Exterior Materials to Consider When Building Your Home
You’ll make hundreds of decisions – both big and small – when it comes to creating your dream home. One of the most significant is the home’s exterior siding. The fact is, your home’s exterior can make or break its curb appeal. That means choosing the best option for your home and then maintaining it over time. What are the options you are likely to be considering?
Natural wood siding – With several choices such as shingles, shakes, clapboard, or textured plywoods, wood offers several beautiful options for a variety of homes. It tends to be more expensive than other materials, and there is maintenance to be aware of, but wood is versatile and durable, and it can be painted, stained or left natural. Since it is expensive, if you like the look of wood but have a smaller budget, you might consider some manufactured materials that look like wood but don’t have the hefty price tag.
Man-made materials – These include options like engineered wood, vinyl, and fiber-cement siding. There are many choices when it comes to materials, and you can obtain siding that looks like something else (for example, fiber-cement can mimic the look of wood). This type of siding is less expensive than a real wood option but will vary based on specific choices. On the plus side, man-made materials may be fireproof, waterproof, and insect resistant. On the other hand, some of these materials – such as engineered wood – cannot be painted or stained, so choose carefully.
Stone or brick – Brick is a very traditional siding choice for homeowners. With a classic look, we see it in many new communities as well as older city and suburban homes. Stone and brick are also very durable, low-maintenance and stand up well to weather extremes. They tend to be pricier, and installation costs can be higher. If price is an issue you may want to look at some veneer products to keep costs down.
Curb appeal is an important factor to consider even if you never plan to sell your home. Though personal tastes dictate what you like, there will definitely be some choices that are better suited to your lifestyle, area, and budget than others. If you would like to talk through options and see what makes sense for you, let us know!
