We are planning an addition and total exterior renovation on our home. We live at high elevation in Lake Tahoe and our house gets full sun exposure (it is south facing with no trees to protect it) all day long, every season of the year. Right now we have T-111 and want something nicer and more durable. Our experience is that it delaminates and warps very easily from the sun, and it requires replacement more frequently than it probably should (we bought the house with this finish). I'm really terrified of stained wood, as the I'd think the sun/UV would wreck havoc on it. And really, just wood in general.

Any suggestions? I've looked into the cement fiber shingles, and while we like those, we aren't sure how "real" they'd look. Vinyl is not an option for us - we need something that really looks natural. I also love the new bark wood shingles that have come out, however pricing may be out of control. We just need something that is lower maintenance that won't degrade or look horrible in just a few years.

I received some samples for Nichiha shingles, and those actually are pretty impressive. Any experience with those?

Thanks!