How much does non-combustible fiber-cement subfloor cost?
Direct answer: JARA High Performance Subfloor — a non-combustible (ASTM E-136), UL R15140 classified fiber-cement structural subfloor — starts at $74 per 4×8 panel (about $2.31/SF), delivered duty-paid (DDP) to a main US base port in full-container (40HQ) quantities. It is an indicative starting price; the final delivered price is confirmed by quote.
Delivered price by thickness
| Thickness | Edge | $/panel | ~ $/SF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/16" (20 mm) | Straight | $74 | $2.31/SF |
| 13/16" (20 mm) | T&G | $83 | $2.59/SF |
| 7/8" (22 mm) | Straight | $85 | $2.66/SF |
| 7/8" (22 mm) | T&G | $89 | $2.78/SF |
| 1" (25 mm) | T&G | $105 | $3.28/SF |
What the delivered (DDP) price includes
- Import duty paid, delivered to a main US base port
- Ocean freight and US customs clearance
- Inland delivery within 50 miles of the port (beyond that, additional freight)
- Full-container (40HQ) pricing; smaller quantities change the per-panel freight
- Standard unloading time (overtime/detention not included)
Made-to-order supply ships direct from the factory, so plan for roughly a 3–4 week door-to-door delivery — there is no US-warehouse markup in the price.
Estimating your project
Each 4×8 panel covers 32 square feet, so a quick estimate is panels ≈ floor area (SF) ÷ 32. At $74 per panel, a 10,000 SF floor is about 313 panels. Use the calculator on the homepage for a panel count, then request a delivered price for your exact quantity and US port of entry.
Add a waste allowance on top of the raw panel count — typically 5–10% depending on how cut-up the floor plate is. Layouts with many penetrations, shafts, or non-orthogonal edges sit at the high end of that range.
What drives the delivered number
Three inputs move a quote more than anything else: panel thickness, order volume relative to a full 40HQ container, and the US port of entry. Thickness is the specification decision — it follows the span and load, not the budget. Volume and port are logistics, and both are usually more negotiable than buyers expect, because they change how the fixed freight cost per container is distributed.
Prices shown here are indicative starting figures for full-container quantities and are confirmed by quote. Import duty rates are set by US tariff schedule and can change between quote and shipment; a current quote reflects the rate in force when it is issued.
Common questions
Why is fiber-cement subfloor quoted delivered (DDP) instead of per sheet at a yard?
Because it ships container-direct from the factory rather than out of a US warehouse. A DDP price folds ocean freight, import duty, and customs clearance into the delivered number, so it is directly comparable to a domestic delivered price rather than to a factory-gate price that still has freight and duty to come. The trade-off is lead time — roughly 3–4 weeks door to door — not a warehouse pickup the same week.
Does the quoted price change with order size?
Yes. The published figures are full-container (40HQ) pricing. Below a full container the per-panel freight component rises, because the same ocean and inland freight is spread across fewer panels. Quantity and US port of entry are the two inputs that move a quote most.
What is not included in the delivered price?
Inland delivery beyond 50 miles of the port, overtime or detention at unloading, fasteners and accessories, and installation labor. The price covers the panels delivered duty-paid, not an installed floor.
How does the panel price compare to the installed assembly cost?
The panel is a minority of the installed cost on most projects once labor, fasteners, and the ceiling side of a rated assembly are counted. When comparing against a wood-deck alternative, compare complete rated assemblies rather than panel prices — a non-combustible deck can remove a layer that a wood assembly needs to reach the same hourly rating.
Sources & verification
Pricing on this page is JARA's own published delivered (DDP) figure. The compliance claims used to describe the product trace to the bodies that issue them:
- ASTM E136 — Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750 °C — ASTM International (standard sold by the publisher)
The non-combustibility test method the IBC uses to qualify a material as non-combustible. Our "non-combustible" claim means the panel passes this test, not that it is merely fire-resistant.
- UL Product iQ — certification and assembly directory — UL Solutions (free account required)
Where UL file R15140 and the referenced fire-rated assembly designs (H502, H504, H511, U449, U487) can be looked up against UL’s own records rather than taken on our word.
- ASTM C1186 — Flat Fiber-Cement Sheets — ASTM International (standard sold by the publisher)
The material specification behind the "Type A, Grade I" designation used throughout the catalog.
Related guides
- Subfloor for Type I & II construction — when the code requires a non-combustible deck.
- Fiber-cement vs plywood subfloor — why the cheaper panel is not always the comparable one.