Whether you’re in the market for siding for a new house or for an older one, you’ll find countless possibilities that suit all tastes and budgets, not to mention an impressive array of colors. No matter what siding you select, you’ll likely choose it for its aesthetic qualities, but mostly to protect adequately the house’s envelope against bad weather. Remember that your choice of siding must be approved by your municipality as many enforce very strict urban planning by-laws and regulations, either for heritage conservation purposes or architectural harmony.

Vinyl can withstand impact and scratching and is available in a wide variety of colors. It’s also easy to install, but be careful! You must follow installation instructions to the letter in order to avoid buckling, because vinyl expands and contracts with the weather. You should also make sure the vinyl you buy is of adequate quality. Thickness — which can vary between 0.038 in. and 0.050 in. — is an important factor. Vinyl’s weakness, as you may have guessed, is withstanding temperature changes. But if it’s well installed, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Aluminum is available in an even greater variety of colors than vinyl. On the other hand, it’s less resistant to impacts, which is why it’s often used from the second floor up, rather than at ground-floor level. However, it’s less sensitive to temperature changes than vinyl and more durable. It will also remain intact longer than vinyl. Aluminum siding is washable and can be repainted. And it’s easier to install than vinyl siding, as there are fewer precautions to take.

It’s impossible to talk about wood without talking about the style it brings to everything it’s associated with. People enjoy its warmth and it’s no wonder it is constantly being improved with new properties that prolong its life and reduce its need for maintenance.
Before installing wood siding, be sure to check local construction standards because in certain municipalities, fire prevention regulations forbid its use.
That being said, wood is an affordable material and it can be used without too much maintenance.

Those who love wood will enjoy natural or rough lumber. Its surface absorbs stain well and the finish can last up to fifteen years before staining is again required.
That’s three times less often than wood with a smooth surface.

Wood’s durability can be improved if its fibers are treated against decay. Pressure-treated wood becomes more weather-resistant. It’s available in a wide choice of colors. When installing it, be sure to use galvanized or stainless steel nails to avoid those unsightly rusty stains that tend to appear after a few years.

This type of siding is made of wood fibers bound together under heat and pressure, to which resin and wax are added. Its appearance is remarkably close to that of real wood, even if it contains only fiber. Pressed wood siding is more resistant to temperature variations than natural wood siding. It is preferable to purchase siding that has been factory-stained for optimal protection against bad weather. This type of affordable siding will please those who love wood but don’t want to spend too much time on maintenance.

Even though this type of siding doesn’t contain wood, we are listing it in the wood siding category because it’s a remarkable imitation. Fiber cement siding is made of cement, sand, cellulose fibers, additives and water. Some manufacturers insist on reminding buyers that their product contains no asbestos. You can stain the panels yourself or buy them already factory-stained. Fiber cement is versatile and features a number of finishes that resemble smooth or rough wood surfaces. You can also buy fiber cement shingles for outside use.

The material’s great advantage is undoubtedly its resistance to weather, insects and mildew. It’s also fire-resistant and requires little maintenance. And it’s very affordable.

Masonry siding’s reputation remains unchallenged. Thanks to their acoustical properties, impact-resistance, longevity and low maintenance, they remain a popular choice for siding. Masonry siding is more expensive than flexible siding, mostly because of the cost of the materials and the difficult installation, which is better left to experts.
A number of factors should be considered before choosing masonry siding. Some masonry siding, including natural stone, requires foundations that are at least 10 in. thick to provide adequate support. Consult a specialist to make the right choice. Also, make sure that the neighborhood in which your property is located and the architecture of the house warrant such an investment. Will you be able to recover that expense when you sell the house?

This type of brick is an old material that remains popular to this day. Similar to natural stone, clay brick, smooth or textured, is easier to handle than its rival. Thanks to modern technology, today’s clay brick is available in richer colors and is more resistant to water seepage and humidity.

Less costly than other types of bricks, concrete bricks compete with clay bricks on every front, and feature a greater range of colors. They’re also more water-resistant.

Less expensive than other types of brick, the mortarless brick has been on the market for a few years. Thanks to an installation system that uses screws, it’s easier to install than conventional brick, but harder than vinyl and aluminum.

In addition to their remarkable qualities, reconstituted brick and stone stand out because of the impressive range of colors in which they’re offered, thanks mostly to a process that involves mixing coloring agents with the sand and silica that make up these materials.
Reconstituted bricks and stone are also available in white. Made of a mixture of silica, aggregate and white concrete, they offer good quality as well as style.

Nobility is perhaps the best attribute to describe natural stone, the costliest of any exterior siding. Thanks to its physical properties, resale value and longevity, it is a revered material. Natural stone can also be arranged in interesting layouts for a customized look. It’s not easy to choose between granite, cut stone, cobblestone and limestone. If you’re interested in natural stone siding, do your research beforehand.

Aggregate stuccos have been conveniently replaced by acrylic coatings whose waterproof properties are a marked, if not spectacular, improvement over their predecessors. Their resistance to adverse weather prevents the crumbling that characterized aggregate stuccos, but they are less resistant to impact. On the other hand, more care must be taken during installation. Acrylic coatings must be installed on more solid bases, made of light concrete or expanded polystyrene panels over which a base coat of acrylic incorporating a fiberglass mesh is applied. A finishing coat is then applied with a trowel. The finish can be either textured or smooth. And remember that your siding will require expansion joints to counter with temperature fluctuations.
Since the installation of exterior siding is an important investment that should last for a long time, we hope that this information helps you choose the right one.