How to Choose the Right Siding for Your Home?

Is it time to replace your siding? There are a variety of signs that indicate it is time to upgrade your siding, and when that time comes, it is important you consider all of your options and are equipped with the knowledge to choose the right siding for your home. Siding is the cladding around a home, and its main purpose is to protect the interior of the home and add aesthetic value. When choosing the right siding for your home, it is important you consider its ability to resist water and humidity, its energy efficiency, versatility, and its durability. In this article, we are going to cover the benefits and disadvantages of the most popular types of siding.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is one of the most popular choices when it comes to siding. It is not only budget friendly, but it also offers an ROI of 77 per cent. Vinyl siding has been around since the mid- 1900s and was created to combat the down-sides of wood and stone siding.

Vinyl siding advantages:

• It is the most inexpensive of all siding materials
• It comes in a variety of colors and styles, and can also mimic wood, stone and slate
• Some vinyl sidings come with a lifetime warranty
• It is easy to clean with just soap and water
• It is not susceptible to insect damage or rot

Vinyl siding disadvantages:

• While cheap to buy, it can be costly to repair
• Vinyl siding can be flammable
• Vinyl siding cannot be painted over once installed

Wood Siding

Wood siding is another popular siding choice. Just as its name suggests, it is made from natural wooden planks attached to the sides of the home.

Wood siding advantages:

• Wood siding is extremely eco-friendly because it is made entirely out of a natural material
• It is easy to install
• It can be painted or stained to whatever color you like

Wood siding disadvantages:

• Wood siding is one of the most expensive siding materials
• It does not offer very good insulation
• It is highly susceptible to damage from insects, moisture, humidity and can easily rot
• Wood siding requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep

Cement Fiber Siding

Cement fiber siding is a highly durable siding comprised of sand, cement and wood fibers. It is thicker than regular vinyl and can be shaped into a variety of textures and styles, such as wood grain.

Cement fiber siding advantages:

• Good energy efficiency due to thickness of material
• Can be manufactured into a variety of textures and colors
• Resistant to water and insects
• Non-flammable

Cement fiber siding disadvantages:

• Cement fiber is usually more expensive than vinyl siding, but it is also less expensive than wood siding
• It can be difficult to install due to its weight, so sometimes installation charges are higher than other materials
• Cement fiber siding may require repainting every 15-20 years

Foam Backed Vinyl Siding

Foam backed vinyl siding is a newer siding material that has a foam core backing which can be bonded or not bonded to the actual siding. Foam backed siding is a popular choice because its foam core offers an insulation barrier and prevents heat loss.

Foam backed vinyl siding advantages:

• Excellent energy efficiency
• Can be easily cleaned with soap and water
• Reduces noise from the outside
• Can be installed in many different design choices and colors
• Not susceptible to damage from moisture and insects

Disadvantages:

• Foam backed vinyl siding costs more than vinyl siding
• It can be costly to repair
• You cannot change the color once it has been installed

Engineered Wood Siding

Engineered wood siding is one of most modern siding products on the market. It is made of wood products combined with bonding agents that look like wood, but without the disadvantages of wood siding.

Engineered wood siding advantages:

• Offers the look and feel of wood
• Greenest manufacture siding choice because it is made from recycled wood
• Resistant to insects
• 50 year warranty

Engineered wood siding disadvantages:

• It is not the cheapest siding option on the market
• If not properly maintained, it can experience moisture related issues
• If not properly installed, engineered wood siding can experience moisture related problems