What You Need To Know About The Most Common Types Of Siding

Siding protects your house from the elements and dramatically increases your home’s curb appeal. If you’re planning to change or update the siding on your home, you’ll find there are many attractive materials to choose from. As such, you’ll want to ensure you make the best choice for your home.

Here’s a look at the features and maintenance considerations of the 3 most common types of siding.

Vinyl Siding

Made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl siding is the most popular siding material. This is in part due to its low cost, durability, and versatility. Vinyl also boasts these benefits:

  • Resistant to extreme temperature changes, mold, bugs, and other elements.
  • Aesthetics: Vinyl siding can be fabricated to mimic other materials like wood or shingles.
  • Wide range of styles in vertical and horizontal panels.
  • Virtually limitless color options to match your taste, style, and budget.
  • Baked in colors: you’ll never have to worry about repainting your siding.
  • Low maintenance care: A simple washing once or twice a year and right after a storm will ensure your siding looks great and lives to its expected lifespan.
  • Long life span: vinyl siding should protect your house for about 20 to 60 years.

Fiber Cement

Fiber cement is a composite material made from a combination of sand, wood pulp, cement, and clay. Because fiber cement is molded, it can be made to look like brick, stone, and natural wood, but with greater advantages.

Fiber cement is versatile in its finish and texture and can complement any home design. It can be installed pre-painted or it can be painted after installation. Fiber cement is very durable and resists expanding and contracting due to frequent temperature and humidity fluctuations. It is rot-resistant, termite-proof, and fire-resistant.

Fiber cement has a 30-50-year lifespan. Once it is installed and sealed, the siding will require very little maintenance, including:

  • Regular caulking
  • A proper wash every year
  • Repainting every 5 to 15 years
  • Keeping plants near the foundation pruned

Composite Siding

Also known as engineered wood siding, composite siding is made of wood fibers which are compressed and bonded together with exterior-grade resins. This produces a material stronger than natural wood.

It’s a more convincing wood siding alternative, and also less expensive. Composite siding offers less maintenance than wood and is treated to ward termites, rot, and fungal decay. Composite siding comes primed or painted in a wide range of colors and textures to complement any home design.

Newer versions of composite siding are very durable and hold up well to fire, moisture, wind, debris, and extreme temperatures. With proper maintenance, composite siding will protect your house for up to 50 years.

Choosing the Right Siding

The best siding material for your home is the one which best fits your unique needs in terms of aesthetics, costs, energy efficiency, durability, and maintenance level.

  • Energy Efficiency: Re-siding your home can create the ideal conditions for your HVAC unit to operate with peak efficiency. It’s important to check for the insulating capacity or R-value for energy savings. Also, understand which underlayment and insulation will work best with the cladding. The higher the R-value, the more energy savings you can enjoy.
  • Design: The outward appearance of your home can speak much about your style and personality as a homeowner. It can also add value to your home. There are countless color and style options to choose from, so you want to make sure you pick a material to highlight your home’s architectural style, suit the house-exterior design conventions in your neighborhood, and increase your home’s curb appeal.
  • Water-Resistance: Water-resistant siding will last longer and protect your home for many years.
  • Durability: Any siding system can protect your home against the elements. But the question is, how long is the siding’s expected lifespan? Find out how long it will protect your home from the forces of nature and how well it can withstand non-stop rain, strong winds, heavy snow, long-term sun exposure, temperature extremes, insects, and fire.
  • Maintenance: Each siding material has a different level of maintenance requirement. Consider whether the type of cladding you pick will require periodic sealing or repainting or whether annual cleaning is enough to keep it in tip-top shape.
    Taking care of a high maintenance siding is a costly and demanding job. If you want a system that is virtually maintenance-free, learn about the maintenance schedules and how they will help you maximize the longevity of your siding.

At Midwest Roofing, we offer siding repair, installation, and replacement services from Columbia to Springfield. We only work with the highest quality siding products available. We’re here to answer your questions and help you choose the perfect siding for your home. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a free inspection.