ColorPlus Technology
James Hardie’s factory-applied finish. What it is, how it differs from painting on site, what the finish warranty covers, and when primed boards are the better call.
What ColorPlus is
James Hardie siding and trim leave the factory in one of two states. Primed boards have a coat of primer and are meant to be painted after they’re on your house. ColorPlus boards have the final colour already on them. The finish is applied at the plant in multiple coats and cured under controlled conditions before the boards are ever packed.
ColorPlus isn’t a different kind of siding. It’s the same fibre cement board with the painting done for you, indoors, by machines, before delivery. That sounds like a small difference. In a city where a reliable outdoor painting day is something you get between about May and September, it changes how and when a siding job can be done.
Factory finish versus painting on site
Think about what a painter is up against on a house. The surface has to be clean and dry. The temperature has to stay above the paint’s minimum, not just during the day but overnight while it cures. It can’t rain. Wind blows dust into wet paint and dries the surface too fast. Sun on a dark wall can make it too hot. And every board is being painted in place, around windows and lights, off a ladder.
Now picture boards moving flat along a line in a building where the temperature and humidity are controlled, with the coating applied at a consistent thickness and baked on. That’s the case for a factory finish in a nutshell. The paint isn’t magic. The conditions are just far better than anything a crew can arrange outdoors in Alberta.
| ColorPlus | Primed, painted on site | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the colour goes on | At the factory | On your house, after install |
| Weather needed | None for the finish | Warm, dry, calm days |
| Colour range | The ColorPlus palette for our region | Any colour |
| Finish warranty | 15-year limited, from James Hardie | From the paint maker and painter |
| Trades on site | Siding crew only | Siding crew, then painters |
| Handling | Boards must be protected from scratches | Marks get painted over |
| Changing your mind later | Repaint, like any siding | Repaint, like any siding |
The finish warranty, in plain terms
ColorPlus finishes come with a 15-year limited finish warranty from James Hardie. It’s a separate document from the 30-year product warranty on the board itself, and it works differently, so it’s worth understanding before you rely on it.
The finish warranty covers the factory coating against failures such as peeling, cracking and chipping. Unlike the siding warranty, it isn’t flat for the whole term. The published terms give full coverage in the first year and then reduce what James Hardie will pay by a fixed percentage each year from the second year to the fifteenth.
It has exclusions, like any warranty. Damage from handling and installation, from severe weather, and from things like mould or mildew growing on the surface are among them. Normal weathering isn’t a defect either. Every exterior colour changes a little over the years, and the warranty defines how much colour change counts as excessive.
The practical takeaways: keep your paperwork, register or record the purchase as your installer advises, and report a problem in writing soon after you notice it, because the warranty sets a time limit for notice. The warranty page goes through the siding, trim and finish warranties side by side. Always read the current document for your own product.
The colour range
James Hardie doesn’t sell every ColorPlus colour everywhere. Each region gets a core palette chosen for what sells there. The company’s Statement Collection is that kind of regional set. So the colours you see on a website, on a US home-improvement show or on a house you photographed on holiday may not be on the Calgary list.
The palette is also updated now and then. Colours get added and retired. That matters if you’re doing a house in stages, or if you’ll need to match a repair in ten years. It’s one reason to keep a note of the exact colour name, and to hold on to a leftover board or two after the job.
The right way to choose is with physical samples, outside, held against your roof, your stone or brick, and your windows, in morning and afternoon light. Calgary’s sun is strong and the sky is big; colours wash out and look cooler here than they do in a showroom. Our colours page has a step-by-step approach.
When primed is the better choice
ColorPlus suits most projects, but not all.
- You want a colour that isn’t in the palette. A heritage colour, an exact match to something existing, or a particular designer shade. Primed boards and a good painter get you there.
- You’re matching an existing painted house. An addition to a home with painted siding may be easier to blend if everything is painted together.
- The product or size you need only comes primed. Some widths, textures and specialty items aren’t offered in ColorPlus. James Hardie’s own specification sheet notes that the widest HZ5 lap sizes are primed only.
- The timing works. If the siding is going up in June anyway, the weather argument for a factory finish is weaker.
If you go primed, the paint job matters. Use a quality exterior acrylic paint suited to fibre cement, apply it in the conditions the paint maker specifies, and don’t leave primed boards unpainted for longer than James Hardie’s instructions allow. Primer isn’t a finish.
What ColorPlus means for installation
A factory finish asks more of the installer in one respect: the boards arrive finished, so any damage done on site is damage to the final surface.
Handling. ColorPlus boards are shipped with a protective sheet between them. Crews carry them on edge, keep them off the ground, store them flat and covered, and leave the protective layer on until the board is going on the wall. Sliding one finished board across another scratches it.
Cutting. Cuts are made so the tool doesn’t chip the finished face, and cut edges are sealed with the edge-coating product the manufacturer specifies.
Fastening. Blind nailing hides fasteners on lap siding. Where a fastener has to show, on trim for example, it’s done neatly and finished to match.
Touch-up. James Hardie supplies touch-up in ColorPlus colours for nail heads and small nicks. It’s meant to be dabbed on sparingly. It isn’t formulated to be brushed over large areas, and where it’s overused it can weather differently from the factory finish and show up as dull patches a few years on. If a board is badly scratched, the right fix is to replace the board.
Caulking. Sealant is colour-matched to the siding, and used only where the instructions call for it.
When you walk the finished job with your installer, look along the walls in low-angle light. That’s when scratches and touch-up marks show. It’s a fair thing to check before you sign off.
ColorPlus in Calgary’s climate
Year-round installation. This is the big one locally. James Hardie promotes ColorPlus products as suitable for year-round installation, since the finish is already cured. Siding crews in Calgary work through the winter, and a factory finish is what makes a January siding job practical. Some sealants and touch-up products still have minimum application temperatures, so a good crew plans the caulking around the weather.
UV. We get a lot of sunshine, and at our altitude it’s intense. UV is what fades and chalks exterior paint. James Hardie describes ColorPlus finishes as having superior UV resistance and colour retention. Even so, expect any colour to shift a little over fifteen or twenty years, and expect to notice it more on dark colours and on the south and west sides.
Hail. Fibre cement stands up to hail better than many claddings, but a hard enough strike can chip a finish on any material. Small chips can be touched up. Hail damage is an insurance matter, not a finish warranty claim.
Dust. Calgary is dry and windy, and a film of dust on the walls can make a colour look faded when it’s only dirty. Rinse before you judge.
Looking after a ColorPlus finish
- Rinse with a garden hose every six to twelve months.
- For dirt that won’t rinse off, use a soft cloth or soft brush with water, working along the board.
- Don’t pressure wash at close range and don’t use acid or harsh solvent cleaners. James Hardie’s cleaning guidance warns these can damage the surface.
- Keep sprinklers from hitting the walls every day. Hard water leaves mineral marks.
- Trim back shrubs that rub against the siding.
- Deal with chips promptly using the proper touch-up.
Full routine in the maintenance guide.
Repainting, eventually
A ColorPlus finish lasts a long time, but nothing painted lasts forever. When the day comes, or if you simply want a different colour, ColorPlus siding can be repainted with a good exterior acrylic after proper cleaning and preparation. Once you do, the new coating is covered by whatever the paint manufacturer and painter offer. The board’s own product warranty is a separate matter and isn’t affected by a properly done repaint.
Strengths and limitations
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Applied and cured in controlled factory conditions | Colour choice limited to the regional palette |
| No painting season to wait for | Finished boards must be handled with care |
| 15-year limited finish warranty from the manufacturer | Finish warranty coverage reduces each year after the first |
| One crew, one visit, no painters to schedule | Not offered on every size and texture |
| Consistent colour from board to board | Palette changes over time, which can complicate later matching |
What it does to the price
ColorPlus boards cost more than primed boards. Against that, you aren’t paying a painter to prime-check, caulk and apply two coats to the whole house, or waiting for weather to let them. For most Calgary projects the two routes end up closer in total than people expect, and ColorPlus is often the simpler one to schedule. Ask for the quote to show clearly which finish is included so you’re comparing like with like. More in the cost guide.
What to ask at your estimate
A quote that just says “James Hardie siding, colour to be chosen” leaves the finish open, and the finish affects both price and warranty. Pin it down.
- Is every product on the quote ColorPlus, or are some pieces primed? Trim, soffit and shingle are the ones to check.
- If anything is primed, who paints it, with what paint, and how many coats?
- Can I see a full-size board in my colour, outside, before the order goes in?
- How are cut edges and nail heads being finished?
- Will touch-up product in my colour be left with me when the job is done?
Write the colour name down exactly as it appears on the sample. Names get shortened in conversation, and a wrong colour on a factory-finished order is an expensive mistake to fix.
Common questions
Is ColorPlus just paint?
It’s a paint finish, but applied in multiple coats and cured in a factory instead of brushed or sprayed outdoors. The controlled conditions are what make the difference.
How long does it last?
The finish warranty runs 15 years, with coverage that reduces over time. How long the finish actually looks good depends on colour, exposure and care. Many last well beyond the warranty period.
Can I get a custom colour in ColorPlus?
For a typical house, you choose from the palette. For a custom colour, use primed boards and have them painted.
Will the colour fade?
All exterior colours change gradually with sun exposure. Darker colours show it more. The finish warranty defines what counts as excessive change.
What if a board gets scratched during installation?
Small nicks are touched up. A badly scratched board should be replaced. Check the walls in low light before final sign-off.
Can ColorPlus siding really be installed in winter?
Yes, the boards themselves can. Caulking and touch-up products have temperature limits, so crews schedule those steps for suitable conditions.
Can I repaint ColorPlus later?
Yes. Clean and prepare the surface and use a quality exterior acrylic. The new paint is then covered by its own manufacturer.
Will a replacement board match in ten years?
A new board in the same colour will be close but may look fresher than weathered siding beside it, and colours are sometimes discontinued. Keeping a few spare boards from the original job helps.
Related pages
ColorPlus is available on HardiePlank, HardiePanel, HardieShingle, HardieTrim and HardieSoffit in many sizes. For help choosing, see James Hardie siding colours.
Colours, finishes and warranty terms change over time and vary by region. Confirm current details for the Calgary market with your estimator and read the current James Hardie warranty for your product. Tricon is independent of James Hardie.