Siding Materials
When deciding on a siding option, determine how much you want to spend, how much maintenance you plan to do, and what look you want to achieve. The key to this decision is knowing that there is no perfect answer to what is best. You must find what is best for you and your lifestyle. Here is a list of some of the most common types of siding today.
Vinyl Siding
Made from PVC plastic, it will not rot or flake, and is less expensive to buy and install than most other siding materials. Vinyl can be hazardous to the environment due to its release of toxic chemicals when burned. Vinyl siding can crack, split, and come to look faded after a few years.
- Competitively priced
- Available in a variety of colors
- Virtually maintenance free
- Second in strength to aluminum
Wood Siding
Solid wood can outlast vinyl and other products with periodic staining or painting. Many old homes still look beautiful with the wood clapboard siding from when they were first built. Cedar, pine, spruce, redwood, Cyprus, and Douglas fir are the woods used most often in siding. Genuine wood is quite expensive when compared to other types of siding material.
- Genuine wood is quite expensive
- Results in the most aesthetically pleasing and unique look
- Offers an unlimited amount of color choices
- Subject to damage, especially from climate and moisture
- Requires a lot of maintenance such as resealing
- The weakest siding material compared to vinyl and aluminum
Fiber Cement Siding
This durable, natural-looking material can take on the appearance of wood, stucco, and masonry. It can provide the authentic look of wood with less maintenance. Fiber cement siding is fireproof, termite-proof, and often has a warranty of up to 50 years.
- Durable and natural looking
- Can imitate the appearance of wood, stucco, and masonry
- Requires less maintenance than wood
- Material is fireproof and termite-proof
Other Materials
Other types of siding materials include; cedar shingles, seamless steel, stucco, shakes, stone and cultured stone, brick and brick veneers, and engineered wood.
