Wood Siding

Wood siding is incredibly attractive, and on some homes, it’s the best possible choice. The most common types of wood siding include planks, boards or panels, and shingles. Clapboard lap siding is one of the oldest types – you often see it on historic homes – and it’s an incredibly popular choice, as well. There are a few drawbacks to wood siding, though, including its cost and the fact that it requires a significant amount of maintenance.

Wood siding comes in a huge range of styles, textures and finishes. You can choose plank or board siding, which goes vertically on your home (it’s available in styles such as board and batten, board-on-board, and channel-groove or tongue-and-groove), while wood clapboard or beveled lap siding goes horizontally across your home, featuring overlapping joints. There are even plywood versions of board siding, which may be a good choice for you.

This type of siding is pretty easy to repair if it becomes damaged, but you need to know that it can be damaged by sun exposure, insects and wood rot, and it can warp or split, requiring immediate repairs.

Maintenance for wood siding depends on the type of wood and finish you choose. Painted wood siding requires more maintenance than wood that’s been stained does.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is low-cost and efficient, and it comes in strips with interlocking edges. Vinyl is perhaps the most versatile of all siding types, and it comes in the entire rainbow of colors (and then some). You can choose vertical or horizontal panels, as well as any texture you’d like; they even make vinyl siding to look like wood shakes and shingles.

You can install vinyl siding right over old wood siding, which means you don’t need to tear everything down and start from scratch. For this reason, the cost can be significantly lower than it would be to install other types of siding. However, you need to know that vinyl siding can be prone to cracking in cold weather if it’s subjected to impact.

Vinyl siding is more cost-effective than aluminum or steel siding is, and it’s relatively low-maintenance. You never need to paint it, but you do need to make repairs quickly if it becomes damaged. Many types of vinyl siding come with limited manufacturer warranties that safeguard against manufacturing defects (and cover the cost of replacement if something went wrong in the factory that led to your siding’s failure), so many homeowners find that choosing this type of siding is worth the peace of mind it provides.

Metal Siding

Metal siding is low-maintenance, and it’s a very popular choice in modern homes. It comes in horizontal strips that resemble wood lap siding or in vertical strips and panels; you can even find metal siding that looks like shingles. From far away, some metal siding is hard to distinguish from wood siding. Usually, this type of siding features a factory-applied finish to help protect it from corrosion.

Metal siding is often used as retrofit siding, which means you can fit it on over existing wood siding. It’s incredibly durable, but it can dent – and it can fade and weather in tough conditions. You also need to know that like metal roofing, metal siding can be a bit noisy. It’s cheaper than vinyl siding is, in most cases, but it’s equally low-maintenance.

If the metal siding you choose is plastic- or vinyl-clad, it may even come with an extended manufacturer warranty that can give you plenty of peace of mind; just keep in mind that if you choose pre-painted aluminum siding, it may be prone to chalking – and all types of metal siding are prone to dents, which can pose a problem during the stormy season if debris flies into the sides of your home’s exterior.

Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement siding is beautiful, durable and very low-maintenance. Even better, though, it’s made from recyclable materials; if you’re interested in building a green home, this may be one of your better options. Fiber cement siding goes on just like wood siding does, and it looks like natural wood materials when properly installed. In fact, some types of it are impossible to distinguish from wood to the untrained eye.

You can paint fiber cement siding to create the perfect look for your home. It’s available in beveled planks, shingles and shakes, and stucco panel styles. Of the main siding types, fiber cement siding is the most expensive. It lasts for a very long time, though, and if you maintain it properly, you may never need to replace it. It’s very durable and isn’t subject to insect damage or rot, either, and it’s virtually maintenance-free (unless it becomes damaged). Many types of fiber cement siding come with exceptional warranties, as well.

Professional Painting Services

It’s our mission at My Roof for you to love your home and the way it looks. Whether you want a vibrant hue to make your home stand out or a more neutral tone to blend in with your natural surroundings, our qualified painting professionals have deep experience in exterior home color application practices.

Do You Need to Talk to an Expert About Exterior Renovations in Dallas or a Nearby City?

If you’re thinking about renovating your home’s exterior, My Roof can help. Our team of experts will be happy to talk to you about your vision, explain what’s necessary to achieve it, and put a plan in motion that creates a look you’ll love. Call our office now to schedule your free consultation with a My Roof expert – we can even give you a free quote after we find out what you’re looking for.