Siding protects your home from the elements while adding personality and character. Since there are a wide range of exterior siding products to choose from, how do you go about deciding what’s best? Is aluminum siding better than vinyl siding? Perhaps wood siding is the way to go. Because each type of home siding has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, other considerations like appearance, style, cost and geographic location will actually play a more important role in your final decision.
Appearance and Style
What do you like? You might like the idea of cedar shakes, but will it enhance or detract from the house’s design? When choosing siding, select a type that works well with the style of your home – a warm, red brick veneer siding might be out of place on a modern style dwelling featuring angled lines and lots of windows.
Cost
The kind of material you select, the amount you will need, and its cost will be deciding factors in the type of siding you purchase. Vinyl siding is more economical than wood siding. Aluminum siding and vinyl siding tend to be the most cost-effective. Wood composite siding is cheaper than cedar shakes. But if you are buying siding for a smaller-sized home, a more expensive stone siding might still be within your budget.
Geographic Location
Where do you live? Do you live in a place that experiences extreme heat or cold? Will your home be subjected to frequent wind storms or a lot of rain? You will need siding that is able to withstand the climatic demands of your specific geographic location.
Other considerations
While material and cost are typically the most common deciding factors when choosing exterior siding, there are also other considerations to take into account:
- If environmental issues are a concern, you might want to choose an eco-friendly option over vinyl siding, for example
- Some types of siding are more labour-intensive than others – vinyl siding is low maintenance while wood siding tends to be higher maintenance
- When making your home as energy efficient as possible, consider insulated siding
- Select a colour of siding that is essentially neutral but one that will complement the roof of your home
Knowing what to look for and the esthetic and practical considerations to take into account when choosing siding for your home will help you to decide what is best for you.
