Did you know that certain types of residential siding can last decades? Of course, this is only if you take good care of your siding and choose the right kind of siding in the first place. Once your home’s siding starts to fall apart, all sorts of problems could start to happen.
That’s because your siding is the main thing that protects your house’s walls and other structures. Once your siding starts to get old, moisture and insects can easily start to find their way into your home. Besides being able to protect your house, good house siding can also give your home a whole new look.
This is important if you care about your property’s curb appeal. Keep reading and learn more about how to choose the perfect residential siding for you and your home.
Vinyl Siding
When it comes to home siding, vinyl is one of the most popular options. If you look at any house in your neighborhood, you’ll find that most of the houses have some kind of variation of vinyl siding. This is because vinyl is very versatile and is full of benefits compared to other types of siding.
One of the biggest benefits of vinyl siding is that it comes in many different colors and can even look like different materials. Some more expensive types of vinyl siding can even look like panels of wood or bricks.
This is ideal for making sure that your house looks good. Matching the color of the siding to the color of your roof and other parts of your house is often difficult, but with vinyl siding, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. This kind of siding is also very affordable.
What You Need to Know
Why bother spending so much money on more luxurious types of siding when you can stay well within your budget with vinyl siding? This is not to mention that vinyl siding is also very durable.
You will find that vinyl siding can easily last you more than a decade. As long as you take care of your siding, it might even last you two decades. Vinyl siding doesn’t even require a lot of maintenance.
All you really need to do is spray it down with a hose every so often so that mildew doesn’t grow on its surface. The only downside is that vinyl may not protect your house as well as other types of siding. For example, after a few years, it may start to let moisture into your house which can cause many different types of problems.
Fiber Cement Siding
If you don’t think vinyl siding is the right choice for you, fiber cement siding is the perfect alternative. In many ways, it is similar to vinyl siding, but there are a few important differences. The price of this kind of siding can vary depending on what kind you get.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you can get fiber cement clapboards. These are around $5.25 per square foot, not including the cost of installation. Of course, if you want fiber cement siding of higher quality, you will have to spend a bit more money.
Even so, you should know that this kind of siding easily lasts 25 years. The downside of this siding is that it is difficult to install on your own. Some people may be able to get away with installing their own vinyl siding, but when it comes to fiber cement siding, the job is best left to the professionals.
This is because if you don’t handle the siding in the right fashion, the siding could crack. This, of course, is the last thing you want from your new siding. One of the many benefits that fiber cement siding has to offer is that it is very low maintenance.
As with vinyl siding, all you have to do is clean it off with a hose about once or twice a year. This will keep the siding fresh and it will keep any external elements such as mildew from eating away at the siding.
Engineered Wood Siding
If you want updated siding that has a truly unique look, you’ll want to go with engineered wood siding. This kind of siding offers colors that no other siding can quite match. Even though vinyl and fiber cement siding can emulate the appearance of wood, only engineered wood siding can achieve the real depth and richness that true wood has.
This is not to mention that this kind of siding is resistant to all sorts of problems that other types of siding are often susceptible to. For example, you won’t have to worry about warping, mildew, or mold with engineered wood siding. Because this kind of siding is so durable, it can easily last between 20 and 30 years without much maintenance.
The only big problem that engineered wood siding has is that its color may fade over the years. This is especially true if your home gets a lot of sun. However, with occasional maintenance, you should be able to preserve the siding’s color.
There is also a chance that the resin coating covering the siding could crack, but this is not common.
How to Choose Residential Siding
Choosing residential siding doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you know what to look for. Vinyl, fiber cement, and engineered wood siding are all good choices. Whichever one you choose, the siding will look great and will last many years.
If you’re interested in getting new siding, get an estimate here.
