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Because cement-based products are durable and won't catch fire, rot or be eaten by termites, they cap and clad more and more of today's homes. Stucco is essentially a type of concrete, made from a mixture of cement, lime, sand and water. Applied in three coats over a lath base, it provides a solid, durable and seamless siding. Newer EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) are popular alternatives to stucco; these acrylic-polymer and aggregate coatings are applied over several kinds of approved substrates, including cement-board panels made from aggregated portland cement, reinforced with glass fibers and given polymer coatings. Cost of EIFS tends to be competitive with brick where brick is common; less expensive for intricate walls or where brick siding isn't prevalent.

What appear to be stone and brick walls on houses may actually be a lightweight concrete manufactured-stone veneer. A mixture of portland cement, natural aggregates and iron oxide pigments is poured into molds made from real stones. The result, available in a broad palette of colors and styles, looks incredibly realistic. Installed prices vary widely, depending upon the cost of labor; the national average is about $8 per square foot. Retail average per square foot for materials runs from about $2.25 to $4 per square foot.

Imitation slate and tile materials are made from concrete and fiber cement. Concrete, in both flat and Spanish-style tile units, is extruded under high pressure to make a rugged, dense, durable tile. Although conventional concrete tile weighs about 10 pounds per square foot, lightweight varieties are available at about half that weight. Installed, concrete tile roofing runs in the range of from $5 to $10 per square foot. Thinner fibrous-cement tiles are manufactured using portland cement, reinforcement fibers and a lightweight mineral aggregate such as perlite; they weigh about 5 pounds per square foot. Though priced competitively with wood shakes, they are highly resistant to fire, termites, moisture damage, ultra-violet breakdown and other problems associated with wood.

When you roof with some of the heavier varieties of concrete tile, the roof's supporting structure may require strenghthening. Even so, most homeowners agree that the costs are outweighed by the benefits of a solid, durable, trouble-free roof that will last as long as the house in Palmdale, California.