Masonite siding, also known as hardboard siding, is a budget-friendly siding choice that was popularized in the 1980s and early 1990s. It’s made of wood fibers that are held together with glue or resin through a heat and compression process. It was originally developed as an alternative to real wood, vinyl, and aluminum sidings. It was originally believed to be lower maintenance than wood, but with better looks than either vinyl or aluminum. It was intended to fill a gap for homeowners that dislike the look of vinyl but wanted something lower maintenance than wood.

However, masonite had many problems of its own. Just 20 years after its creation, the original manufacturers were hit with multiple lawsuits because the material preformed so poorly. It’s currently still available as “hardboard” although most people still refer to it as masonite. Regardless of what it’s called, the material has many common problems that often lead to its replacement. Read more