James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding in Harpswell, Maine

Fiber cement gives a Harpswell house the appearance of painted clapboard or shingles with far less of the upkeep that salt and fog force on wood. James Hardie lap siding and shingle panels do not rot, are not eaten by insects and hold a factory finish well, which matters on walls facing Casco Bay where site-applied paint breaks down within a few seasons. For older farmhouses and village houses from the 19th century, a smooth lap board can reproduce the painted clapboard look closely.

Coastal installation details make the difference. Fiber cement needs its specified clearances from decks, roofs and grade, and on waterfront houses that often means rethinking trim where old siding ran right down to a deck surface. Corrosion-resistant fasteners are required in salt exposure, and cut edges should be sealed. Freeze-thaw cycles through the winter are handled well when the boards are kept off standing water. Fiber cement is also noncombustible, a benefit for houses at the end of long roads on the islands and the Neck. Harpswell's permit rules for renovations still apply to a re-side.

Census estimates count about 4,300 housing units in Harpswell with a median year built around 1979. Roughly one in five units predates 1940, about 29 percent predates 1960, around 22 percent was built between 1960 and 1979, and about 19 percent dates from 2000 or later. More than 91 percent of units are single-family detached houses, and about 83 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, both far above most Cumberland County towns. The most distinctive number is seasonal use: around 1,440 units, about a third of the housing stock, are held for seasonal or recreational use. That means cottages and camps that sit closed for months, next to year-round capes, farmhouses and larger newer homes on the water, often clad in cedar shingles or clapboard.

Few towns in Cumberland County are as exposed. Harpswell's land area is about 24 square miles against more than 100 square miles of water, so much of the town sits close to the bay and the wind has a long open run to reach them. Salt spray settles on siding, glass and roof metal, fog keeps surfaces damp for days, and nor'easters push rain sideways into east- and north-facing walls. Snowfall at the Portland Jetport, the closest long-record National Weather Service station, averaged about 69 inches a year over the 1991 to 2020 normals, and wet coastal snow loads roofs and decks quickly. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles still split paint, loosen shingles and heave shallow footings.

The Harpswell Code Enforcement Office requires a building permit to alter, repair, renovate or replace any existing structure. Its permit guide specifically lists decks, even when built off-site, and window and exterior door replacement. The permit must be posted before work starts, review takes about 14 business days, and an accurate plot plan is expected. Structures must stay within the building envelope: in shoreland zones, 75 feet from the highest astronomical tide and 25 feet from boundary lines. Permits run one year, or up to five with a substantial start, and inspections include a final.

Fiber cement is a mix of cement, sand and cellulose fiber pressed into planks, shingles and panels. It does not rot, insects do not eat it, it will not burn, and factory-applied finishes hold color far longer than site-painted wood. It is heavier and more exacting to install than vinyl, which is exactly why installation quality shows. The Back Cove home on this site was re-sided with a complete James Hardie package of wood-grain plank.

• Walls are stripped, repaired and wrapped, with flashing at every opening and roof-to-wall joint.
• Boards are cut with dust-controlled tools and fastened to the manufacturer's nailing schedule.
• Required clearances are held above roofs, decks and grade so the ends never sit in water or snow.
• Butt joints get flashing behind them, and cut ends are sealed or primed as the manufacturer specifies.
• Trim, caulk lines and touch-up are finished so the pre-finished color stays uniform.

• You want the look of painted clapboard without the paint cycle
• Wood siding keeps rotting at the bottom courses and around trim
• The house sits in wind and salt exposure that punishes other materials
• You want a non-combustible exterior

• Product line and profile: lap plank, shingle, panel or board-and-batten
• Pre-finished color versus site painting
• Trim package and detailing
• Tear-off, sheathing repair and house height
• Number of windows, doors and corners to flash and trim

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our siding page, and the details of this service are on the James Hardie fiber cement siding overview.

Back to the Harpswell exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.