Siding Costs

Choosing A Shape

Siding is generally available in three shapes: clapboard, shingles and vertical. Clapboard, also known as lap siding, consists of long horizontal panels. Similar to the shape of roofing shingles, siding products that are available in the shingle style resemble small rectangles or squares. Vertical siding creates a look that is composed of vertical panels that are placed along the exterior of a house. Homeowners may choose siding in their preferred shape and color of choice, depending on each manufacturer's product offering. Siding can also be made from a variety of materials.

Vinyl

Available in many different colors and textures, vinyl siding is durable, and nicks and scratches in this type of siding tend to not show up. An aesthetic advantage to vinyl siding is that manufacturers are able to produce vinyl that mimics the appearance of other materials like stone or wood grain. A preferable choice for DIY renovators, vinyl can be easily placed directly over existing material and quickly installed. Vinyl is also relatively low-cost compared to other types of siding. Maintenance and cleaning are easy, and new insulated vinyl products are now available for improved energy efficiency. 

Wood

Many people choose wood siding for its natural appearance. Depending on the homeowner's preference, wood products can be purchased in higher grades that can be sealed without adding a stain or paint color. Less expensive, lower-grade wood siding tends to have knots and blemishes and is typically stained or covered with paint. Wood siding can last many decades with dedicated, proper upkeep.

Wood: The Non-Green Siding Option

While wood continues to garner quite the attention, it sadly is not the best option for the earth. According to HomeAdvisor and David Johnston, the founder of the green consulting firm What’s Working, Inc., if harvested irresponsibly, wood siding contributes to deforestation and global warming, making it about as un-green as siding gets. Many homeowners make a false assumption that it’s an environmentally-friendly option since lumber is a renewable resource. However, the chemicals involved in staining, treating and sealing wood siding are very harmful to the environment and to humans. Given that wood siding needs to be treated every 4-6 years at minimum, the long-term environmental impact of wood siding can be significant.

Hardie Board Siding

Favored for its reputation as a low-maintenance siding material that lasts, Hardie board siding is a growing trend in the home renovation industry. Also known as fiber cement siding, Hardie board siding is affordable and can typically be purchased with a 50-year warranty with limited transferability. This type of siding is also very durable as it resists rot, insect damage and even salt corrosion. Consisting of 90 percent sand and cement, resistance to fire is also one of the attractive benefits of installing fiber cement siding. In terms of aesthetics, Hardie board siding can be made to mimic virtually any material. Therefore, homeowners are able to achieve any style they desire while having the benefits of a durable, fireproof and weather-resistant siding. While Hardie board siding is affordable, the material is very heavy; therefore, labor costs for installation typically run higher than with other types of siding. 

The siding market is teeming with texture, style, color and material variations. For the homeowner who is looking to protect and update the aesthetics of his or her home, choosing a product that will create the desired look can be a fun and informative process.

Green Siding

Environmentally-friendly siding options are entering their adolescent years, which means homeowners are starting to take notice and choosing to go with a greener selection.

Wood and fiber-cement cover the two ends of the green siding spectrum. While wood continues to gain traction in the U.S., as noted above, it is not very green. Fiber-cement, on the other hand, is sadly still not a relevant option. If you want to install environmentally friendly siding, you may reconsider your stance.

Fiber-Cement: The Best Green Siding Option

Environmentally friendly siding options need to be durable. After all, if you’re replacing it every few years, it’s not very helpful to the environment. Good thing for the environmentally friendly homeowner that fiber-cement is one of the most durable options out there.

Fiber-cement siding, made from a mix of cement, sand and cellulose fibers, is water-resistant, virtually fireproof, insect proof, inhibits fungal growth and usually comes with a very long warranty. By reducing maintenance calls, eliminating the need to reside your house for about 50 years and taking advantage of insurance breaks offered to fiber-cement homes in fire-prone areas, you stand a lot to gain in the financial department, despite its higher installation cost.

Other Green Siding Options

There are other options homeowners have when it comes to green siding. See what Johnston recommends below:

• Install Rigid Foam Insulation: After you tear down the old siding, and before you put up the new, consider wrapping your home in a layer of rigid foam insulation. It will reduce your monthly heating and cooling costs.
• Install Drainage Planes: All siding leaks at some point. It can ultimately lead to rot, water damage, or mold and fungal growth. A drainage plane is a felt paper or other general house wrap that is applied over the sheathing and under the siding, and diverts any water away from the home where it can do no harm.
• Use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Wood: Wood remains a popular siding option. If you choose wood, go with an FSC-certified wood. FSC lumber is harvested in an environmentally friendly fashion.
• Use Alternatives to Wood for Trim and Accents: Recycled plastic lumber trim, natural stucco, brick and local stone are all environmentally friendly trim materials that will reduce demands placed on the world's forests.
• Use Local Materials: Transporting building materials over long distances unnecessarily burns more fossil fuels. Make sure your contractor uses local materials. It will be cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Last updated on May 2, 2017