The global fibre cement manufacturing company’s new product resembles softly brushed concrete and is dynamic to touch.

The latest innovation from James Hardie is Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding. The fibre cement product imbues exteriors with a crisp and organised warmth, or a modern minimalist finish, through the product’s flowing lines. 

The panels achieve bold designs across a variety of settings, such as grand openings and gravity-defying elements, and are suitable for ground floor and mixed-story applications. 

Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding is a product of the Hardie™ Architectural Collection, a curated collection of profiles and textures that deliver modern exteriors from the ground up.

The brush stroke texture integrated in the fibre cement produces a quality finish, and coupled with designer Hardie™ accessories that reduce disruption to the texture.

The embedded texture panels evocative of softly brushed concrete is offered as pre-sealed and ready to paint – colours can be selected to correspond with home designs or ignite different versions of material finishes.

The services of artisan trades people are not required for installation, only carpentry trades are required for installation. The panels are connected together via shiplap joints and are cut to size and gun nailed without the need for patching. 

The 8.5mm thick panels will fit with a wide range of Hardie™ 9mm accessories to guarantee that multiple Hardie™ cladding panels can be mixed and matched to suit a variety of designs.

The 1200mm wide panels are also offered in four lengths to ensure that carpenters have the opportunity to select the most appropriate size to assist in reducing waste and maximising installation efficiency.

If the panels come into contact with moisture, there is no danger of damage through warping, swelling or shrinking. This feature, paired with the product’s 30 Year Warranty, ensures durability and longevity as the paint is unlikely to crack and deteriorate. 

Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding is non-combustible and complies with the Bushfire Attack Level requirements up to BAL40. The cladding also effectively functions as part of a Hardie™ Fire and Acoustic Wall System, which boasts a fire resistance level of 60 minutes.

Bennett House by Caringbah-based design firm Futureflip is one of the first houses in Australia to feature the new Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding. Futureflip’s treasured residential builder Neil Hipwell was excited to incorporate the cladding across the majority of Bennett House’s exterior. 

“We wanted to create a minimalist, box-modern façade, so Hardie™ Cladding was perfect for our clients’ low-fuss, low-key lifestyle,” says Hipwell. 

Hipwell is highly complimentary of the concrete cladding’s vertical groove texture and easy-to-clean surface, alongside the product’s ability to avoid design challenges such as facade beams. 

“Typically, façade beams on a box modern architectural home are done in render, however this comes with a risk of imperfections as you’re relying on the skills and craftsmanship of your trades, and the weather. There are a lot more variables with Render,” says Hipwell. 

Learn more about Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding

Photography supplied by James Hardie.