recommends James Hardie fiber cement siding treated by Woodtone a beautiful, wood siding appearance on a home that is much more protected against extreme temperatures and sun, hail and ice, moisture and pest intrusions, and the risk of wildfire.
Woodtone products are not only safe and beautiful, they have long life. For example, James Hardie fiber cement siding materials come with a 15-year warranty; but if those products have been treated with Woodtone, the warranty increases to 20 years. For almost all Woodtone siding options, they provide a longer color-finish warranty than the material manufacturers.
Because Woodtone creates such a superior product, the costs can run higher. If the price tag makes Woodtone siding products unavailable for your home design product, our design team recommends using Woodtone as an accent in a smaller square-footage space. This tactic keeps expenses down but instantly upgrades your home design with the rustic, high-end appeal of beautiful wood.
After the 20-year color-finish warranty mark, Woodtone products may begin to show signs of weathering. James Hardie fiber cement siding has a lifetime guarantee of 30 years, so your siding will still be functional, though aged-looking Because of the color-application process, it is difficult to re-stain Woodtone product and achieve the same wood-grain look. However, all Woodtone-treated products can be painted in a beautiful new color, infusing new brilliant life into these long-lasting materials.
As with all of our siding options, we install these durable, reliable products with care and attention to the highest industry standards. We will always adhere to the manufacturers’ best practices as the minimum standard for our installation procedures, ensuring that your home siding looks beautiful and performs well.
Bellwether guarantees that our siding installations include an expertly designed moisture management system. Regardless of your siding type, Bellwether-installed siding creates a barrier between the living spaces of your home and the outside environment, to keep your home comfortable and dry. A professional moisture management system includes flashing, moisture barriers, drainage holes, and careful caulking to seal against rainwater and other elements.
Using Bellwether’s expertise and a tried-and-true product, such as James Hardie fiber cement siding treated with Woodtone, will yield a beautiful and protect home for you to cherish for many years.
Our team is proud to serve our homeowners on the Front range of Colorado. We know the unique needs of our clients and deeply care about the look and durability of your home’s exterior. Our team of experts are here to guide you through the process of repairing or replacing your home’s siding and windows.
30 - year Product Warranty | 15 - year Finish Warranty
Personalized Exterior Design Service
Excellent Service & Support Throughout Project Lifecycle
3D & HD Renderings of Your Home
Unique to Bellwether, we offer a pre construction meeting where we provide a clear and detailed scope before we begin building.
Open communication with project manager crew leader, and internal representatives.
It's not over until you say so. We value your satisfaction with our product above all else. We offer final walkthrough to guarantee you are pleased.
Our team is proud to serve our homeowners on the Front range of Colorado. We know the unique needs of our clients and deeply care about the look and durability of your home’s exterior. Our team of experts are here to guide you through the process of repairing or replacing your home’s siding and windows.
30 - year Product Warranty | 15 - year Finish Warranty
Exellent Service & Support Throughout Project Lifecycle
Personalized Exterior Design Service
3D & HD Renderings of Your Home
Bellwether is proud to be an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor because we believe in the quality and the benefits
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No. Woodtone is a company based in British Columbia that provides a wood-looking finish to your siding material.
Woodtone technology utilizes a double application to achieve a true wood-grain look, applying a base coat in the desired color, and then reapplying the same color, wiping away the excess to bring out light and dark color gradients against the texture of the siding material. This process finishes beautifully, presenting like wood grain in one of multiple color or stain options.
A Woodtone treatment can give a wood grain finish to any siding material. Bellwether always recommends fiber cement siding because of its long-lasting beauty and resilience in the Colorado climate. Fiber cement siding finished in Woodtone will give your home the rustic charm of wood siding while still protecting against sun, snow, and fire.
