How to Choose the Best Siding for Your Home

The exterior of your house has a very big job to deliver to the appeal of it. The exterior of a home is not only laden with the function of protecting you and your family from the attacks of nature but must also continue to look enticing no matter the challenges nature throws at it. Just in case you are in for increasing the beauty of your house and there is uncertainty about the kind of sidings to choose, the comparisons and analysis made below will assist you in making the right decision. Before the continuation of analyzing the various kind of siding, you must know this that, any exterior siding plan must also put into consideration an exterior trim, which is the casing treatment utilized around doors and windows opening. There is a tendency that you will replace the exterior trim in case there has been deterioration on the existing siding of your house. Because anyone will desire that the new trim be compatible with the newly installed siding both in function and in appearance.

Below are some of the factors to consider in choosing the best siding for your home.

1. Durability

The siding you will be making use of must act as protection for your house. It should be able to stand against environmental threats like excessive rainfall, sunshine, and boisterous wind. The majority of sidings that exists delivers a perfect resistance against environmental hazards.

2. Energy Efficiency

One of the major functions of your sidings is to reduce the transfer of heat which will reduce your energy cost for the year. However, many available sidings are not good insulators except vinyl siding, which can boost the R-value of your homes' outer wall (R-Value is the insulation value).

3. Breathability

To be able to control the humidity inside your home, your siding must be able to expel moisture. Vinyl that is vented adequately and installed properly coupled with fiber cement will allow your home to excessive heat.

4. Ease of Installation

Your project will not experience much disruption if the installation process is very fast. It will assist you in cutting down the excessive money you might spend on labor, and also reduce the number of days you would have to handle mess and noise.

5. Aesthetics

Choose a siding style that would boost the appeal of your house's curb. One of the siding products that can do this job is horizontal vinyl siding because they are very incredible in traditional homes.

6. Maintenance

The maintenance of a siding system can be very expensive. But, it is better to make use of siding material that doesn't need painting. Make use of siding materials that will only need a garden hose to return to their natural state of appeal. Fiber cement and vinyl require very little maintenance.

7. Beauty

Siding decides how your home will appear, just because it forms the biggest part of your exterior. When choosing a siding for your home, there is a need for you to consider the available color with your home's architectural design.

8. Location

The location of your home can assist you to recognize the right shades and hues for your house siding. If your house is naturally located in a wooded environment, you can choose brown, gray, and green palettes. So, your location should also determine the kind of siding material you would use.

Types of Siding

Below are some of the different types of siding.

1. Wood Siding

If you have an existing siding, then some kinds of wood sidings can be installed on the existing one. Take, for example, it is possible to introduce wood shingle siding over a rustier clapboard siding. It is more reasonable to remove rusty siding before installing a new wood siding. Before the installation of a new siding, you will need to replace any deteriorated flashing around windows or trim and door openings. Add or repair house wrap to enhance your house's resistance against moisture damage and air infiltration. These tasks are what you can do yourself.

For maintenance, examine your siding every year for cracks or for damage that must be repaired. Wood needs to be refined every 4 to 6 years, depending on the kind of wood you use.

2. Pine and Cedar Siding

The two major wood varieties used for exterior siding are pine and cedar. The cedar varieties include Alaskan yellow cedar, red cedar, and eastern white cedar. Each variety of cedar has its unique color reflected in its name. Also, cedar is dimensionally durable, as it won't contract, expand, wrap like pine and crack.

It doesn't matter the variety and kind of wood siding you want to use, it will always last long and look attractive with a touch of protective finishing. Solid color stain or paint offers the best protection from ultraviolet damage and weather. You can simply request for a bright exterior finish that will give ultraviolet safety and is designed for wood siding. Ensure you check your local building codes, just in case you are planning to build your home with wood siding. Because some locales require that wood sidings are well treated with fire-retardant chemicals.

3. Engineered Wood

For those who love the look and the durability of solid wood, but often time gets discouraged by the low stability of pine or the costly price of cedar siding, engineered wood siding may be the answer to your desire. There are various kinds of engineered siding you can choose from. Resin and clapboards that are made from wood flakes are all factory-made with a primer of about 16ft in length to reduce butt points.

4. Stone Veneer Siding

It is very easy to add a stone veneer to your house, in case you desire the look of stone on your house. This siding procedure is a good upgrade for concrete walls. It is also often installed on the half bottom of the main wall, or on the fireplace surrounds driveway pillars and interior walls. There are various styles of stones you can choose from.

5. Vinyl Siding

Vinyl Siding is affordable, long-lasting, and very easy to install. It has an easy to appreciate popularity. These days, there are varieties of siding colors and styles you can choose from including some products that look like stone, wood shingles, and wood-grain lap siding. scratches and dings do not show, because the color is already part of the material. The kind of maintenance suitable for siding is routine cleaning making use of a hose and brush.

It can be installed on newly constructed walls and also over many kinds of existing siding. For any additional insulation, the vinyl siding that has been insulated has strong foam insulation that covers the gaps behind the stepped siding profile.

6. Cement Fiber Siding

Cement Fiber Siding is an incredible choice for our climate. The Cement Fiber Siding is a material that is not vulnerable to insect damage or rot. It is resistant to fire and the paint stays well on it. Its maintenance cost is very low, durable and it is efficient because it is made from recyclable materials. Cement fiber siding comes the nearest to duplicating a natural wood grain and is nearly indiscernible from some wood siding commodities. It is deemed a premium product and tends to gain better resale quality to your house.

7. Hardboard Siding

The Hardboard Siding material is often referred to as Masonite. Masonite was the name of the manufacturer of this product. The manufacturer of Masonite lost a huge court suit in 1996 because the product wasn't fit enough for exterior use.

Masonite is no longer used for siding, but much of this same siding is still much available in the market, and there are also other similar products, which can make a good siding for your house.

Conclusion

Siding can enhance or degrade the appearance of your home. If you are planning on embarking on a siding project for your home, ensure you go for materials that will give you the ease of maintenance, durability, and insulation.