Decorative Siding: James Hardie Scalloped Siding vs James Hardie Staggered Edge Siding

If you're considering a siding-replacement project then right now is the perfect time to consider adding a decorative element to your home's facade. Modern homes have beautiful clean sharp lines but some homeowners appreciate a delicate touch. 

Decorative siding like shingles can provide the perfect solution to softening the feel of your home's exterior. In this article, we'll compare two James Hardie HardieShingle options - Scalloped, or half-round, and Staggered Edge panel siding. 

How are they different?

For James Hardie products, scallop and staggered edge siding both fall under Hardie’s HardieShingle Siding collection.

Scalloped siding has a softly curved edge and is sometimes called half-round siding. This option is commonly seen on Victorian or Queen Anne Style homes but it’s also used as a decorative element on other styles of houses.

Staggered edge siding has square corners but unlike scalloped-edge siding, each shingle is placed in alternating high-low positions. Shingle siding like this and straight-edge (square corner) is commonly seen on Cape Cod and cottage-style homes.

Staggered edge shingles are seen on more homes than scalloped shingles.

Which style requires more maintenance?

Maintenance for both of these styles is the same. With both options, you’ll have to clean around the odd edges which may be slightly more time consuming than washing a solid vertical or horizontal panel.

It’s important to provide proper maintenance to your home’s siding so that it lasts longer and keeps protecting your home’s structural integrity. Make sure to read James Hardie’s recommendations for regular maintenance because damage to the product caused by improper maintenance may not be covered by their warranty.

Below are exterior house washing recommendations for fiber cement siding and trim from James Hardie:

• Wash down the exterior surfaces every 6 to 12 months with a garden hose to remove dirt and debris, gently clean your siding with a soft brush or wet soft cloth in a side to side motion in the direction of the plank siding.
  NOTE: Clean by working small sections at a time, starting from the top down to prevent dripping or streaking onto the cleaned area.
  
• A low-pressure water spray* and a soft medium bristle (non-metal) siding cleaning brush is most suitable for cleaning fiber cement products.
  NOTE: Acid and high-pressure washing can damage the fiber cement surface and is not recommended.
  
• Clean James Hardie ColorPlus® products by using water and a soft brush or cloth. For stubborn dirt or stains, a mild detergent and a soft brush may be used.
  NOTE: For paint applied in the field, refer to the paint manufacturer for washing and maintenance requirements.

See more at JamesHardie.com

Is there a significant difference in price?

Yes. Depending on the scope of your project you can expect to pay about 20-25% more for scalloped-style siding than for staggered edge siding. On the plus side, staggered edge siding is a more popular option and manufactured by more brands than scallop (half-round) siding. 

What size shingles does James Hardie offer?

STAGGERED EDGE SHINGLE SIDING

THICKNESS: 0.25"
LENGTH: 48" shingles
WIDTHS: 15.25"
EXPOSURES: 6" 

SCALLOPED EDGE SHINGLE SIDING

THICKNESS: 0.25"
LENTH: 48" shingles
WIDTHS: 15.25"
EXPOSURES: 6.976"

Which brands make scalloped and staggered-edge shingles?

Lots of brands offer scallop and staggered-edge style shingles. In addition to James Hardie siding options, we also feel very comfortable recommending Alside products and Royal Building Products. The staggered edge option for Alside and Royal Building are shake-like products so while they’ll look different from your James Hardie options they’ll have a similar staggered effect and also may create a denser and more textured look.