Aspyre Design by James Hardie: Is It the Next Big Thing?
Jon Vaughan
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Balancing Design With Cost and Schedule
For many years, stone and brick have been the go-to cladding solutions for durability and prestige. They’re long-lasting, distinctive and make a statement. But with those advantages comes a higher price tag thanks to expensive, heavy materials and specialized labor. Masons can be hard to find and are always in demand, leading to delays in your project. And the more money you spend on cladding, the less you can spend on other features of the project in order to stay on budget.The Aspyre Design Collection
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But we’re now seeing new products and design options, including fiber cement panels and premium siding, take on stone and brick. These products are providing an interesting alternative for residential builders.
One new product we are loving is James Hardie’s new Aspyre Design collection, which boasts high-quality and durable products at a more affordable price than brick or stone. For multi-residential projects, Hardie claims that the Reveal panel system can be as much as 50% less expensive than other cladding systems. And it can be installed by many tradespeople, so you don’t have to wait for a mason to be available.
It seems that with the Aspyre Design collection, the possibilities are nearly endless because you can choose from a variety of sizes and finishes. Reveal Panels and Artisan Siding can come to your site pre-primed and ready to be painted to match any color trim, windows or doors.
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A Modern Look
We like the Aspyre Design collection because it features a wide variety of panels and siding in different widths and thicknesses that you can combine to get the modern look you want. Some builders are using the Reveal Panels to delineate the building’s facade and the Artisan Siding to provide an accent around window walls and sliding doors.
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Or you can use windows and the Reveal Panels in an offset pattern to mimic natural rock striations and quarrying rock cuts, like this multi-residential development. Design features like this could help bring a unique freshness in the competitive new housing market.
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One of the distinctive features of cement fiber siding is its thickness. While this has often been associated with its durability, it also creates a distinctive modern look. Reveal Panels and Artisan siding can cast deep shadows, creating fresh visual appeal. Or builders can choose from a variety of exposed or hidden fasteners that best fit their overall design.
Really, the options are endless, and we are excited to see all the new ways builders are using these products to create unique, modern looks.
Classic Aesthetics
Builders are finding Artisan Siding’s different profiles are also well suited to more traditional construction, like this planned community in South Carolina. These communities bring the classic charm of Old South homes with the durability of fiber cement. Where this project’s facades were originally planned to be wood, brick or stucco, Artisan Siding was finally chosen for its low maintenance longevity.
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Although the focus of the Aspyre Design collection is on beauty and aesthetic appeal, it comes with the added advantage of being durable in all weather conditions. As with other James Hardie products, this collection is designed to resist:
- Moisture and water damage
- Mold growth
- Shrinking, swelling and cracking
- Damage from insects and other pests
- Fire
- UV radiation