James Hardie ColorPlus Colors for Seattle Homes
What ColorPlus actually is, how the standard palette breaks down, the colors we install most often on Seattle homes, and when field paint makes more sense than ColorPlus. Written by a contractor who installs Hardie weekly.
WA License #GPGENGC830KD 
Hardie Certified Installer 
5-Star Rated 
ColorPlus SpecialistGP General Corp installs James Hardie ColorPlus across Seattle, the Eastside, and Snohomish County — factory-baked finish, color-matched caulk and touch-up, and the full HZ10 assembly behind it. James Hardie Certified Installer (verifiable on Hardie’s contractor locator), WA license GPGENGC830KD, MBAKS member, rated 5.0 on Google. Real installed rates on our pricing page; free written quote after an on-site assessment.
By Paul Gubenya — Owner, James Hardie Certified Installer · WA License #GPGENGC830KD · MBAKS Member · Rated 5.0 on Google · (425) 344-9635
What Homeowners Say
Real reviews from our Google profile — unedited, from real projects.
“We recently had Paul with GP General repair a damaged corner protector and sidings. His estimate was reasonable, his availability was timely, and his job was excellent. Our home hadn’t been re-painted in a while and the paint had considerably faded, yet he was able to match the color perfectly. Now we know who to turn to when in need of another repair work.”
“GP General replaced LP siding on our garage. Paul was very thorough when he came out to do the estimate; he listened to my concerns and was able to work out solutions on the spot. His crew did a great job and were very courteous. They also were careful about cleaning up (I didn’t find any nails!). Really happy with the job and can recommend GP General.”
“I highly recommend GP General Corp for siding replacement. We recently had our wood siding replaced with James Hardie lap siding, and Paul and his team did an excellent job.”
What Is ColorPlus Technology?
ColorPlus is James Hardie’s factory-applied finish system. Instead of priming the boards at the factory and painting them on your house, ColorPlus boards arrive with the final color already baked on — multiple coats of color, oven-cured between coats, in a controlled environment that field paint can never match.
The result: a finish that’s warranted for 15 years against significant fading or color change, vs typical field paint that needs refresh at 8–12 years on Hardie. ColorPlus also adheres to the fiber cement substrate at the molecular level — field paint is applied over primer, and even high-quality elastomeric coatings can’t replicate that bond.
There are roughly 20 standard ColorPlus colors plus the Statement Collection (architect-curated deeper hues) and the new Dream Collection. Custom colors require field paint over primed Hardie. Trade-off: ColorPlus runs $2–$4/sf more than primed boards, but lasts 2–3x longer between refreshes.
The Hardie Colors We Install Most Often on Seattle Homes
The Seattle palette skews darker and cooler than the national average. Cool undertones read better against PNW gray skies and bright Cascade-blue summers.
Recent ColorPlus projects:
Deep charcoal with a slight cool undertone. The most-requested Hardie color in Seattle. Reads as nearly-black from the curb but softens up close. Pairs with white or matte-black trim.
Clean, slightly cool white. Not warm or cream. Works on modern, traditional, and Craftsman homes. Often paired with Iron Gray trim or matte black for high contrast.
Mid-tone neutral gray. Versatile for almost any architectural style. Reads light in overcast PNW conditions, slightly cooler than warm grays like Aged Pewter.
Deep navy that reads almost-black at distance. Hugely popular on Craftsman bungalows in Seattle proper. Pairs with white or cream trim for high contrast or natural cedar accents.
Warm gray with brown undertones. The right pick for clients who think they want gray but don’t want it to feel cold. Common on Eastside ramblers and Snohomish County mid-century homes.
Mushroom-tan, warm and earthy. Works on Craftsman and traditional Pacific Northwest homes — especially with deep green landscaping. Less popular on modern designs.
Color swatches above are approximate web renderings — always verify with a Hardie ColorPlus sample chip on your home before final selection. We bring color samples to every assessment.
ColorPlus vs Field-Painted Hardie
The trade-off, plain English.
This decision got big enough to earn its own page. The short version: on our jobs ColorPlus lands about $1–2/sq ft above primed-and-painted all-in, the factory finish is warranted for 15 years including labor, and a field repaint runs $3–4/sq ft 10–15 years in — but primed opens the full Sherwin-Williams deck when the color has to be exact.
Picking ColorPlus for Pacific Northwest Conditions
Seattle gets significantly less UV exposure than Phoenix, Denver, or LA. ColorPlus’s 15-year fade warranty applies fully here, and in practice colors hold for 18–22 years on well-shaded north-facing walls.
Warm tones (Sandstone Beige, Khaki Brown, Heathered Moss) read flat under PNW gray skies. Cool tones (Iron Gray, Arctic White, Boothbay Blue, Pearl Gray) hold their character through every weather condition.
Light colors show mildew growth more visibly on shaded walls. Annual or biennial soft-wash keeps Arctic White and Pearl Gray looking new. Dark colors mask mildew but show pollen and water spots more.
Iron Gray and Boothbay Blue absorb more solar heat than light colors. Hardie’s formulation handles the thermal stress without issue. We see no warping, fade, or fastener pull on dark Hardie installs in our market.
Craftsman bungalows: Boothbay Blue or Iron Gray with cream trim, natural cedar accents at brackets. Modern: Iron Gray or Aged Pewter with matte-black or stainless trim. Mid-century: Pearl Gray or Cobble Stone with white trim.
If your HOA requires a specific color match, run the proposed ColorPlus chip through HOA approval before ordering — ColorPlus has 2–5 week lead times for less common colors. We coordinate this with you on every relevant project.
Hardie Color & Finish Questions
See ColorPlus Samples on Your Home
We bring Hardie color samples to every free assessment. See how Iron Gray reads against your trim, how Arctic White looks with your roofline, and how Boothbay Blue performs at the curb. No commitment. For the full install spec and real installed pricing, see our James Hardie siding Seattle page.
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