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The Four Most Popular Sidings for Homes

From The Spruce:


Few home improvements or repairs can enhance the performance, curb appeal, and value of your house like new siding. Various siding materials have come and gone over the years, but a handful of standards have remained, along with the occasional newcomer. For example, no one uses asbestos siding anymore, and fiberglass and hardboard composite siding have been largely replaced with vinyl and a new standard, fiber cement.


Here's a look at the features, pricing, and maintenance considerations of these popular materials, as well as the timeless options of wood and metal.


#1. Wood Siding


Few would disagree that wood siding is one of the most attractive of home siding options. Common types of wood siding include wood planks, boards or panels, and shingles. Wood clapboard lap siding is one of the oldest types of house siding, and you can see its beauty in many historic homes. The main drawbacks of wood siding are its high cost and relatively high maintenance needs.



Aesthetics

  • Wood siding is available in a wide variety of styles, textures, and finishes.

  • Wood clapboard or beveled lap siding is horizontal and has overlapping joints.

  • Wood plank or board siding is vertical and comes in board-and-batten, board-on-board, and channel-groove or tongue-and-groove styles.

  • Board siding also comes in a plywood version, often called T1-11, which is simply exterior plywood with various face treatments and groove patterns to emulate a traditional board-and-batten design.

Characteristics

  • Wood siding is fairly easy to repair but difficult to install over existing siding.

  • Wood requires an exterior finish, such as paint or stain.

  • It can be damaged by sun exposure, rot, and insects; it is subject to warping and splitting.

Cost

Wood siding runs from moderate to very high in cost. Nationally, average costs are $3 to $14 per square foot, installed, according to a