When giving the exterior of your home a makeover, your siding can make all the difference in the world. With an abundance of attractive options, you can choose a style that tastefully enhances your home's personality and harmonizes with your roof like a dear old friend.
While the house is stripped of it's outer garments, be sure to add a radiant barrier house wrap if you want to take a big bite out of your energy bills while the opportunity is hot. Below are five excellent siding materials to consider.
Brick Veneer
Pros — Using thinner bricks to form a free-standing wall anchored to the house, brick veneer can closely mimic the real thing without the substantial cost. Brick veneer siding, unlike full-brick walls, requires no special reinforcement to the foundation footers. The thermal mass of brick can help keep the home somewhat cooler than other sidings with the same insulation beneath. Durable brick requires little regular maintenance, presents a barrier against fire and boring insects like termites, and will never rot.
Cons — Installation is labor intensive, thus costly. Also, the mortar may begin to crumble after a few decades and require considerable repairs.
Stone Veneer
Pros — Synthetic stone siding is composed of cement, sand, and a light aggregate. Basically, it's concrete molded and tinted to look like any number of natural stones. Because it comes in panels and is much lighter than real stone, it needn't be installed one faux stone at a time, so you can save on installation costs. Like brick, stone veneer won't rot or harbor insects.
Cons — While this veneer can grace entire walls, most often, it makes for interesting accents against other siding materials.
Vinyl
Pros — Vinyl siding can be molded to replicate wood grain, is available in a variety of colors, never needs painting, and can be installed right over your existing siding. It's available with an insulating foam backing that increases its rigidity, making it tougher than unbacked vinyl. It's very lightweight, and a competent installer can put it up quickly. Vinyl only needs regular cleaning. The best part may be the price. All around, vinyl performs well for years without a hefty outlay.
Cons — While vinyl can take a little abuse, it's rather tender, and hard impacts will crack or chip it. The sunny side of the house may fade.
Steel
Pros — Steel siding can be stronger than vinyl and easily resist impacts. This strength allows for lightweight panels and easy installation. Insects, fire, and mold have no use for steel. It's great for both cold and hot climates. Vertical panels can replicate wood grain for the clapboard look. If undamaged, the factory paint on horizontal panels can last forty years or longer, although paint on vertical seam panels may not, especially in higher altitudes with constant sun exposure. Other than an occasional wash, steel is practically maintenance free. Happily, if you ever tire of your enduring steel siding, you can send it off for recycling.
Cons — Damage that scores the paint will expose the steel to rust; however, touching up the paint puts that concern to rest.
Fiber Cement
Pros — Composed of cement, wood fibers, and sand, fiber cement siding looks like real wood but doesn't rot or deteriorate like the real thing as long as it remains protected by its paint finish. It's quite fire and bug resistant, as well. Sturdier than vinyl, fiber cement also comes in replica fieldstone, river rock, brick, and stacked flagstones.
Cons — The density and durability of fiber cement carries a price in weight. The heavier material calls for special tools, so it will entail a higher installation cost.
Any one of these siding materials can put a new face on your home. Hedrick construction installs various types of siding and offers roof repair and installation services as well. If you live near Ames, Huxley, Ankeny, or elsewhere around Des Moines and you would like to know more or receive a free consultation, please click or call us today.
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