A Guide To Siding For Your Home

By arya

Siding is one of the most popular choices for homes across Canada. It’s easy to see why, siding is easy to put on your building, easy to maintain, and lasts for years. Check out what Siding Toronto can offer.

In short, it can transform your home, boost your insulation levels and require very little effort from you on a yearly basis.

Siding or cladding is actually anything that you can attach to the structural frame of a building, effectively protecting it from the elements. Of course, creating a large surface area, such as you get with cladding, means that there will be constant pressure from the elements, particularly wind. This needs to be factored in when considering which siding is best for your home.

The Different Types Of Cladding

There are many different types of siding or cladding, it’s worth knowing a little about each one before you decide which suits your needs best.

Vinyl Siding

This is one of the most popular choices partly because it is generally the cheapest option, and partly because it needs very little maintenance. Pressure washing once a year is usually sufficient.

It can be supplied and installed in a variety of colors and finishes, even mimicking a wood look.

Wood

The traditional and still very popular approach is wood siding. Modern siding options give you authentic wood, engineered wood, or reclaimed wood. All have the natural wood effect and will last for years.

However, as well as being more expensive than vinyl, they will need a little more maintenance. Wood is more likely to rot and you may need to recoat or paint it regularly.

It’s worth noting that engineered wood is generally cheaper than new wood and it is more environmentally friendly.

Fiber Cement

Fiber cement is a great choice if you live in a particularly wet area or often have harsh weather patterns. It is extremely tolerant to moisture and can deal with hot and cold conditions without expanding/contracting, and cracking.

It’s surprisingly cheap to install but you’ll probably want a professional, such as Peter Bracey to do it for you.

Brick

Brick is a traditional and stylish look. It is often seen as a more up-market approach but it will last for many years with surprising little maintenance.

You can get brick siding in a variety of color finishes. However, you will need to do a little more maintenance, repairs can be costly and time-consuming.

Metal

Metal is becoming an increasingly popular siding option and is also available in a wide variety of colors.

The most popular metal sidings are aluminum and steel. Both can look good but steel does need a lot of looking after if you want to avoid it rusting and tarnishing the look of your building.

Final Thoughts

If you’re considering siding don’t forget that you should consider what other houses in your area have done and whether there are any planning regulations. As great as siding can look, you may not be allowed to make your house stand out too much from your neighbors! It’s worth checking first.