Vinyl Siding

Vinyl Siding is the number one selling home siding material in the U.S.

It out sells all other siding materials put together!

Why?

Norandex Siding

Pro's and Con's

Pro's: It is easy to install, it's affordable, half the cost of real wood, comes in wide range of colors, textures and styles. It can be retrofitted over most existing home exteriors and it requires very little maintenance. It is insect-proof, dent-resistant, will not rot, and never needs painting!

Con's: It will burn, has very little insulating factors by itself, and if you don't get a good quality brand and a good quality installation, it will look like vinyl siding.

What are you interested in:

Just Looking:

Show me:

Types and Styles:

Vertical
Horizontal
Cedar Shake

How To Buy

Colors

Trim and Accessories

CertainTeed Trim

Pictures

I want to see some pictures of siding on homes.

Manufacturers:

CertainTeed

Alcoa

Kaycan

Norandex

Alside

Mastic

Foundry

How To:

Clean
Paint
Pressure wash
Make a budget
Measure your house
Figure sq ft

Vinyl Log Siding

Comparing:

Prices

Other Cost

Other Wood Like Sidings:

Fiber Cement and Concrete:

Engineered Wood

Cement Board

Hardie Board

Other Types of Wood Looking Siding:

Vinyl siding is made to look exactly like real wood. In fact they use molds made from real wood when manufacturing the siding.

Vinyl is only one of the made made sidings however. There are several other sidings available made from concrete, and other man made materials.

Hardie Board Siding

Cement Board

Engineered Wood Siding

How To Buy Vinyl Siding...The Easy Way

This site is designed by some old home improvement contractors. Every day we work with homeowners who what to install vinyl siding on their houses but have no idea how to get started. We will show you how to get started and what to do first, second and so on.

Our goal is to guide you along and show you how to work with your contractor to ensure that you choose the best siding products for your house and get the very best price possible.

Homeowners need to have done some homework and know several things about siding before calling any contractors, or you won't know what questions to ask the contractor. If you don't know exactly what to ask for, you won't get it!

We will show you how to pick the best siding for your house and how to work with your contractor to get the very best price possible.

Getting Started

How To Compare Different Products

comparing apples 2 apples

You need to do several things first before calling contractors for a price quote:

Pick out the type of siding you think will look good on your house; vertical, horizontal or shakes (most people mix and match several different types to use on their homes).
Choose the style; colors, profiles, texture and thickness that you like.
Compare prices of the products, see what other people are paying for similar products in your area.
Then call several contractors and have them give you prices on the products you have already picked out. Now you can easily compare different quotes apples 2 apples.
And will save you a lot of money and time!

Getting Started:

Review the three basic types of siding and chose the ones that you think will go best with your house.

Three Basic Types Of Siding: Pick One (or 2)

Cedar Vinyl Siding looks just like real cedar wooden shakes.

Never needs painting, will not rot and termites won't eat it.

Click here to see pictures of homes using vinyl siding..

Cedar Shake Siding

Rugged outdoor look with charm. Vinyl Cedar shake used with stone. Beautiful.

CertainTeed Cedar Shakes

Click here to see more about Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding..

Board and Batten Siding

Second: Choosing a 'Style' That You Like

When people talk about 'style' generally they have picked out the type of siding they like (vertical, horizontal, shakes) and are now talking about the profiles, textures, thickness and colors that they like.

Each type of siding has different 'Profiles' that are characteristic to that type of siding. Clapboard, dutch lap, beaded, cedar shake, board and batten all come in different widths.

Profiles are how wide each board or panel is and whether it has a notch or shadow groove. There are wide boards and there are are very narrow boards. Generally each panel will run approximately 3" to 10" in width.

In addition to the profile, there are different 'textures' of the boards or panels. Since vinyl siding is made to look like real wood, and real wood has a texture that ranges from very smooth like sanded boards, to a really deep grain that looks like real cedar wood.

To see more about the different Siding Styles, click here.

Shop around and compare prices and what other people are paying for similar siding.

Comparing Prices

You need to shop around and compare some prices from the local home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. Otherwise you will have no idea if the price the contractor quotes you is a fair price or not.

Click here to review some manufacturers of fine quality siding in many different types, styles, colors, thickness and prices. Manufacturers.

What are some of the 'other' costs that goes into the quote.

How much does it really cost to install new vinyl siding on your house?

Total vinyl siding cost is made up of several different pricing components.

How much siding (sq ft) you will need, and the quality of the siding you choose. Quality + Quantity.
What the contractor charges to install the siding.
How much labor will it take to make your house ready to have the siding installed.

Every house is different so the amount of siding needed will vary house to house and so will the amount of work the contractor has to do to make your house ready for the siding to be installed.

Do you have old siding that needs to be removed?
Do you have rotted wood that needs to be repaired or replaced?
Do you have termite damage that needs to be repaired?
Do you need new soffit or facia?
Do you want new gutters?

There are many different items that goes into the final 'cost' of your new siding installation.

Click here to see more information on what contractors look at when pricing your job, go to Vinyl Siding Costs. There is more to costs than just the price you pay for the siding.

Other Types of Siding

Wood Siding

The most popular and time tested form of siding for a home. Wood is one of the most expensive types of siding for your home. Long considered one of the most beautiful sidings available for homes.

Comes in a wide variety of types such as shake, clapboard, singles and lap. It can be applied both vertically or horizontally.

Pro's: Warm and beautiful. Lasts longer than most other types of sidings. Adds charm to homes that only real wood can offer. Has superior aesthetics. Has natural insulating qualities.

Con's: Expensive, requires regular maintenance such as painting and/or staining (as often as every 3 to 5 years depending on location). Can not be applied over other existing sidings, so a total tear off of existing siding must be done first. Non-moisture resistant species like pine and fir are highly susceptible to rot, and insects. Is not fire resistant.

Concrete Board Siding or Fiber Cement Board

Concrete fiber board or concrete board also sometimes called Hardie Board or Hardy Board is made mostly of Portland cement, clay and sand with wood fibers. It has become one of the most rugged sidings available with great durability and low maintenance. It is highly weather resistant but needs periodic painting to keep looking new.

Pro's: Accepts repainting easily, very weather resistant, fire resistant, and insect resistant. It is considered to be a masonry product and in some states may qualify for lower insurance costs. Comes in a wide variety of styles, colors and textures.

Con's: Is very heavy and requires specially applicators and application techniques. This adds substantially to the cost (average 50% greater than vinyl). Generally requires a complete tear off of existing siding (add 5% to 10% to job)

For information, please click below.

Fiber Cement Siding, or Cement Board Siding

Aluminum Siding

Aluminum siding comes in a wide range of factory finished colors and styles from smooth to wood grain. Slightly more expensive to install but should last 25+ years with little maintenance.

Pro's: Factory baked on finishes last many years with little or no maintenance. Aluminum siding is insect and fire resistance. Can be touched up with special paint as needed. Easy to clean with soap and water.

Con's: It is prone to denting, sometimes even by hail storms. Easy to scratch, bicycles and balls cause permanent dents and dings. Has no insulating qualities by itself.