Building Siding Alternatives

Award winning home renovation expert bob vila outlines some of the upsides and downsides of popular alternatives to vinyl siding on his website.

Building siding alternatives.

Exterior building products aren t 100 percent watertight. Fiber cement siding is low maintenance non flammable and termite resistant. For example fiber cement siding is much heavier than traditional siding options and needs some moisture barrier underneath to ensure its waterproof qualities. Siding is one of the most important elements of commercial and residential buildings.

Stucco the traditional spanish building material is a great option for the exterior siding of your home if you prefer a unique style. Plywood siding is an all wood exterior grade panel. Vinyl siding options boast a nearly endless number of colors and styles as well as very low and easy maintenance. Plywood siding features a rough sawn textured face for a beautiful rustic appearance.

The cost of new siding can vary widely as can the maintenance required for specific materials. Some of these siding options require more. While vinyl siding costs vary you can expect to pay between 2 5 per square foot installed. From a building supply retailer you should expect to see vinyl material prices of 1 per square foot or even less.

While wood is easy to work with it can be expensive depending on the grade of wood you choose. Fiber cement siding while not inexpensive is a high resale value siding choice that offers equally high aesthetic appeal. It plywood siding is an all wood exterior grade panel. It is ideal for siding applications from new home construction utility buildings planters dog houses and other remodeling or do it yourself projects.

The right siding material can be key to a nice looking finished product that weathers well and also serves to protect the building s structure. We ll go into more detail for each one below. Find the best fiber cement siding brands you may want to choose. Very similar to plaster stucco is created from a mixture of lime sand and cement.

Available in a range of styles and textures factory painting or finishes are highly recommended. Six of the best options include fiber cement stucco stone or faux stone brick aluminum and wood. If you ve chosen a style of siding for your home board and batten dutch lap vertical or shake it s time to select the material. Additives like fiber and acrylic are sometimes added for even more strength.

Offering the look of masonry stucco or wood at a lower cost fiber cement siding has become a popular siding choice for many homeowners. Revered for its natural beauty wood can last generations with dedicated maintenance.