Replacing Vinyl Siding with James Hardie in Eden Prairie, MN
Replacing vinyl siding doesn’t necessarily mean replacing it with more vinyl. For this Eden Prairie, Minnesota home, the existing vinyl siding was removed and replaced with James Hardie fiber cement siding, giving the homeowners an opportunity to change both the exterior material and the overall appearance of the home.
The new design uses 6-inch James Hardie Cedarmill lap siding in Navajo Beige as the primary siding, complemented by Khaki Brown Heritage panel shakes and Arctic White trim. Custom fluted trim details add another layer of architectural interest and help give the finished exterior a more distinctive, detailed appearance than the vinyl siding it replaced.
This project is a good example of how replacing older vinyl siding can be more than a maintenance project. Changing the siding material, profiles, colors and trim details at the same time can significantly change the character of a home while creating an entirely new exterior design.
Why Replace Vinyl Siding with James Hardie?
When vinyl siding reaches the point where a homeowner is ready to replace it, one of the first decisions is whether to install new vinyl or use the opportunity to switch to a different siding material. James Hardie fiber cement siding is one option for homeowners who want to move away from vinyl while also changing the architectural appearance of their home.
Unlike vinyl siding, James Hardie is available in a variety of profiles that can be combined on the same exterior. On this Eden Prairie home, horizontal Cedarmill lap siding was paired with shakes and more substantial trim details. That allowed the siding replacement to do more than simply replace the existing material, it became an exterior redesign.
Switching from vinyl to James Hardie can also create opportunities to add details that may not have been part of the original exterior. For this project, the combination of Navajo Beige lap siding, Khaki Brown shakes and Arctic White custom trim added depth and definition while maintaining a traditional color palette.
For homeowners considering what to replace old vinyl siding with, the decision ultimately comes down to more than the siding material itself. Durability, maintenance, appearance, architectural style and the type of finished exterior you want should all be part of the comparison.
Next I’d move from the decision to the actual replacement process. This also gives us a natural place to answer whether the old vinyl comes off.
Removing the Existing Vinyl Siding
For this Eden Prairie project, the existing vinyl siding was removed before the new James Hardie siding was installed. Removing the old siding exposes the wall assembly underneath and allows the installation team to evaluate the condition of the home before covering it with the new exterior.
This is an important part of a vinyl-to-James Hardie replacement. Rather than simply changing what is visible from the outside, the project provides an opportunity to inspect the underlying surfaces and prepare the home for the new siding system.
Once the existing vinyl was removed and the exterior was prepared, Craftsman’s Choice could begin installing the new James Hardie siding and building out the architectural details that would give the home its completely updated appearance.
Designing the New James Hardie Exterior
Replacing the vinyl siding gave the homeowners an opportunity to introduce more variation and architectural detail into the exterior. Rather than using a single siding profile throughout the home, the new design combines 6-inch James Hardie Cedarmill lap siding in Navajo Beige with Khaki Brown Heritage panel shakes.
The contrast between the horizontal lap siding and shakes helps define different sections of the home, while Arctic White trim provides a clean transition between the siding colors and architectural elements. Together, the three-color palette adds depth without moving away from the warm, traditional character of the home.
The trim presented an additional challenge. Some of the existing architectural details required dimensions that weren’t available as a standard trim piece, so Craftsman’s Choice custom-routed Arctic White trim to create the fluted appearance needed for the project. That allowed those details to remain part of the new design rather than simplifying them just to accommodate standard materials.
The Finished Eden Prairie Siding Replacement
The finished exterior shows how dramatically a home can change when replacing vinyl siding becomes an opportunity to rethink the overall design. The combination of James Hardie Cedarmill lap siding, Heritage panel shakes and custom trim creates more texture and architectural definition than the previous vinyl exterior.
The Navajo Beige body keeps the overall appearance warm and understated, while Khaki Brown shakes add contrast and Arctic White trim highlights the home’s architectural details. Rather than simply replacing worn siding with another version of the same exterior, the project gave this Eden Prairie home a distinctly different look.
For homeowners considering replacing vinyl siding, this project also demonstrates the design flexibility that comes with switching materials. Different siding profiles, contrasting colors and custom trim can all be considered as part of the replacement rather than treating siding as a simple one-for-one swap.
