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As we mentioned briefly above, fiber cement siding isn’t something you can do unless you have all the right equipment for the job and know what you are doing in the first place. There are a few choices in which paneling systems rather than masonry are utilized. Metal panels with holders eliminate the need for scratch grout and make building bricks onto the wall easier. A surface layer of grout is applied over the metal panel to give a distinct brick appearance. We have sturdy but straightforward brick veneer siding at the beginning of the end of our lists of sidings. Steel log-look siding is one of the newest styles available.
It measures about 2 in high, by 4 inches thick and 8 inches long. As a veneer it is held together by mortar, but not attached to the sheathing of the exterior home wall. When it comes to Brick homes, there are 3 variations, only 2 of which are siding options after a home is constructed. A home built with brick, during construction, is actually what is holding up the home’s structure. The R-Value for fiber cement is fairly low (at R-value .50) and is considered below average in terms of insulation.
How to Estimate Siding Costs
Shingles are most prevalent today as they can be cut faster. Uninsulated siding has an R-value of less than 1.0, so by itself provides no insulating value. The stone itself is not only burdensome but requires some truly skilled work to install it and make it look right. With cast stone, color updating is not necessary, but there may be reason to use repair kits which correct chipped pieces and match the color in that particular piece.
It is no wonder it has become a standard in the industry, but stability comes at a price. While aluminum may still be a cheaper alternative for siding, it is on the higher end of the spectrum. Vinyl is not innately very durable, and if you do cut corners and install it poorly, it is much more likely to peel, crack, and even warp, costing you much more money in the long run. Get FREE quotes from the best local siding contractors in your area today.
What Are The Best Residential Siding Options?
Clear sealers are another alternative which prevent moisture damage. Like stains, they make it so wood retains its natural beauty. Further you can spray fire-retardant chemicals onto wood for added layer of protection. Additionally, stain is resistant to chipping and cracking, whereas painted wood reveals such flaws. And staining is less expensive since a primer layer is unnecessary.
Another benefit to aluminum siding is that it is resistant to pests, rust, and weather. It doesn’t require much regular maintenance either, just a yearly cleaning with soap or water to remove mildew or debris. Although it isn’t used as often, lightweight aluminum siding is starting to make a comeback because of its sleek industrial look. Its low price point doesn’t hurt either - aluminum is one of the cheapest types of siding available. However, the style of the siding can impact how much you pay.
Material Category: Vinyl (2 Primary Options)
With colors and vinyl, it is important to note that the color is blended through the entire thickness of the material. Vinyl is doing it on and below the surface, such that when the color fades from the surface, the entire facade fades in a uniform, virtually non-discernible way. The disadvantages – it costs more, plus adds more to maintain, and some view it as a distraction from an all-wood siding.
So, today we go with half logs, or smaller, to get the exterior appearance. Natural wood material is relatively expensive, considering the cost of initial investment and the ongoing maintenance costs. Natural wood obviously comes directly from timber, while the man-made version is manufactured from wood fibers, saw dust, and bonding agents. Instead of pieces cut from logs, the material is shaped to match the order for a job. There are numerous sub-options, as wood has several grains, many ways to cut / shape it, and thousands of color choices.
Material Category: Metal (4 Primary Options)
It’s possible the new aluminum siding might be installed over your old siding, thereby saving you some money. Only aluminum siding costs less per square foot than vinyl siding. Aluminum can be a good choice in some cases, but it’s prone to denting and warping, whereas vinyl is not. Beyond the initial outlay, vinyl has a lower maintenance cost over time, so the total lifetime expense can be significantly lower than that of any other type of siding.
Because of how popular aluminum and steel are in the market, all data after this section is conveying information about those two materials. But to be clear, metal in general is malleable, so all materials mentioned above can be shaped in whatever way a project calls for. Copper is gold-like in appearance, which is a magnificent, if not bold, siding option. To say it doesn’t rust, is technically not accurate, as copper does oxidize, but the way in which it changes over time is part of its allure as a siding. With any of the non-metallic forms of siding, i.e., shingles or board-and-batten, realize that whatever the metal is, it can be shaped into this form.
Engineered wood has almost all the fantastic bonuses you want from a traditional wood siding at a fraction of the usual cost. To an extent, it has more durability than its natural counterpart. Clapboard is often cedar, oak, pine, and spruce, but most wood species can be lap siding. These form long, horizontal planks of wood on exterior house walls. Boards are generally 1 inch thick at the bottom and beveled to about 1/4 inch thick at the top. As you can gather from the guide above, both wood and aluminum are some of the cheapest base siding types you can go with, while natural stone is more expensive by quite a bit.
These additional elements will increase the total project price. If dark gray just isn’t dark enough for you, homeowners are choosing black siding or black accents to really give dimension to their home’s exterior. Black brick is so timeless and won’t wear and get dirty like a white brick wall. And it can work with your pale blue siding, dark blue siding, and even beige.
In some types of composite siding, if it does receive damage, moisture can get in, and the pieces can swell. If the paint is not sealed , it can crack and peel, which lets moisture in, and that’s when the damage begins. X 8 ft Primed Wood Nickel Gap Ship Lap Siding will cost $80.10 for 25 square feet. 3/4 x 10 x 12' Red Cedar Bevel Siding will cost $29.89 for 25 square feet.
Still, because of the vast array of color pallets at your disposal, it comes in as a vital condenser as to which siding might work best for you. You’ll have additional costs for trim pieces, fascia, soffits, and corners which are linear foot costs. If you are experienced at the siding that you could be considered a professional in the first place, you wouldn’t need to seek one aside from a warranty perspective.
Quarter log siding is 2 inches thick, and then all the other measurement ranges are the same. Some sellers reference this as “half log” with the idea that the other version is “full log”. Half log siding is 3 inches thick, between 6 and 12 inches wide and 8 to 16 feet long. While this is clearly half of a log, some sellers may reference this as “full log” due to the other product, known as quarter log siding. Furthermore, the bottom edge of planks may be curvy, rather than the usual straight edge.
While stone veneer is not as durable as natural stone, it's still a reliable siding type that can cost up to half the amount and take less time to install than natural stone siding. On the downside, fiber cement is one of the more expensive siding options. It is also very heavy so installation can be more expensive and requires special skills.
