Customer Choices for Exterior Home Siding

One of the main features that makes a house desirable is the curb appeal. A large portion of that appeal is the exterior home siding that is on the house. There are many different kinds of siding, from natural wood and cedar, to vinyl and steel, to man-made masonry. Each of these can be rated according to three factors: durability, ease of installation and safety. Customers have difficult decisions to make when trying to decide which one is best for their lifestyle.

The types of exterior home siding that have the most durability are cedar shake siding, cement board siding, insulated vinyl siding, log cabin siding, vertical vinyl siding, and seamless steel siding. The types that are the easiest to install are exterior wood siding, insulated vinyl siding and vertical vinyl siding. Cement board siding and seamless steel siding are the safest types of exterior home siding.

This video from Siding-1 Windows-1 Exteriors walks you through the siding installation process, including product selection and removal of your old siding.

No type of exterior home siding rates highly for all three factors, but each type rates highly for at least one factor. Log cabin, cedar shake and exterior wood are the only three types that do not rate highly for two out of three factors. If the customer has a high desire for safety, then the choice is between cement board siding and seamless steel siding. Both have similar durability and ease of installation, so it would most likely boil down to price and looks for the customer. If the customer highly values ease of installation, then exterior wood, vertical vinyl or insulated vinyl would be the best choice.

If you are trying to make a decision regarding exterior home siding, please take the time to visit manufacturer websites and learn more about their products. Some manufacturers will provide free consultations and estimates for your siding project.