New Siding For Your Home

There is nothing nothing better that you as a homeowner could do to add instant beauty and curb appealing than new siding for your house. Ever since the "days of old" when homes were built with thatched roofs and mud and wattle sides there has been the quest to boost the form and function of the family home with newer and better materials and techniques in siding. With all the options on the market today it is easy to get bogged down when selecting new siding for your house, so in the interest of making the decision easier let's examine a few of the more popular styles of siding in use today.

Wood, for centuries it was the predominant building material in homes. Everything from floor to the shingles on the roof was made of wood, and of course wood was and still is used in new house siding. Through the years a variety of different woods from ash, oak and maple, to cedar and pine have been used for siding, and the manner of attaching the siding to the house has been even more varied than the types of wood used. No matter what type of wood is used, however, one thing all wood siding has in common is maintenance. If you choose wood as new siding for your house you had better be prepared to invest time and money into keeping the siding in good shape. Like anything made of wood, wood siding must be painted, stained, or otherwise finished in some fashion to protect it from the elements. This maintenance will be required for as long as you own your home, and repainting and refinishing can add up to quite an expense over the years, even if you, as the homeowner, do the work yourself.

While during no other material is as aesthetically pleasing for new siding for your house than wood siding it is the very problem of high maintenance that has led to the development of newer materials for siding. While popular a few decades ago, asbestos siding is no longer used, and other materials such as cement fiber, hardboard composite, and fiberglass siding are little used. If you are truly in the market for new siding for your house the most common types of siding used today are aluminum and vinyl siding.

Aluminum siding was developed in an effort to provide a low cost, easily worked, low maintenance substitute for wood siding. Aluminum siding can be purchased in a virtual plethora of designs and styles to fit the bill of practice any home improvement. The newer generation of aluminum siding features finishes that are vibrant and durable without the chalking that was a common problem in the past. Aluminum siding has only a couple of drawbacks, if you choose aluminum as new siding for your house you should be aware that aluminum dents easily, the slightest mishap can mar the appearance of your home, and it is very difficult to do intricate trim-work when using aluminum siding.

The newest and best of the new siding materials is vinyl siding. Vinyl siding, like aluminum, can be had in practice any color and style and has a very attractive price. Vinyl siding can be easily installed by either a professional installer or a homeowner with a minimum of effort and know how. This material is also almost maintenance free, and can be easily cleaned with a brush and soapy water. Vinyl is the most common siding material in use today and due to its ease of installation and maintenance should definitely be on your short list of possible materials for new siding for your house.

No matter where you live, or how old you home is, new siding for your house will dramatically enhance the aesthetics of your home. Whether you choose traditional wood, aluminum, or even modern vinyl siding, a little work can add up to a huge increase in the value of your investment simply by choosing new siding for your house.