There are many important decisions to make regarding materials when building or renovating your home, but not many are as important as selecting the siding. Functionally, siding is the first line of defense against the elements, and it’s a crucial part of the wall assembly. But for many homeowners, the fact that it’s typically the first thing that people see from the curb, its aesthetics are just as important. It can also account for a significant portion of your budget. And while new siding will give your home an immediate makeover, it can also help make it easier to sell later.
Our professionals at Dimensional Pro Construction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are experienced at helping you navigate through the siding landscape of vinyl, brick, cement, wood, stone, stone veneer, stucco, aluminum, stainless steel, composites, and ceramic tile options. We’ll help you chose the perfect siding for your home based on your climate and the option that works best with the design of your home, its durability and your budget.
Some siding is far less resistant to cracking from impacts in warm and cold weather. Some vinyl siding is more prone to fading under ultraviolet light, especially important in sunny climates and where trees don’t provide much shade. Here are just a couple of the most popular options for home siding.
Vinyl Siding
Low price and minimal upkeep have made vinyl the most popular siding material for the past 25 years. Vinyl needs no painting. It won’t warp or twist, and it’s impervious to insects and water. While essentially the same in terms of the material used in the past two decades, today’s vinyl siding now comes in bolder colors, more profiles and with UV protection for increased durability. It’s even available as an insulated product for added energy efficiency. Some products even mimic cedar shakes and board-and-batten siding. Accents and decorative trim enhancements are big trends right now. Builders love it because it’s affordable and offers a variety of options and accessories. Subcontractors like it because it’s easy to install. Most importantly homeowners like you choose it because it’s affordable, requires little maintenance and seems to last forever. The downsides are that vinyl siding can rattle, crack, melt, and burn and some vinyl products look like wood from a distance, but not up close.
Before settling on vinyl, our team at Dimensional Pro Construction will help you consider your style preference or whether the architecture in your neighborhood makes the added realism and cost of plastic, fiber cement, or even real wood a more appropriate choice.
Plastic Siding
These shingles and shakes can closely resemble cedar, even up close. Plastic, like vinyl, requires minimal upkeep. However, plastic is much thicker than vinyl and can be two to three times more expensive. The added cost may pay for itself, though, when other considerations are kept in mind like its better resistance to cold weather and, most importantly, your aesthetics needs.
Fiber Cement Siding
This blend of cement, sand, and cellulose looks the most like real wood and costs about the same as vinyl. Fiber-cement siding is fire and insect proof, but water can damage it during freezes and thaws if its paint is allowed to degrade.
If your old siding is sound, Dimensional Pro Construction can be install the new siding on top of it. But rotted wood siding needs to be replaced and the wall behind it checked for damage. If damaged, we’ll help you save tens of thousands of dollars in structural repairs that could pop up later on.
No matter the material you select for your siding or any challenges we confront on installation, the best decision you can make right now is to call the experienced professionals at Dimensional Pro Construction to help you get started on a beautiful home exterior makeover.
