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5 Must-Read Recommendations for Choosing the Best Siding
A construction expert shares advice for selecting siding that suits your style and needs
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Crisp white board-and-batten siding on a modern farmhouse. Navy blue shakes on a coastal retreat. Delicate scallops on a Queen Anne Victorian. The right siding has the power to transform your home’s appearance and also protect it from the elements. According to Rick Arnold, a veteran home builder and consultant for Boral Building Products, it’s important to research your options carefully. Below, he shares pointers for picking siding that’s just right for your home.
What is siding? Arnold explains it as “the exterior envelope that surrounds your home,” or any material installed on the sides of your house. (The top is considered roofing.) It could be poly-ash boards, a concrete stucco treatment, wood shingles, stone veneer — you name it.
What is siding? Arnold explains it as “the exterior envelope that surrounds your home,” or any material installed on the sides of your house. (The top is considered roofing.) It could be poly-ash boards, a concrete stucco treatment, wood shingles, stone veneer — you name it.
1. Respect Your Home’s Architectural Style
A universal rule when it comes to new siding? Honor the existing architecture. “Stay true to the style of your home,” Arnold says. “The right design makes your home more pleasing to the eye, will entice prospective buyers and improves curb appeal.” Whether you have a Colonial, a Cape Cod or a Craftsman, research designs from your home’s era to find what fits.
With the Victorian seen here, a mix of scalloped and horizontal wood-effect siding in blue complements the white fretwork and trim. It offers the beauty of painted wood without the moisture-related issues that commonly plague natural materials.
A universal rule when it comes to new siding? Honor the existing architecture. “Stay true to the style of your home,” Arnold says. “The right design makes your home more pleasing to the eye, will entice prospective buyers and improves curb appeal.” Whether you have a Colonial, a Cape Cod or a Craftsman, research designs from your home’s era to find what fits.
With the Victorian seen here, a mix of scalloped and horizontal wood-effect siding in blue complements the white fretwork and trim. It offers the beauty of painted wood without the moisture-related issues that commonly plague natural materials.
2. Consider Your Climate
Pick the right siding for your region to help keep your home’s exterior looking gorgeous. If you live in a low-moisture area such as the Southwest, it’s fine to use more porous reservoir siding, Arnold says. Examples include wood and fiber cement.
Live in a wetter, more humid climate or by the coast? Choose hydrophobic siding (which repels moisture) such as vinyl or composite, as seen on this home. If you’re unsure which category your siding falls into, try the bucket test with a small sample: “You can put hydrophobic siding in a bucket of water and you won’t see any long-term damage or deterioration,” Arnold says.
Pick the right siding for your region to help keep your home’s exterior looking gorgeous. If you live in a low-moisture area such as the Southwest, it’s fine to use more porous reservoir siding, Arnold says. Examples include wood and fiber cement.
Live in a wetter, more humid climate or by the coast? Choose hydrophobic siding (which repels moisture) such as vinyl or composite, as seen on this home. If you’re unsure which category your siding falls into, try the bucket test with a small sample: “You can put hydrophobic siding in a bucket of water and you won’t see any long-term damage or deterioration,” Arnold says.
3. Understand the Maintenance
If you’d rather put your feet up on the weekends, choose an easy-care siding. Genuine stone facades might look beautiful but they can crack easily due to structural movement and occupant use or abuse. Many types of wood siding, with their authentic natural charm, can fall victim to rot or termites if not correctly installed or cared for on a regular basis.
Consider a manufactured material such as the durable composite siding seen here to save time and money on maintenance, Arnold says. Just clean it using mild soap and a soft bristle brush, then hose it down with water. You’ll be able to keep your home in good shape without hours of work — and enjoy your days off.
If you’d rather put your feet up on the weekends, choose an easy-care siding. Genuine stone facades might look beautiful but they can crack easily due to structural movement and occupant use or abuse. Many types of wood siding, with their authentic natural charm, can fall victim to rot or termites if not correctly installed or cared for on a regular basis.
Consider a manufactured material such as the durable composite siding seen here to save time and money on maintenance, Arnold says. Just clean it using mild soap and a soft bristle brush, then hose it down with water. You’ll be able to keep your home in good shape without hours of work — and enjoy your days off.
4. Combine Different Materials
Putting on the ritz isn’t just for nights on the town — feel free to mix up your siding to express your style and add flair. “Siding offers an opportunity to increase your home’s value if it is attractive,” Arnold says. Try combining a stucco plaster treatment with wood panels, shingles and scalloped siding, or a decorative trim, as shown here, and mortarless stone veneer. Consider mixing colors and textures to bring further personalization and panache to your home.
Putting on the ritz isn’t just for nights on the town — feel free to mix up your siding to express your style and add flair. “Siding offers an opportunity to increase your home’s value if it is attractive,” Arnold says. Try combining a stucco plaster treatment with wood panels, shingles and scalloped siding, or a decorative trim, as shown here, and mortarless stone veneer. Consider mixing colors and textures to bring further personalization and panache to your home.
5. Study Up on Costs
Map out your siding budget in advance so you can get the look you want. Generally, if you’re building a home from the ground up, the siding should account for 4 percent to 8 percent of the total budget, Arnold says. Synthetic siding, specifically vinyl, is the least expensive at around $3 to $5 per square foot, he says. If you have a large budget, a real stone facade has an authentic, luxurious feel.
If you love the look of stone but want to save on labor and materials costs, consider stone veneer siding. It runs around $12 to $15 per square foot, as opposed to an average of $30 for real stone, Arnold says. “You really can’t go wrong with a stone veneer, both in looks and durability,” he adds.
The sooner you narrow down your aesthetic, regional considerations, maintenance tolerance and budget, the sooner you’ll be living in the beautiful home you’ve envisioned.
More: To learn more about Boral Building Products, visit the company’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Map out your siding budget in advance so you can get the look you want. Generally, if you’re building a home from the ground up, the siding should account for 4 percent to 8 percent of the total budget, Arnold says. Synthetic siding, specifically vinyl, is the least expensive at around $3 to $5 per square foot, he says. If you have a large budget, a real stone facade has an authentic, luxurious feel.
If you love the look of stone but want to save on labor and materials costs, consider stone veneer siding. It runs around $12 to $15 per square foot, as opposed to an average of $30 for real stone, Arnold says. “You really can’t go wrong with a stone veneer, both in looks and durability,” he adds.
The sooner you narrow down your aesthetic, regional considerations, maintenance tolerance and budget, the sooner you’ll be living in the beautiful home you’ve envisioned.
More: To learn more about Boral Building Products, visit the company’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Boral™ Building Products, a Westlake company, has built its reputation by offering quality building products and... Read More
Boral™ Building Products, a Westlake company, has built its reputation by offering quality building products and... Read More
Oh how wonderful it would be to have a home like #2 :-)
Great information -Thank you.
I live in CA with the newly acquired high fire hazard designation. It would be so helpful to have more information on how homes have been upgraded to side for increased fire resistance. Cost with the variations of options would also be great!