Which Is The Right Siding Option for Your Home?
Installing exterior siding is an excellent way to spruce up your home’s visual appeal. In addition to enhancing the aesthetics, siding protects your home’s foundation from harsh natural elements such as snow, rain, and storms. Furthermore, siding also plays an important role in insulating your house and prevents unnecessary energy loss.
Are you planning to install a brand new siding or considering replacing the old one? Since siding serves the dual purpose of adding aesthetic appeal as well as improving insulation, choosing the right siding material is crucial. In this post, we’re sharing the popular siding materials along with their pros and cons. Take a look.
Wood Siding
If you’re looking for a timeless option and durability isn’t a concern, then wood is an excellent choice for siding. Wood siding’s natural appeal is unmatched by any other material. That being said, it requires a lot of maintenance. Not only does it need to be treated with a protective coating, but it’s also susceptible to pest infestation.
Typically, wood siding should be refinished every 3-7 years. Depending on your local rules, wood siding may also need to be painted with a fire-resistant coating.
Engineered Wood Siding
Do love the look of wood but can’t be bothered with the maintenance requirements? You can get the best of both worlds with engineered wood. Engineered wood looks like natural wood but doesn’t cost as much. Additionally, it’s more resistant to mold, insects, and other pests. Engineered siding also works well under extreme weather conditions. You don’t have to worry about the siding warping or cracking.
However, the exterior coating of engineer siding has to remain impeccable. Otherwise, moisture can penetrate into the surface and cause damage.
Brick Siding
Brick siding is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a material that’s easy to maintain but still adds a charming touch. Unlike wood siding, you don’t have to repaint brick siding. In fact, it can last for several decades with minimum maintenance. Moreover, brick is extremely resistant to heat and is a much better choice than wood or brick on that front. It will also insulate your house from heat and noise.
That being said, installing brick siding is a labor-intensive task, making it a costly option.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is another popular siding option that can be customized to match your home’s aesthetics. There are a variety of styles, colors, textures, and shapes available. Vinyl not only retains its looks but also is a highly durable material. It isn’t easily affected by insects, rotting, harsh weather conditions. Unlike brick siding, vinyl is lightweight and easy to install, making it a cost-effective choice. The success of vinyl siding highly depends on proper installation. Therefore, installation is best left to siding contractors. Check out Vinyl House Siding Mighty Dog Roofing as they have services that you might need!
Moving on to the cons, vinyl siding doesn’t add much to your home’s value. Also, manufacturing vinyl siding isn’t environmentally friendly.
Stone Siding
Do you prefer the appeal of natural materials? Stone is another extremely durable material you can consider for your home’s siding. It’s available in a wide range of textures and shades that can help you create one-of-a-kind siding.
Stone siding is one of the most costly options out there. Similar to brick siding, you would have to hire an expert to install stone siding, which will add to the expense.
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement is one of the most durable materials available for siding. It is an exceptionally versatile material that comes in a variety of colors, styles, shapes, and textures. Its industrial-strength makes it resistant to harsh weather, pests, and fire.
In terms of installation costs, fiber cement tends to cost more than vinyl siding.