Fibre cement is the most common cladding on the buildings in this portfolio, and the differences between one installation and another are rarely in the board. They are in the four decisions around it.
1. Thickness and span
The board’s thickness and the stud spacing decide how much it moves and how flat it stays. A panel that is too thin for its span reads as wavy in raking light, which is the first thing anyone notices about an elevation.
2. The fixing pattern
Face-fixed and concealed systems look different and behave differently. Face-fixing is faster and shows every fixing; a concealed rail system costs more and gives a cleaner plane. Both are correct — they are just different walls.
3. Movement joints
Fibre cement expands and contracts. The joints that allow for it are specified, not improvised, and a joint that is caulked instead of set out will open within a few seasons.
4. The finish
Through-coloured boards hold their colour; a painted face depends on the paint. On a building with a long service life, that difference is the whole argument.
None of these is a reason to choose one product over another. They are the four questions that decide whether the elevation you drew is the elevation you get.