What Are the Most Popular Types of Siding for Renovating Homes?
Are you bored with the exterior of your house? Or are you simply looking to increase the value of your home?
Making a change and deciding to refresh the look of your home’s exterior is a great way to give your home a makeover, all while also increasing your property’s value.
Choosing siding can be overwhelming. There are many options in terms of both materials and colors, and chances are, you want something that can withstand the test of time.
In making a siding choice, you also want to pick something that enhances your home and compliments its aesthetic. There are many details to consider, including color, style, texture, trim and durability. In order to make the right choice, it’s important to know about all the options that exist.
Keep reading to learn all about the different types of siding so that you can select what works best for your home!
1. Wood Siding
Wood siding can bring a lot of character to your abode. It (obviously) has been around for a long time and can provide a classic, yet contemporary, look for a home. Furthermore, you can repaint it or stain it as often as you like so that you aren’t necessarily tied to one color.
The main wood siding types include cedar, pine, spruce, and redwood. Within wood siding, there are many different styles — so let’s name a few.
Shingles are one of the most popular options, but they’re also the most expensive. They are also referred to as “shakes,” and are thin, tapered, pieces of wood.
Clapboards are the least expensive option for wood siding. They come in long, thin boards that are installed horizontally with a slight overlap.
Board and batten, or barn siding, is a classic exterior that uses big, wide boards vertically and smaller pieces of wood to fill the gaps. Drop-siding is similar to board and batten siding, but the boards are fitted together using grooves.
Wooden sheet siding consists of sheets of plywood that are typically used for inexpensive buildings.
What Are the Cons of Wood Siding?
While wood siding can be coveted for its elegance and natural look, it also requires a lot of maintenance. For one thing, it should be painted every four to six years to maintain a fresh look and prevent damage (such as dry rot).
If not treated immediately, dry rot can be extremely damaging to your home. And the hard thing about it is that you don’t always notice it until it’s done a fair amount of damage. It can be costly to remove and repair and can manifest with the smallest amount of moisture.
Wood siding is also susceptible to damage from woodpeckers and other wildlife in addition to termites. It isn’t fire resistant, so depending on where you reside, it might not necessarily be the best choice for your home.
While shingles are a popular and beautiful choice, they are susceptible to algae and mold and often require caulking and regular paint jobs so that they aren’t affected by the weather.
2. Metal Siding
Metal is one of the most long-lasting of all types of house siding. It isn’t susceptible to dry rot or mold and it retains color without fading.
For a fresh look, consider painting it. It’s fire-resistant by nature, isn’t prone to insect attacks, and doesn’t warp. It can also help keep your home cool during hotter months as it reflects light. It doesn’t, however, retain heat, so it can hike up your heat bill in the colder months.
The most common varieties used in metal siding are steel and aluminum. Aluminum is susceptible to dents and deep scratches. Steel is thicker and heavier, but it’s more expensive to purchase and install.
The biggest con of metal siding is rust. If your siding is scratched or finished or installed improperly, it could incur rust. Metal is also very expensive, but its reputation doesn’t necessarily match the price. Many people still associate metal with industrial buildings and garages, so it isn’t necessarily a top choice when it comes to residential properties.
One amazing benefit of aluminum siding is that it can be made from 80 percent recycled materials and is 100 percent recyclable when it’s time to discard it.
3. Brick Siding
Brick has been around for centuries and, like wood, can provide a classic and elegant look. It is also fire-resistant by nature and cannot be affected by dry rot or termites.
With proper maintenance, a brick exterior can last well over 100 years. Its installation is extremely labor-intensive, which increases the cost, but there are many benefits to installing brick.
It won’t fade or warp over time, and it never needs to be painted or re-finished. (That being said, you can paint brick for a new look to your home.) Extreme hot or cold weather won’t have any effect on brick, either.
The main drawback of brick is that it’s extremely pricey. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, there are other durable, low maintenance routes to take.
4. Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is making great strides in the exterior siding market. In fact, it accounts for more than one-third of all siding installations across the country. It’s made from polyvinyl chloride, a type of plastic that is used in many building materials.
When it was first introduced in the 1950s, vinyl siding wasn’t what it is today. It was prone to cracking and fading, warping in hot weather, and becoming brittle and break-prone in cold weather.
Now, vinyl siding is made with much longer warranties and better construction, deeming it one of the most durable options on the market. Proper installation and a quality product make it an optimal choice for your home’s exterior.
So what are the different types of vinyl siding?
- Horizontal vinyl siding consists of thin strips that are placed and installed in rows
- Vertical vinyl siding consists of a series of thin strips that are placed and installed in rows as well, but vertically
- Vinyl shingles, much like wood shingles, are lightweight pieces of vinyl with tapered edges that overlap slightly
Within these simple profiles, there are a multitude of style, texture, overlay, and arrangement options
The best vinyl siding options often have warranties of 40 years or more. And as long as they are installed properly, all that they should require for maintenance is a power wash once in a while.
What Are the Cons of Vinyl Siding?
It can’t be painted to change the aesthetic of a home. BUT, this is also a benefit as it doesn’t require costly paint jobs to keep it healthy.
If not properly installed, it can be susceptible to rot, infestation and decay. These are all things that are more likely to affect wood siding, though, and should not affect vinyl siding.
One con used to be that vinyl siding offered a boring and “fake” looking. But now there are so many textures, styles, and colors available that you can achieve a variety of beautiful looks for your home.
In fact, vinyl siding is a viable replacement for cedar shingles, and it’s almost impossible to tell the difference.
What Types of Siding Are You Trying to Decide Between?
Now that we’ve laid it all out for you, are you trying to decide which will work best for your exterior?
You’re not alone! It’s a big decision to make, and there are many things to consider.
If you’re thinking about the cost, vinyl siding is the best choice. Not only is the cost and installation cheaper than wood siding, but it will save you time and money in the long run.
Vinyl siding, if installed properly, isn’t susceptible to the same destroyers as wood such as termites, other insects, and dry rot. Furthermore, once you find a look that compliments your home beautifully, you won’t have to think about painting it ever!
Vinyl siding is much more than it used to be. There are many types of siding that boast bold colors and textures that mirror wood siding but are more cost-effective and beneficial to your home. Just take a look at the array of color options you can choose from.
There is so much you can do to add character to your home. You can choose trim and siding that compliment one another. You can even use mixed materials to create a more interesting aesthetic.
Contact us today to learn more about vinyl siding, and let us help you decide what will look beautiful on your home’s exterior.
