If you are looking to increase the appeal of the outside of your home, updating your exterior siding is a good place to start. Because there are so many different siding options available on the market today, you can easily find a product that will match your design style, budget, and home. Some of the more common types of siding are made of materials such as brick, wood, steel, vinyl and aluminum, with the later being very popular for decades. Aluminum siding has long been a favorite among homeowners because of its easy maintenance and relatively low cost. Plus with the option to paint aluminum siding in almost any color you desire, this material one of the more versatile products out there. However, as with many other products there are some disadvantages to installing this material on the exterior of your home. For that reason we provide you with both the pros and cons of aluminum siding in this article. By the time you are done reading you will not only have a myriad of aluminum siding ideas, but also be prepared and educated about your choice.
Aluminum is commonly used as garden shed siding because it is easy to wash dirt and pollen off this material, plus is cheap and easy to install. Typically power washing this vertical siding material will suffice, and most dirt and grime will easily run down the length of the panels. However some companies might provide specific instructions as to how to wash aluminum siding if it contains a vinyl or plastic coating. When it comes to siding installations you have two main options, hire professionals to complete this task or do it yourself. The cost of hiring professionals can be very high depending on your location, they type of material you are installing, and the company you purchased it from. Alcoa ranks among the top siding suppliers however do not provide installation services. On the other hand Lowes siding experts will come install your product on the exterior of your home for as little as $250. If you wish to complete this as a DIY weekend product, aluminum soffit panels are quick and easy to install on your own and come with a packet of instructions.
When choosing between brick veneer siding vs aluminum or vinyl, the former option will often win because of its durability, resistance to cracking, low price, and ease of cleaning. However, while long hailed the better material because of the relatively cheap cost of aluminum siding, many homeowners do not like its quality. This material has a higher weight than others making installing aluminum siding a more difficult task than if you were to use a lighter vinyl. Another con to aluminum is that you can not create intricate designs or patterns to make it resemble other materials such as wood, the way that you can with other options like vinyl or cement fiber siding. One of the only few ways to create looks different from the straight planks is to install corrugated metal siding which has a wave-like pattern. Homeowners have also put down aluminum because they feel it will make their house look cheap and ugly because this material is frequently used for mobile home siding. In addition, aluminum is not an insulated siding choice and does not effectively protect your home from the cold of winter.
You can find exterior house paint that is specifically created for use on steel, aluminum and other types of metal materials sold by siding manufacturers. This paint is engineered to be resistant to rust and damage from changing weather patterns, plus does not fade over time. These paints also come in all the popular exterior siding colors including neutral browns, greens, and beige, plus the more vibrant yellows and blues. Another benefit to installing aluminum rather than brick siding is that you can paint it a variety of colors without feeling guilty that you covered up its natural beauty. Aluminum metal siding panels typically have that characteristic chrome or bronze color. However many homeowners do not want their houses to resemble the metal roofing found on a 1950s diner, and ask the question “Can you paint aluminum siding?” The answer is a definitive yes! Painting aluminum siding is a great way to spruce up and modernize a dingy house, plus express your own personality and design tastes on the outside of your home.
Adding to the aforementioned list of different types of house siding are stone, cedar shake, and brick. When compared to aluminum, cedar shake siding tends to be much more decorative, can add a little bit more class, and can be a littler bit easier to replace if damaged. When performing replacing aluminum, you will typically need to remove and swap out the entire panel. However with cedar shake you can just remove the damaged shingle and replace it with a new one. Similarly, replacing or repairing brick or stone siding for homes is a difficult task because you cannot easily, remove the damaged area and replace it with a new piece, sometimes all you can do is fill the cracks and crevices with fresh cement. For this reason, siding repair cost can be rather expensive for brick or stone, where as aluminum and cedar shake replacements will be cheaper. In this aspect these materials are better, however brick and stone tend to be much more durable and longer lasting than both aluminum and shake.
When it comes to exterior siding options, your choices are far and many with the most common being brick, vinyl and aluminum. Other types of siding that are commonly used on the exterior of homes are stucco, steel, cement, and wood. Many wood siding types have long used by homeowners mainly because of the beauty and elegance that this material brings. However, a common problem with exterior wood siding is its tendency to damage, warp and rot from years of exposure to wind, rain, and snow, plus insects and other wildlife. Because it is harder to replace than other materials, many manufacturers have created siding that looks like wood but is made of a more durable material such as vinyl or cement. Hardie plank siding is one such company that produces and installs products engineered specifically a range of climates and have a variety of different looks and textures to choose from. This company also connects you with local siding contractors who install their product and can give you a free estimate on their costs.