There are plenty of types of siding used in houses. Installing a siding is essential as this home feature plays a crucial role in protecting your house and its occupants from all sorts of weather and climate all year round. Furthermore, your house siding adds security to your home and can also affect the overall appearance of your property.
Among the most common types of siding materials for homes include vinyl, wood, stucco, brick, and fiber cement. When choosing the right siding type for your home, factors such as appearance, cost, climate, and maintenance are all taken into consideration.
Whether you’re building a brand-new home or in the process of remodeling or renovating your house, you must choose the right type of siding material. This isn’t necessarily a quick and easy choice to make. Allow us to help you out by digging deeper into the different kinds of siding materials, their pros, and cons, and other details you should know about.
What Is House Siding and Why Is It Important?
House siding is also known as wall cover or wall cladding. It is attached to the exterior side of a house or building’s wall. The siding is usually installed before the construction of a house is completed. Many homeowners also install or replace sidings during house renovations and remodel.
Some houses, especially those with walls made with poured concrete, no longer have sidings installed. The concrete is simply finished, weather-proofed, and painted. However, many homeowners choose to install sidings to protect the wall material for longer-lasting durability and functionality.
The two primary purposes of sidings are the following:
Provide Protection for the Home’s Structure
Sidings are just like roofs. They are our first line of defense from all kinds of outdoor elements like the sun, rain, snow, dust, and more. While you might already have insulation or the main wall structure, sidings add an additional layer of protection to ensure that the overall structure of your home remains strong and durable through the years.
Improve Aesthetics or Curb Appeal
Since it covers pretty much all the exterior wall area, the siding of your home can affect the overall look or appearance of your property. If you’re aiming for an impressive-looking house with the best curb appeal in your neighborhood, then you must choose the right type of siding for your home.
Because house sidings add a layer of protection and improve the appearance of your property, it adds value to your real estate too. In case you decide to resell your home in the future, buyers would usually look at the integrity of the structure and the look of your property.
Most Popular Types of Siding for Homes in the United States
According to the United States Census Bureau, of 822,000 single-family homes sold in 2020, 250,000 had stucco as the primary exterior wall material.
Let’s look at sidings and their statistics in 2020 from the list of Primary Type of Exterior Wall Material of New Single-Family Houses Completed Survey of Construction (SOC).
All of the United States (Total: 912,000)
- Brick – 176,000 or 19%
- Wood – 43,000 or $5%
- Stucco – 248,000 or 27%
- Vinyl Siding – 227,000 or 25%
- Fiber Cement – 201,000 or 22%
- Others (Block, Stone, Aluminum, and others) – 16,000 or 2%
While vinyl siding has always been the top choice for American homeowners, stucco and fiber cement have gained popularity quickly over the past decades. In 2002, 40% of new homes completed in the United States all had vinyl siding. At that time, stucco only had 19% and fiber cement wasn’t even popular enough to be part of the survey. It was in 2019 when stucco has successfully overtaken vinyl’s top spot with the same percentage it got in 2020.
However, these statistics are still highly dependent on location. While stucco is indeed popular across the country, only 2% of houses in the Northeast are built with stucco while 70% has vinyl siding. Vinyl also tops the siding of choice in the Midwest at 61%,
Brick is the most popular in the South while stucco is the exterior wall material of choice in the West at 52% followed by fiber cement at 37%
Types of Siding: Pros and Cons
Now, it’s time to dig even deeper into these popular types of siding. Let’s discuss what they are made of and what their pros and cons are. This way, you can find it easier to make decisions on what type of siding you should have for your home.
Vinyl Siding
As earlier mentioned, vinyl siding has always been the top choice for American homes. It is especially popular for homes in the Northeast and Midwest. Vinyl is tough and durable yet lightweight. It has a lot of styles and colors available, too.
| Vinyl Siding Advantages | Vinyl Siding Disadvantages |
| Durable yet lightweight | Seams show when ends overlap |
| Easy to install | Additional costs to eliminate overlapped seams |
| Fairly affordable | Not environment-friendly |
| Plenty of design and color options | May decrease home value |
| Fire-resistant |
Brick Siding
While other siding materials have overtaken brick siding when it comes to popularity over the years, this material remains a great choice because of its timeless charm and beauty. It is naturally beautiful, and it lasts for many years. However, brick can be quite expensive and cannot be repainted regularly.
| PROS of Brick Siding | CONS of Brick Siding |
| Low-maintenance and easy to clean | Expensive materials |
| Eco-friendly | Expensive installation/labor |
| Fire-resistant | Need Waterproofing |
| Weather-resistant | Limited color options |
Wood Siding
Wood is another classic choice and one of the oldest siding options in existence. There are plenty of types of wood available with each one varying in look, color, cost, and durability. Wood can also be stained or painted until you have achieved your preferred look. However, wood is a fire risk. It also needs quite a bit of maintenance and must be stained or repainted every few years or so.
| PROS of Wood Siding | CONS of Wood Siding |
| Classic and traditional look | Not as durable as other siding options |
| Environment-friendly option | Requires a lot of maintenance |
| Customizable and versatile | Combustible, fire risk |
Stucco
Sand, cement, lime, and water are the primary ingredients of a stucco mixture. It requires professional application so that it would last for years without cracks and damage. It is usually applied over mesh or wood lath. Although quite pricey, stucco lasts for a long time and is resistant to fire.
| PROS of Stucco | CONS of Stucco |
| If done right can also help to insulate your home | High maintenance and porous |
| Wide range of color and texture options | Inflexible |
| Sustainable and durable | High labor cost |
| Sound-resistant | Complex application procedure to prevent excess moisture |
Fiber Cement
Although it is a recent development in residential siding, fiber cement caught up quickly and became the third popular choice of siding in the United States – not even far behind stucco and vinyl. Cement fiber looks seamless, beautiful, durable, and low maintenance. Wit is usually primed and pre-finished, so it is quite easy and quick to install.
| Pros of Fiber Cement Siding | Cons of Fiber Cement Siding |
| Aesthetically pleasing looks like natural wood grain | High material and labor cost |
| Eco-friendly, made from recyclable materials | Minimal insulation advantage |
| Can be painted, plenty of color options | Heavy and can’t be used for some home structures |
| Very durable, long lifespan | Limited availability |
| Maintenance-free |
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Siding for Your House
One might think that if the siding material looks good, it would be enough reason to choose it for their home. However, there’s more to it than just aesthetics. Here are some considerations when choosing the right type of siding for your home.
Appearance
Everyone wants to have a beautiful home. If you will invest in new sidings for your property, then you might as well choose one that is visually appealing. Sidings can greatly affect the overall appearance of your home. Some materials have limited color options while others offer a wide range of designs.
Cost
Another important factor to consider when choosing sidings for your home is your budget. According to Forbes Advisor, $12 is the average cost per square foot for home sidings. The most expensive materials are priced at around $50 and the cheapest ones at $2 per square foot.
Climate
Perhaps the climate is the most important consideration for your home sidings as it can greatly affect the overall durability of the siding material. Steel and brick or stone are some of the most popular choices for homes built in areas with cold climates.
For instance, while vinyl sidings have gotten better over the years, cheap vinyl material can easily get damaged in areas where it gets extremely hot or cold. However, many manufacturers have already created insulated vinyl that can also be an option for colder regions too.
Maintenance and Durability
Of course, you’d also want to choose a house siding material that’s low-maintenance and durable enough to last for many years to come. Vinyl, aluminum, stone, and fiber cement are some low-maintenance siding options. Again, durability goes hand in hand with the climate in your area so take that into consideration when choosing your house siding.
You may also want to take to consider the fire resistance and water resistance of the material you choose.
In some cases, location matters too. Some communities require the same or at least a similar look for the houses built in the neighborhood. If this is the case in your area, you just must check with the HOA what your options are.
Who Should Install Your House Siding?
Because of the many DIY guides made easily accessible on the Internet, some people take on the job of installing their home sidings without the help of a professional. However, siding installation is considered a major home improvement task. It can affect the overall integrity of your home. In addition, siding materials are not exactly cheap. So, you’d rather have professionals do the job for you to ensure it is done correctly.
You need to call a local contractor for assistance. These are usually licensed builders or roofers who are qualified and certified in installing sidings and building other home features.
Also, you must check with your local municipal office whether you need to get a permit or not for siding installation. While some home improvement and renovation projects do not need permits, most local governments require a permit for siding projects. In some cases, you may also need to inform your HOA if such construction projects will take place on your property.
Conclusion
Vinyl and stucco are the most popular types of siding for homes in the United States. Fiber cement is a close third with brick, although expensive, still a popular choice.
All types of siding for homes have their own advantages and disadvantages. Although we’re close to getting some perfect options, the best siding still varies depending on one’s needs, budget, preferences, location, and other factors considered.
When in doubt, consult with an expert to help you choose the right type of siding you should have for your home. After all, this is not a cheap investment. Ideally, you should get it right the first time.
