Are you stuck trying to find the best siding for your home? With so many unique options on the market these days to choose from, making a final decision can be difficult. Plus, when it comes to picking out siding for your home, you have to consider many things.
You want it to be functional, secure, and protective while also boosting your home’s curb appeal. There are dozens of materials, brands, and types of siding out there, so deciding what to do can be quite overwhelming. You can select from a broad range of siding materials, such as:
- Vinyl
- Fiber cement
- Engineered hardwood
- Wood
- Metal
- Brick
- Stone veneer
If you’re still feeling uncertain about what’s the best siding for your house, this post should help you get a better idea of the benefits of each type and have a much smoother decision-making experience when it comes time to replace your siding.
Know What Benefits You Want From Your Siding
Since there are so many different types of siding, it should come as no surprise that each style can offer its own distinct benefits, and the more features a material offers, the more expensive it can be. So it’s important to know what you may or may not be sacrificing by going with a cheaper option or what you would be getting if you choose the premium one.
With all that said, here’s a helpful checklist of the absolute necessities you need to keep in mind when deciding what’s the best siding for your house:
- Durability against wind and storms
- Lots of color options
- Protection against leaks
- Impact-resistance
- Fire and insect-resistance
- Affordable
- Long life span
- Low-maintenance
- Unique curb appeal
- Simple installation/replacement
- A high-quality brand with good reviews
Think about all of these details as you search for new siding, and don’t be afraid to ask your contractor as many questions as you need about the pros and cons of each kind so that you know for sure which one will be best suited for your home.
Weigh the Pros and Cons of Different Siding Materials
Deciding on the best siding for your house can be difficult since there are so many different colors, styles, and capabilities. That’s why it’s crucial to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of different siding materials to help make your decision easier. Here are some pros and cons of some of the most common types of siding people install on their homes:
Vinyl
Vinyl siding is a prevalent choice for many homeowners as it is very economical, and most brands offer endless color options. This affordable option is incredibly easy to install; some homeowners are even handy enough to do it themselves. Vinyl siding is relatively durable and long-lasting, with an expected lifespan of 30 to 60 years with the proper maintenance, of which it requires very little.
✅ Pros:
- Affordable
- Low maintenance
- Easy to install
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
🚫 Cons:
- Lacks the durability of other, more premium materials
- Shows seams
- Can crack
Fiber Cement
Another siding option that’s starting to take hold in neighborhoods is fiber cement. This very versatile material is specially manufactured to be highly durable and can mimic the look of vinyl, cement, or even wood siding. Premium siding brands like James Hardie offer a wide variety of colors and styles while providing a durable solution guaranteed to last over 30 years.
✅ Pros:
- High strength against severe weather (hail damage, rain storms, wind, etc.)
- Customized colors
- Can last anywhere from 30-50 years
🚫 Cons:
- More expensive than vinyl
- Higher maintenance requirements
- Difficult to install (heavy)
LP Smartside
LP Smartside siding is a super durable, engineered hardwood that often comes with a 50-year warranty. It’s much more costly than the average homeowner is willing to spend, but in the long run, it can work in your favor because it lasts over twice as long as cheaper vinyl options.
✅ Pros:
- Strong
- Homeowners can paint over it
- Available in a wide variety of textures, colors, and simulated finishes (clapboard, wood shingles, beaded lap, etc.)
- Often comes with a lengthy warranty
- Easy to install
- Inexpensive compared to real wood siding
- Fewer seams than vinyl siding
- Insect-resistant
🚫 Cons:
- Costly compared to vinyl siding
- Requires continual painting
- Maintenance-heavy
- Susceptible to rot
Wood
While engineered hardwood can look very much like the real thing, genuine wood siding and shingles can’t be beat when it comes to boosting curb appeal. The overall look of the stained wood and textured wood grain are something that any home buyer loves to see, but it should be noted that this type of siding requires stringent maintenance each year. In fact, even with the best care and upkeep, wood siding will only last about 15 to 20 years before a replacement is required.
✅ Pros:
- Eco-friendly (recyclable)
- Simple repairs
- Can be changed often with stain or paint
- Raises home resale value
- Has a lot of character
🚫 Cons:
- High-maintenance
- Needs to be re-stained or painted every few years
- Expensive
- Difficult to install
- Vulnerable to damage and pest infestation
Metal
As one of the most durable materials for residential siding (and roofing), metal has become more and more popular across the states, even in spite of its high up-front cost. Metal siding and shingles are solid and resistant to the elements, including wind, fire, and insects. With metal siding and roofing exploding in popularity, you’ll also see more options available for colors and styles.
✅ Pros:
- Requires very little maintenance once installed
- Insect and fire-resistant
- Environmentally-friendly
- Can last for over 50 years with little to no maintenance or repairs
- Durable
- Impressive wind ratings
- Energy efficient
- Many metals can be used
🚫 Cons:
- Can rust if installed in very wet climates
- Lighter, cheaper metals can be prone to dents from hail or debris
- Very high installation cost
- Can be noisy during storms
- Patch repairs can be noticeable because it’s difficult to match metal colors
Brick
Brick is a timeless choice for siding that supplies your home with plenty of impact and curb appeal. It’s incredibly strong and long-lasting, and the classic look goes with most styles of homes, often utilized to complement other siding. It is typically installed in combination with other kinds of siding, keeping the central part of the home strong and sturdy while achieving a beautiful, varied look across your home’s facade.
✅ Pros:
- Low-maintenance
- Energy-efficient
- Beautiful curb appeal
- Fire- and insect-resistant
- Durable to all kinds of weather
- Long lifespan
🚫 Cons:
- It can be more expensive than other materials
- May require re-mortaring at some point, depending on its condition
- Difficult to install
- May be susceptible to moisture issues
Stone Veneer
Another siding style that you’ll see used as more of an accent than an entire system is stone veneer siding. Stone veneer is engineered to look like natural stone but is much more lightweight, making this a more affordable and easier to install option than the real thing. Installing stone veneer is actually something you can attempt yourself, as it’s not the trickiest task for a skilled homeowner.
✅ Pros:
- Doesn’t require expertise to install
- Minimal maintenance
- Lightweight
- Affordable if used as an accent
- Looks like the real thing!
🚫 Cons:
- Susceptible to leaks and moisture
- Not made of recyclable material
- Can get costly when covering a lot of square footage
Choose the Best Color Pairings
Once you’ve decided on the type of siding you want to install, you need to choose a color as well. Some materials like metal and brick will have minimal color options to select from, but other siding materials, such as vinyl, fiber cement, and engineered wood can come with quite an array of customized hues.
Not only do you need to choose your primary siding color, but you will want to ensure the trim, gutters, and other accents of your home pair well with your choice. Here are some of the best color pairings for siding and trim for your home:
- Dark Grey Siding – Black or dark grey roof, white or light grey trim and gutters
- Light Grey Siding – Black or dark grey roof, white trim, and gutters
- Beige Siding – Grey or brown roof, grey or white trim and gutters
- Green Siding – Brown or dark grey roof, a shade of green trim, white or green gutters
- Blue Siding – Black roof, white trim, and blue or white gutters
- Red or Brown Siding – Grey or black roof, beige or white trim, and grey gutters
Installing the Best Siding for Your Home
When it comes time to install your new siding, we are here to help! Working primarily with LP Smartside engineered siding, James Hardie siding, and vinyl siding, our compiled years of experience have well-equipped us to install the siding of your dreams and give your home to curb appeal boost it needs.
To help aid in your color or material choices, we can also do an entirely virtual design before we ever start production. You can see your dream home come to life right before your eyes and know you are making the right choice.
Contact us today for a FREE estimate!
