Vinyl, Wood & Aluminum Siding : Pros and Cons of Home Siding

There are so many different types of home siding to choose from these days, it is almost an impossible decision that has to be made. Let’s look at vinyl siding, wood siding, and aluminum siding.

Vinyl Siding

When choosing vinyl siding it can be boring but there are some things that you have to look for when choosing a vinyl siding line. You may not have realized it but there is more than one style of vinyl siding.

You want to choose a gauge of siding which means the strength of the siding. Most siding is offered from 0.40 to 0.48 inches. You also have to consider the grain of the siding, vinyl siding has different grains, there are smooth grains and raised grains.

The great thing about vinyl is that when installed properly they will hold up against any kind of weather. One of the fun parts about vinyl is choosing the color. But there are some cons to vinyl siding, the price is more expensive then the other two. You also want to make sure that the siding is made from a great material not just some cheap plastic which can easily come off in a rainstorm.

Aluminum Siding

Then you have the choice of aluminum siding is still popular . It actually dates back to World War II. Aluminum which started out as siding soon became used for soda cans and cookware. A positive things about aluminum siding is that it will not rot. But it will fade and dent. Aluminum siding is a conductor to electricity. So if say, a bolt of lightening hits the wall it may just tear apart your electrical wiring. Aluminum siding is very inexpensive and over time may need to be replaced.

Wood Siding

There are even some home that is made from wood. Wood is very solid and comes in many different types like Oak, Cherrywood, Maple or Pine just to name a few. Wood is very popular because people like the classic clean look of a home. There are also many applications that wood can be used for such as vertical siding, horizontal siding, clapboards, shakes and shingles.

Now, as beautiful as wood it there is one major drawback to having it side your home and that is the fact that wood rots. If you are planning to keep a wood home then you must make sure that the wood is treated properly and sealed properly. Because any rot that occurs over time will eventually rot away completely and it will have to be replaced.