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Overview of Types of Siding for Your Home

If you don’t have to be strict about the various types of siding you can find, then you have numerous styles and materials to choose from. What can limit your options, however, would be:

  1. Your preference
  2. What suits your house best
  3. Sturdiness and upkeep
  4. Cost of material

You can start focusing on four materials first. The usual suspects are wood, metal, vinyl, and fiber. Note that wood and metal themselves have many variations.

Wood:

One of the most significant advantages of wood is that it can be made available in several styles, textures, and finishes. The colors can also be widely variant. It is also, of course, an excellent option, if your house is made of wood. A siding of the same material can create consistency. Wood can also be a beautiful material.

Wooden Siding
Natural Wood Siding

This choice of material, however, can be costly from the initial purchase to the maintenance. It is better to go for a stained finish than a painted one if you don’t want to be bothered much. Proper ventilation is also important to maintain this siding

Metal:

Metal, particularly steel and aluminum, provides a cheaper and sturdier alternative to wood. It also suits more modern homes better, with its shinier edge and sleekness.

Low cost and low maintenance, this may be the option for the modern family. However, it does not look as classic as wood. It is also prone to dents.

Vinyl:

For a more attractive version of metal, vinyl can be your choice. It is not necessarily more durable, but some warranties will reach up to 50 years. It is also a lot more cheerful than the industrial-looking metal. The price is also cheaper than the usual metal choices. However, when vinyl gets cracked, you have no other choice but to replace the strips that provide your siding. There used to be very few options with vinyl. But now there is a huge variety of styles and finishes. And it mimics other types of siding very well. There is even some vinyl that looks like wood shake siding. Definitely worth a look.

Vinyl Siding
House with Vinyl Siding

Fiber-Cement:

If you want a combination of attractiveness and durability, then you should go with fiber-cement. You get a material that attempts to recreate the grains of wood but without the tendency to rot. Fiber is low-maintenance, but it can be as expensive as wood.

If you live in a starter home in the suburbs or in an apartment in the city, cheaper metal and vinyl may just work out. Vinyl is also good for those who want to add vivid colors to their house. Those who want low key colors may still opt for the modern metal look. On the other hand, if you can afford the expense of wood or fiber, then you can pick these options. Wood and fiber provide you with more texture and an old-fashioned feel. They can better connect you with thoughts of hearth and home.

Of course, these will all depend on the bigger picture. What should your house look like? What is the aesthetic that you are going for?

Some may want to go beyond the options presented above. After all, glass, stone, and stucco are also possibilities.

Glass is sophisticated and sleek, but the cost and upkeep can be tremendous. The initial cost of stone can be staggering, too, but it is sturdy and decorative. With stucco, your expenses may lean more towards labor. As you may now understand, there are several varieties and possibilities. In the end, the option will rely on your preference, budget, and ease with risk.

Latest Vinyl Siding Trends

Homeowners are moving away from huge McMansion style houses. The average size of a house built in the US actually went down for the first time in 3 decades. With smaller houses, homeowners are now looking to get the feel of a larger house using outdoor rooms and porches. This means the exterior siding becomes the decoration of the wall of at least one side of the room or porch.

Therefore, it has given rise to various vinyl siding trends to make the houses more stylish. When it comes to siding trends, vinyl is still the most popular choice. This is primarily because it is more affordable and comes with lower maintenance features. Of course, with changing times, vinyl has expanded to include thicker panel and more color choices. Let us find out the latest vinyl siding trends.

Vinyl siding and brick on house for accent. Mix and match example

Mix and Match

While vinyl will never lose its place in the siding popularity index, the shifting market trends have made homeowners look at vinyl siding in a new light. One of the latest vinyl siding trends is to add different materials like stone, steel, or even brick to match the vinyl siding. These materials are definitely more expensive, however, their small amounts used in strategic places such as around the entrance of your home can give it a unique and stylish look. All this can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of using stone or other material over the whole house since the entryway is a small area to cover.

Adding Accessories

Homeowners today can opt from a variety of color options and wood graining of the vinyl siding to add a personal touch to their homes. Mixing accessories like accent pieces or trims can make the house stand out in comparison to the rest of the neighborhood. The trims also help you upgrade the overall look of the house making it more appealing and adding a touch of style to it.

Environment Safe

Green trends are springing up in all products as buyers are becoming more and more conscious of the effect that their purchase may have on nature. Insulated vinyl category products are the latest trends in the market. They are claimed to be energy-efficient products and can help bring down the carbon footprint of your building. This is an excellent trend and one that likely to become extremely popular over the next few years.

Cool Colors

Vinyl sidings sure can help you stand out and make a statement. However, the current trends point towards neutrals as homes are better highlighted in softer colors. In the past, we have seen shades of tan and beige take precedence. This has changed in the recent few months as gray has gained consistent popularity with new home builders as well as renovators. These cool and neutral hues definitely enhance the aesthetic appeal of a property. Apart from grays, neutral browns and blues have also gained popularity.