When it comes to choosing siding for your home, there are plenty of options. Since siding will cover most of your home’s exterior and is the first thing people notice, it’s important to consider how it looks. But siding does so much more than just look good. It protects your home from the elements; can lower energy costs; and increase a home’s resale value. Factors to consider when choosing siding for your home include climate, cost, and design.
Weather Watch
Siding must be able to resist the elements. A siding material that isn’t weather resistant can allow wind and moisture to wreak havoc on siding panels, causing heat loss and water damage problems such as mold growth and wood rot.
Siding should also be suited to the local climate. If you live near the ocean, for example, the siding material you select should strong, durable and low maintenance. A home that gets a lot of sun needs siding with a protective finish that won’t fade. A house consistently exposed to strong winds should have cladding that resists impact from wind, hail, and flying debris.
Cost
Deciding on how much you want to spend on your new siding is a major factor when selecting a siding material that is right for your home’s exterior. Once you know your price range, it will be easier to narrow down your options. Sticking to a budget-friendly plan is good: make sure that any contractors’ estimates you receive don’t go above 25% of your bottom line.
Durability and Maintenance
In order to optimally protect your home, siding should be durable. You also want your siding to be easy to maintain over the long run. Each type of siding has its own durability level and maintenance requirements. For example, vinyl siding is typically the least expensive siding material, needs minimal maintenance, and has a lifespan of 20 to 30 year, depending on climatic conditions; while cedar siding is the most expensive, requires a lot of maintenance, and lasts 50 to 75 years.
Design
As mentioned above, siding covers roughly 90% of a home’s exterior surface area. Aesthetics are important. When selecting a siding material, first take into consideration how the elements of your home – roof, entry door, and windows – interact with one another. Siding should complement or enhance a building’s architectural components.
Line and shape of siding panels create flow and balance. Flow and balance can be interrupted for visual impact or to create the illusion of tall or wide. Examples are, installing board-and-batten siding to make a house seem taller or wood strip siding on a smaller house to make it appear wider.
Siding panels are available in a variety of textures. Texture is important to the overall aesthetics of a home and is used to create depth, simplicity or complexity. There is no rule that says you must clad your home with only one type of siding: selecting wood grain siding and installing it both vertically and horizontally will add depth; cedar shakes matched with board-and-batten siding is simple yet inviting; or pair hammered metal sheeting and fiber cement siding for a complex, dramatic effect.
Colour probably has the most impact on a home’ exterior. While you want to select something that is practical, you also don’t want it to be “boring.” Think about the effect you would like to create. Warm colours such as browns, reds, and yellows typically have a vibrant, energetic effect. On the other hand, cool colours, including blues, greens, and greys, are soothing or calming.
