Siding Options for the Home

Depending on what you want to achieve, in terms of design for your house, combined with how it is currently sided - these, along with climate, will in-part indicate your alternatives for siding and any removal and installation efforts. Some siding types can be fastened right atop others, such as with added furring strips. Then too is the prospect of future re-siding, a fact that is almost ineveitable for all homes that are sided.

Each type of siding has its pros and cons. These relate to time and labor for hanging the material, maintenance and finish requirements, including painting, and performanace and longevity factors.


Vinyl Siding - offers strong installation advantages, and even replacement advantages given that the extra pieces are inventoried (always store extras for any type). Also the integrated, holed soffit vent panels are an elegant solution and virtally undetectable - but over longer spans, could exhibit sagging over time.

Since typical vinyl is a hollow and flexes to some extent, there exists the chance of wind noise passing through to the inner structure in certain applications.










Metal: Aluminum/Steel Siding - have diminished in popularity for various reasons. Initially they offered the advantage of a pre-finished surface, but years afterward earned a reputation to result in chalking - that the industry tried to overcome with the advent of thin vinyl coatings. The tougher steel is less chances of denting than aluminum, for impacts, but both are rigid. Sound noise passes through metal unless they have been installed over existing siding. And steel rusts. Their greatest advantage is that their core materials potentially last. Another major drawback as that both metals conduct electricity and must be grounded by code in certain locales.





Shakes/Shingles - are an attrractive choice, either individually or by the assembled panel (available in vinyl as well). Although cedar shakes and shingles aren't cheap, with their small convenient size, are a candidates for the do-it yourself project.

Additionally, they weather to a coveted grey look by many; depending on if red cedar, known to elicit a brown tone element, or white cedar. Rather unsightly, though, is the tanin staining that can bleed to surface. Applying preservatives, stains and paints thoroughly to the intricate contours ranks as the most intensive exterior finishing projects, especially when raw.



Fiber Cement Siding - offers longevity and strength. Although it is held together by cellulose fibers, from which it derives its name, fiber cement by the same token is a harder siding to install, since it is prone to breakage. A heavier material, it does exert an increased load on the structural framing, and is fastened by pre-drilling. Fiber cement receives a paint finish.

The solid siding covering the house can mean a minimal R-value advantage. An example is the popular James Hardie plank.






Wood Composition - such as those made of oriented strand board (OSB) or chipboard, have experienced a waning in popularity over recent years. Pressed and molded into an artifical woodgrain surface texture, they are factory primed. Weaker than other wood siding alternatives, these are likely ot have shorter lifespans, higher maintenance/finish requirements and some have been the subject of premature failure by some brands.

Wood & Clapboard Siding - depending on the wood species, can for 30 years or more, provided a proper installation and protective coatings at regular intervals. Typically clapboard or "lap siding" peices are turned with custom knives however, which makes the more standardized profiles appealing, since future replacement could mean custom runs at the mill. Painted or stained, clapboard form a beautiful part of the outer home.

Other Exterior/Weather Considerations:

Vertical panels, including T-111 panels - promoite standardized installation. An unsuspected downside though is that the dimensions that normally come in 4 X 8 sections, leave horizontal seams on taller areas. While other sidings, such as fiber cement panels, don't have this limitation and are available in 10 foot sections.

All wood siding is combustible unless it has been treated.

Focusing on the Residing:

Vinyl in particular, has a repution for coming off best, when it must be stripped. Stucco is among the most obstinate of removals, at the other end of the spectrum.

Lastly, whenever spiding is installed overtop other sidiing, the underlying layer should be inspected prior to the new layer for insects, the house wrap, resulting levels being established, etc.