15 Best Wood Siding Options For Your Home
Cladding or wood siding is the best choice to remodel the exterior of your home. Thigh highly versatile material can add beauty to your home for years to come. It comes with plenty of options and choices from modern architectural panels to traditional planks and rustic shakes. You can get a lively vibrant look for your home by painting wood siding in different colors. Whereas hiring a professional contractor for Wood Siding is also easy.
Why Go For Wood Siding?
Wood is a material that is easy to work on. You can use it to get modern decorative architecture as well as traditional designs such as Cape Cod, bungalows, and cottages. The fact that it is a natural material makes wood an eco-friendly material.
You can get various styles of wood siding depending on your budget. The cost of wood siding varies with your chosen style and type. Whatever style you may choose it can last for decades if you pay enough attention to maintenance.
15 Best Wood Siding Options For Your Home
Here are the 5 most suitable wood siding options that you can get for your home. These styles can add beauty to the exterior look of your home.
1. Lap Siding
This is a traditional wood siding style in the USA. Lap siding is often named clapboard or bevel in some areas.
In wood lap siding, wood boards are sawed in pie-shape and are cut lengthwise. The boards have narrow-wide edges on one side and narrow edges on the other. The first board is usually positioned at the bottom and then the contractor will overlap the others. This style is perfect to shed water because the siding doesn’t have any edges.
2. Drop Channel Siding
This is a versatile design of wood siding as you can install wood panels vertically, diagonally, or horizontally. One long edge is grooved while the other edge is milled down to make it narrow than the other edge. Thus, the boards will overlap each other without any ledge.
Drop channel siding provides plenty of space for boards for contraction and expansion. On the contrary, the beveled edge and partial overlapping generate a unique shadow line. Pine is a suitable choice for drop channel siding. Its rustic appearance and rough-hewn knots can give a stunning look to your house.
3. Shake Siding
Although shakes offer a look similar to shingles, they vary in properties. Shake siding is more durable and thicker than shingles. Also, it doesn’t offer uniform thickness which adds a unique appeal to this siding style. Mostly wooden blocks or bolts are hand-sewn to create a fascinating effect.
Shake siding starts from the wall and is attached to the sheathing. Each side overlaps the last whereas you can pick a suitable length as per your requirements. Shakes are available in 16-inch, 18-inch, and 24-inch lengths.
4. Split Logs
The split log is a wood siding style that is common in woodland settings. Split logs can give a cozy ambiance appearance to your home regardless of its size. These logs are usually hardwood and cut from oak, cedar, or cypress. You can easily get split logs from the market as they are usually custom-made.
Logs are cut with the natural bark attached to them and then they are placed on a prepared wall. Thus, the wall offers an appearance as if it is built from wood logs.
5. Decorative Wood Shingles
Decorative wood shingles are the perfect choice to give an exclusive look to your home. Wood is cut and manufactured in hexagons, round, half, and other custom shapes. This wood siding style is usually used in Tudor or Victorian-style homes.
However, nowadays decorative wood shingles are also used in modern and traditional architectural styles. Shingles can also be used on other home features such as entryways, around windows, dormers, and on gable ends.
6. Cedar wood siding
Known for its durability and natural resistance to rot and insect infestations, cedar wood siding is a popular choice for homeowners. Its attractive natural color and grain make it a great option for both traditional and modern homes. Cedar wood siding also has the added benefit of being a sustainable option, as it is a renewable resource.
7. Redwood siding
Similar to cedar wood siding, redwood is another durable option with a natural resistance to rot and insects. Its slightly redder color than cedar makes it a great option for homeowners looking for a unique look. Redwood siding is also a sustainable option, as it is a renewable resource.
8. Engineered wood siding
Made from compressed wood fibers, engineered wood siding has the look of natural wood but is more stable and less prone to warping or cracking. It is also a more eco-friendly option as it uses less wood than traditional wood siding.
Other Options That Can Replace Wood Siding
9. Fiber cement siding
Made from a mixture of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers, fiber cement siding is extremely durable and resistant to rot, insects, and fire. It can be painted or stained to look like natural wood, making it a versatile option for homeowners.
10. Pine siding
A budget-friendly option, pine siding is easy to work with but requires regular maintenance to prevent rot and insect damage. It has a warm and natural look, making it a great option for homes in the country or a rustic setting.
11. Cypress siding
A rot and insect-resistant option, cypress siding has a unique color and grain that ranges from yellow to red. Its durability and unique look make it a great option for homeowners looking for something different.
12. Log siding
A rustic and natural option, log siding can be expensive and requires regular maintenance to prevent rot and insect damage. It is a great option for homeowners looking to add a cabin or rustic feel to their homes.
13. Aluminum siding
A low-maintenance option, aluminum siding is not as energy efficient as wood. It is a great option for homeowners looking for a maintenance-free option.
14. Composite siding
Made from a mixture of wood fibers and resin, composite siding is durable, low-maintenance, and can be made to look like natural wood. It is a great option for homeowners looking for the look of wood without maintenance.
15. Vinyl siding
A low-maintenance option, vinyl siding is not as energy efficient as wood and can fade over time. It is a great option for homeowners looking for a maintenance-free option but who want to avoid the expense of aluminum siding.
General Characteristics Of Wood Siding
It’s better to know some basic characteristics of wood siding before you install it. This way you can know what precautions you need to take and how to install it perfectly. First of all, you must know that wood in any form requires an exterior finish.
Insects, rot, and sun exposure can damage the wood. That’s why you have to pay attention to splitting and wrapping issues. You must stain or paint your wood siding once it is installed. Repairing wood siding is easy but installing it over existing siding can be challenging.
Wrapping Up
When choosing the right wood siding option for your home, it’s important to consider factors such as durability, maintenance, and cost. Be sure to also consider the style of your home and the look you want to achieve. With so many great options to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect wood siding for your home.