Home Siding Types: Choosing a Style That Compliments Your Home

Home paneling is more than just aesthetic appeal. Your exterior home siding also protects your home from the elements. Siding provides insulation during the hot and cold months as well. 

There are home siding types for different environments. For example, what works in hotter climates may be ill-suited for colder areas. There are various reasons you should care about which type of home siding you choose. 

When choosing your home siding, you also must consider other factors, like cost and color. We’ll discuss what you should consider when selecting home siding and the different types below. 

What to Consider Before Installing Home Paneling

There are over 20 types of home siding types homeowners can have installed. It can be challenging to determine which type of siding for homes is the best fit for them with so many options. 

An easy way to decide what kind of paneling you should get is to determine how much it costs and if it works in the climate in which you live.

You should ensure the new paneling will last long enough to make installation worth the effort and ease of maintenance. The final consideration is panel coloring. Some paneling types don’t come in specific colors. 

Cost

Money is typically a finite resource when you’re doing home renovations. Before you think about anything else, you should know how much you’re willing to spend. 

Measure your home’s total square footage, then calculate the cost of what paneling you want to buy in square feet. You can DIY install home paneling, but hire a professional if you’re not confident in your skills. 

Professional siding installation will be an extra fee, but ensuring your siding looks good may be worth it. You can expect to pay a lot depending on what siding you choose for installation. 

The final thing you should know about siding costs is you may see some return on investment from some types of siding. Your siding choice may increase your house’s value. 

Climate and Weather

A general rule of thumb for selecting types of home siding is to pick something that can withstand your area’s climate. For example, metal sidings (like aluminum) work best in hotter locations. 

Brick is a better option if you live somewhere cold, and fiber cement is good if you want protection from hurricanes, wet weather, and humid climates. Wood and vinyl look nice but aren’t very weather resistant. 

Longevity and Maintainance

It goes to reason that you don’t want to replace your home paneling five years after installing it. A significant factor in what you buy should be how long it lasts. Vinyl panels can last 20 to 30 years. 

Stone is liable to last a century without needing a replacement. Your area’s weather and climate determine how long paneling lasts. Another large part of paneling longevity is how well you take care of it. 

Speaking of taking care of your house paneling, you should choose an exterior home siding you can easily maintain. Some types, like vinyl, don’t require much effort or time for upkeep.

However, wood siding is high-maintenance and needs repainting and repairs often. You can hire a professional service for siding upkeep if you can’t do it yourself. 

Color

Color may not seem like that important a consideration, but it’s important you like the siding you’ve selected. Color is a crucial part of home aesthetics. It can also impact the home siding type you choose. 

Not all sidings come in every color. Brick, stone, and metal have limited color selections. You can paint metal, but you’ll have to purchase specially formulated paint. 

Fiber cement, vinyl, and wood have various colors and hues you can select. You can talk to a contractor if you’d like assistance with picking the best material and color. 

Five Home Siding Types You Should Consider

We’ve thoroughly discussed how you can decide what type of home siding to use. Now, we’re going to talk about the kinds of paneling. Here are five options for homeowners to consider. 

1. Vinyl

Most people are familiar with vinyl siding, so it’s a comfortable choice. Vinyl is also cheap and comes in many colors. You can also purchase insulated vinyl.

Insulated vinyl is similar to the original material but has additional insulation for retaining heat or cool air in your home. Vinyl does a fine job protecting your home, but it’s not as durable as other options on this list. 

2. Natural Wood

The upside to choosing natural wood is it’s easy to color or stain. You can purchase siding material to imitate wood, but they don’t quite compare to the genuine article. 

Installing wood is a costly endeavor, though. You’ll also have to repaint your wooden panels at least every five to seven years. Be careful of rotting planks, termites, and other bugs infesting the wood. 

If you spot any of these issues, consult a professional contractor for assistance. They can provide instructions on what to do if either of these happens. 

3. Metal Siding

Metal siding is fire-resistant, infestation-resistant, and eco-friendly. Metal can be costly to install, but it’s long-lasting and can even mimic other types of siding. 

Some metals may rust when exposed to too much water. Sea-side structures are particularly prone to oxidation. Aluminum isn’t as durable as other metals, either. This type of metal may dent in certain conditions. 

4. Brick

Brick is tough, eco-friendly, and offers fantastic insulation for your home. Brick, like metal siding, is fire-resistant. Like metal siding, brick is a costly choice for homeowners. 

You may have to re-apply the motor between the bricks at some point. You can repaint your bricks anytime if you’re tired of the current color. 

5. Fiber Cement

We’ve already talked about fiber cement’s durability, so we’ll discuss other pros. You can repaint this siding whenever you want, and it can mimic vinyl siding. 

Fiber cement is much more expensive than vinyl, though. While this kind of home paneling is durable, it doesn’t trap heat very well. You’ll also have to put more effort into maintaining it than vinyl. 

Having Trouble Choosing the Perfect Home Siding? 

Selecting the best home siding type for your house isn’t easy. You have to carefully budget out what you want to buy and ensure it’s the right fit for your environment. 

Picking the right color can also be a difficult task. Some types of siding for homes don’t come in specific colors. It’s also essential you choose paneling you can easily maintain. 

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