9 min read · Siding Replacement
CertainTeed WeatherBoards was one of the biggest-selling fiber-cement siding lines of the 2000s, which means thousands of California homes sided in that era are wearing it today — now 15 to 25 years old. The product's history includes a documented $103.9 million class-action settlement over alleged shrinking, cracking, and warping, and CertainTeed later exited fiber-cement siding entirely, selling the business to what is now Allura. The claims window closed years ago, so this is not a guide to filing anything — it's a guide to what actually matters now: identifying whether your home has WeatherBoards, honestly assessing its condition, and walking the replacement path if it's failing.
What WeatherBoards was — and the era your walls come from
WeatherBoards was CertainTeed's fiber-cement siding system — lap siding, vertical siding, shapes (shingle/shake looks), soffit, porch ceiling, and trim — sold widely through the 2000s and into the early 2010s, including across Northern California's building boom. If your home was built or re-sided in that window and the walls are fiber cement but not James Hardie, WeatherBoards is a strong candidate. The age math matters more than the brand history: a 2003 install is now over two decades old, and a 2010 install is in its mid-teens — the point where any cladding's install quality, paint cycle, and detailing get tested by Central Valley sun and winter rain. Some WeatherBoards installations are still performing acceptably; others show the documented failure pattern below. The brand name on the board tells you where to look — it doesn't tell you the verdict for your house. That takes an elevation-by-elevation assessment, the same discipline we apply in replacing old or failing siding.
The $103.9 million settlement — what the record documents
The documented facts: in the multidistrict case In re: CertainTeed Fiber Cement Siding Litigation (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, MDL No. 2270), plaintiffs alleged WeatherBoards was prone to premature shrinking, cracking, warping, and gapping — gaps opening between board ends years after installation — despite being marketed with a 50-year warranty expectation. A federal judge granted preliminary approval to a $103.9 million settlement on October 3, 2013, covering WeatherBoards fiber-cement siding, lap, vertical, shapes, soffit, porch ceiling, and 7/16-inch trim installed before September 30, 2013. Attribution matters here: these were allegations resolved by settlement, and CertainTeed's own announcement stated the company 'believes that its fiber cement siding has performed well over many years' and settled to avoid protracted litigation — no liability was admitted. The settlement's damage benchmarks are still a useful field reference: end-gap shrinkage beyond 3/16 inch, warping or bowing beyond 1/2 inch, cracking through the board, and delamination were the qualifying conditions.
Claims are long closed — and CertainTeed left fiber cement
Two hard facts frame every WeatherBoards conversation today. First, the claims window is closed: per Top Class Actions' coverage, class members had up to six years from the settlement's 2014 effective date to file, which means the program wound down around 2020. There is no open WeatherBoards claim to file in 2026, and this guide is not legal advice about individual remedies. Second, the product is gone: CertainTeed sold its fiber-cement siding division to Plycem USA (an Elementia subsidiary) in late 2013, and that business relaunched as Allura — which had a later, separate settlement history of its own. CertainTeed's current siding lineup is vinyl, polymer shakes, stone veneer, composite, and metal; it no longer sells fiber-cement siding at all. Practically, that means there's no like-for-like WeatherBoards replacement board and no manufacturer warranty program to lean on — condition assessment and, where warranted, replacement with a current fiber-cement system are the live options.
How to identify WeatherBoards on your home
Start with paperwork: the original builder's spec sheet, a re-side contract, or a building permit often names the siding product outright. On the walls, fiber cement is identifiable by its feel — rigid, heavy, cool boards that sound solid (not hollow like vinyl) when tapped — and manufacturers typically mark the back face of boards with the brand name and production codes, visible wherever a board is loose, cut, or accessible from a garage or attic kneewall. Install era is your next clue: fiber cement installed in California in the 2000s that isn't stamped James Hardie is very often WeatherBoards, given the line's market share in that window. Finally, the failure pattern itself can be diagnostic — uniform gaps opening at butt joints across a sun-exposed elevation is the signature complaint from the litigation record. If you're not sure, a siding contractor can identify the product during an inspection, usually by pulling one course loose at an inconspicuous spot — which doubles as a chance to check the water-resistive barrier behind it.
Assessment first: failing, or fine?
Be honest in both directions — some WeatherBoards installs are holding up, and tearing off performing siding because of a settlement headline is money spent on anxiety. Walk every elevation and grade against the documented failure modes: shrinkage gaps at board ends (the settlement's own benchmark was beyond 3/16 inch, or 5/16 inch at windows, doors, and trim), through-board cracking, warping or bowing off the wall plane, delamination of the board surface, and chronic paint failure or moisture staining. Weight the worst-exposure walls — south and west faces, walls without overhang protection — because that's where shrinkage and cracking concentrate first. Then look behind the symptom: probe for soft sheathing at gapped joints and check interior walls below suspect areas for staining, since open gaps admit wind-driven rain long before boards visibly fall apart. A few gapped joints on one elevation can be repaired and caulked as a maintenance holding action; systematic gapping across multiple elevations on 15-to-25-year-old discontinued siding is the textbook case for planned replacement rather than a fight you re-lose every paint cycle.
The replacement path — tear-off, WRB, modern fiber cement
When replacement is the call, do it as a wall-system rebuild, not a board swap — especially since matching discontinued WeatherBoards profiles is a losing errand. The sound sequence: full tear-off to the sheathing; inspection and repair of any moisture-damaged structure (gapped joints often mean the WRB behind them has been wetted for years); a new continuous water-resistive barrier with flashing integrated at every window, door, and penetration; and new cladding installed to current manufacturer specifications — correct clearances, fastening, and sealed cut ends. Modern fiber cement remains the natural successor: the category is noncombustible, which matters across California's wildfire-exposed regions, and today's mainstream options are covered in our fiber cement brands comparison and the James Hardie vs. Allura head-to-head — Allura being, fittingly, the corporate descendant of the WeatherBoards line. The lesson to carry from the litigation era isn't 'avoid fiber cement'; it's that formulation plus installation decide outcomes, so hire for detailing. If your failing siding turns out to be hardboard rather than fiber cement, that's a different story — see Masonite and hardboard replacement.
Key takeaways
- WeatherBoards was CertainTeed's fiber-cement siding line, sold widely in the 2000s — California installs are now 15–25 years old.
- Court records document a $103.9M class settlement (preliminarily approved October 2013) over alleged shrinking, cracking, warping, and gapping; CertainTeed denied liability and said the product had performed well.
- The claims window — up to six years from the settlement's 2014 effective date — is long closed; there is nothing to file today.
- CertainTeed exited fiber cement entirely (the business became Allura); its current siding line has no fiber-cement product, so there's no like-for-like replacement board.
- Assess before you replace: some installs are fine; systematic end-gapping, through-board cracking, or warping across elevations is the case for tear-off, new WRB, and modern fiber cement.
FAQ
Quick Answers
No. The $103.9 million class settlement covered WeatherBoards products installed before September 30, 2013, and per Top Class Actions the claim window ran up to six years from the settlement's 2014 effective date — it closed around 2020. This isn't legal advice; an attorney can advise on any individual situation. For homeowners today, the practical path is condition assessment and, if the siding is failing, planned replacement.
No. CertainTeed sold its fiber-cement siding business to Plycem USA (an Elementia subsidiary) in late 2013, and the line relaunched under the Allura brand. CertainTeed's current siding lineup is vinyl, polymer shakes and shingles, stone veneer, composite, and metal — no fiber cement. That means there's no factory-matched WeatherBoards replacement board; repairs use closest-profile substitutes, and full replacement uses a current fiber-cement system.
No. The litigation involved alleged defects — shrinking, cracking, warping, gapping — that CertainTeed disputed, stating the siding had performed well over many years, and installation quality strongly influences how any fiber cement performs. Some WeatherBoards installations are still serviceable at 15–25 years old. The right move is an elevation-by-elevation assessment against the documented failure modes, not automatic replacement. Localized issues can often be repaired; systematic failure across walls justifies re-cladding.
Modern fiber cement is the natural successor — the category is noncombustible and well suited to California's climate and wildfire-hardening requirements, and current products from James Hardie, Allura, and Nichiha are covered in our brands comparison. Just as important as the brand: replace as a system, with tear-off to sheathing, a new continuous water-resistive barrier, integrated flashing, and installation to the manufacturer's specifications. The install detailing is what prevents a repeat of the gapping-and-cracking story.
Sources
Authoritative references
- CertainTeed (PR Newswire) — official announcement of the $103.9M fiber cement siding class settlement
- Top Class Actions — CertainTeed agrees to $103.9M defective siding class action settlement (Oct. 2013)
- Berger Montague — In re: CertainTeed Fiber Cement Siding Litigation (MDL No. 2270, E.D. Pa.) case page
- CertainTeed — current siding product line (vinyl, polymer, stone veneer, composite, metal; no fiber cement)
External links to government, code, and manufacturer sources. Sierra Siding is not affiliated with these organizations; references are provided for verification.