James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding | Rocky Mountain Finishes

Fiber Cement Siding WUI Compliant Noncombustible · Rocky Mountain Finishes · May 2026

James Hardie Fiber Cement — The Noncombustible Standard

Products, profiles, and real project photos from the Rocky Mountain Finishes portfolio

James Hardie fiber cement is the most widely specified noncombustible siding product in Colorado mountain construction. It is compliant in every WUI fire intensity zone, recognized by every AHJ in the state, and available prefinished in hundreds of colors. When the project is in a fire zone and the client wants a clean, durable exterior, Hardie is the answer.

Rocky Mountain Finishes supplies the full James Hardie product lineup, prefinished to the color of your choosing, delivered to your jobsite.

What Is Fiber Cement?

Fiber cement is a composite material made from Portland cement, sand, and cellulose fiber. It is manufactured under high pressure and heat, producing a dense, dimensionally stable panel or lap board that does not burn, rot, or support insect activity. James Hardie is the dominant fiber cement brand in the US market, with a formulation specifically tuned for regional climate conditions.

For Colorado, Hardie produces its products to the HZ5 specification — a formulation designed for climates with freeze-thaw cycling, wide temperature swings, and UV exposure. HZ5 is the correct product spec for the Colorado mountain market.

Noncombustible by definition. Fiber cement does not burn. It is compliant in all Colorado WUI zones — Low, Moderate, and High — without any additional fire treatment or documentation beyond the product spec sheet.

The Hardie Product Line

RMF Prefinished — Our Finish, Our Warranty

Rocky Mountain Finishes prefinishes James Hardie fiber cement in-house before it ships to your jobsite. The product arrives ready to install — no field priming, no painting, no scheduling a paint crew. Our finish is applied to the fiber cement substrate and backed by our own warranty, separate from and in addition to Hardie's panel warranty.

Product	Profile	Best For
HardiePlank Lap Siding	Horizontal lap, 5" to 12" exposure	Primary field siding, full elevations
HardiePanel Vertical Siding	4x8 to 4x10 vertical panels	Board and batten, gable ends, accent zones
HardieShingle Siding	Pre-assembled shake panels	Accent zones, dormers, upper-story detail
HardieTrim	Boards, fascia, corner trim, frieze	Window surrounds, corners, rake and fascia
HardieSoffit	Solid and vented panels	Soffits in WUI zones — noncombustible assembly

We offer a 30-year color warranty on single-tone finishes and a 15-year color warranty on two-tone finishes. The Hardie panels themselves remain backed by James Hardie's manufacturer warranty. You get two layers of coverage — our finish, their substrate.

Color selection is wide open. We are not limited to a manufacturer's fixed palette. If you have a color in mind, we can match it.

Color Options — Single & Two-Tone

Every finish we apply is custom to your project. Any color below can be used as a body or trim color — and any two can be combined for a two-tone finish backed by our 15-year two-tone warranty. View the full RMF color catalog for the complete selection.

Allura — The Hardie Alternative

Rocky Mountain Finishes also supplies Allura fiber cement — a noncombustible alternative to Hardie with the same compliance profile, competitive pricing, and strong availability for Colorado mountain projects. Allura offers lap, panel, and shingle profiles and is available prefinished to custom colors.

For large exterior packages where cost and lead time matter, Allura is worth a conversation. The compliance story is identical — noncombustible, accepted in all WUI zones, recognized by Colorado AHJs.

Benefits & Drawbacks

Benefits

Noncombustible — compliant in every Colorado WUI zone, no exceptions
Recognized by every AHJ in Colorado — no extra documentation needed
HZ5 formulation engineered for Colorado's freeze-thaw climate
RMF prefinished — arrives jobsite-ready, no field painting required
Does not rot, warp, or support insect activity
30-year single-tone finish warranty, 15-year two-tone finish warranty (RMF) + Hardie panel warranty
Full product system — siding, soffit, trim, and shingle from one manufacturer
Lowest maintenance exterior product category available

Drawbacks

Does not look like real wood up close — texture is simulated
Heavier than wood or LP SmartSide — requires more labor to handle and install
Brittle — can crack if improperly stored, handled, or cut without proper blades
Higher cost than LP SmartSide for equivalent coverage
Fiber cement dust is hazardous — requires proper respiratory PPE during cutting

Two-product approach: The most common high-end exterior spec in our market combines Hardie as the primary field material with another wood accent for architectural warmth. Hardie handles the compliance, the wood handles the character. We can help you build that spec and get it through the AHJ.

Ready to Spec James Hardie?

Rocky Mountain Finishes supplies HardiePlank, HardiePanel, HardieShingle, HardieTrim, and Allura fiber cement for Colorado mountain projects. Prefinished, delivered, and documented for WUI inspection.

Want to know more? Contact Luke Tyler.