It’s time to replace your home siding. Perhaps your old siding has seen better days, or you are in the mood for something new, transforming the look of your house.
But what kind of replacement siding should you choose to protect your home from the elements and to give it a striking visual appeal?
When you speak to your friendly neighborhood siding contractor, they will lead through your options, giving you the pros and cons for each. They would include:
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is still the most popular home siding in the United States. It’s available in many different colors and styles, lightweight, easy to install (even over existing siding) and modestly priced. It’s also durable, requires little maintenance and will keep its shape even under extreme temperatures.
As far as drawbacks, overlapping panels will sometimes show seams and the same ingredient that makes vinyl durable, PVC, doesn’t degrade in landfills and can yield toxins.
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement siding has steadily risen in popularity since the 1990s. Composed of a mixture of cement, sand, and cellulose that’s toughened using pressurized steam, fiber-cement siding is aimed at homeowners who want the look of wood without the associated problems and maintenance costs.
Fiber-cement replacement siding is more durable than wood, non-combustible, water-resistant, bug-resistant and often comes with a 50-year warranty. You don’t need to paint this home siding, but it is easy to do so if you ever want to change colors
However, fiber cement is heavy, requiring special installation tools, which may add to its cost. The production of Portland cement is said to yield C02 emissions, which may be offset by fiber cement’s long life.
Wood Siding
This once-popular choice has declined substantially over the years and now only commands a small percentage of the home siding market. Even so, there’s something to be said for the natural beauty of wood shown through a clear or semi-transparent stain.
Wood siding comes in many species and grades and can be an expensive option, depending on your choice. If you use an opaque stain then you can select a less-expensive wood siding.
Wood is easy to cut, shape and install, and with regular maintenance can last a century or more. But that’s the catch, it does require maintenance: a clear finish every two years, or re-staining every three years, or repainting every five.
As far as its green factor, wood is, of course, easily biodegradable in landfills. The environmentally conscious can check that the wood replacement siding does not come from an old-growth forest, with a FSC designation that indicates it was sourced in sustainable forests.
Schedule a free siding consultation from the professionals of JD Hostetter & Associates, Indianapolis area’s quality replacement siding company.
