Types of Wood Siding for Houses

Best Types of Wood Siding For Houses has long been a favorite home exterior cladding. It suits many different types of homes, climates, and needs. Wood siding is easy to install and maintain, thus appealing to a wide range of budgets. And that wood siding is made from cedar, pine, redwood, spruce, fir, and other trees.

Wood is natural, beautiful, and durable, making it a siding option in traditional architecture, such as cottages, bungalows, and Cape Cod exteriors.

Solid wood siding is readily available through most lumber dealers and lends itself to cutting and installation with the necessary carpentry tools and skills. It has the natural beauty that manufacturers of almost all types of siding want to achieve.

If you are interested in siding with wood, you will find many natural wood species and composites, such as fiber cement. Each type of wood is presented in various wood styles and configurations, including shiplap, shake, shingle, and panel.

There is a wide range of beautiful wood siding that enhances the curb appeal of any home. If you want to reinvent your home’s exterior, wood siding will turn heads for years. However, this plaster or stucco type is incompatible with every home exterior. One of the most popular options is wood siding.

Wood has been used for siding for centuries, and there are many reasons why it is still a favorite choice today. Some wood siding is designed for vertical installation.

Also Read: 11 Different Types of Wood and Their Uses

Types of Wood Siding for Houses

There’s a wide variety of wood types of siding for homeowners to choose from, including cedar, cypress, engineered wood, redwood, spruce, fir, pine, shiplap, wood fiber cement, shingle, shake, panels, split log, tongue-and-groove, charred wood, Siberian larch, oak, ash, firwood, Cumaru, Accoya, Thermowood, Douglas fir, Tatajuba, Garapa, Iroko, and Massaranduba.

1. Pine Siding:

Pine siding is among the most popular exterior wood siding types. Because pine fir is a softwood, it is generally less expensive and easier to clean than other wood species but is less durable than cedar or redwood. Pine siding can be stained or painted and is available in various styles.

To maintain the internal integrity of the pine, it is best to use a finish such as paint or stain on all exposed parts of the pine. You should refinish it every 4-6 years to keep it looking sharp, but this type of wood has a good finish.

Details:

• The most common type of exterior wood siding.
• Easy to find
• Inexpensive compared to other wood sidings.
• It is not rot-resistant, so you must finish it every 4-6 years to prevent rot and pests.
• Knot-free boards are hard to find.
• It comes in short-length panels
• for $1-$5 per square foot.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly.
• It stains well and holds paint well.

Cons:

• It comes in a short distance.
• Contains knots
• Not naturally resistant to decay.

2. Cedar Siding:

Cedar is a popular type of wood used for exterior siding. Because it is naturally resistant to rot and insect damage, it has a straight grain that finishes nicely.

Being a soft wood, cedar is used both indoors and outdoors. It does not warp or swell like other wood sidings like pine. There are two main types of cedar, sapwood, and heartwood.

Heartwood is more expensive because it is more challenging, insect and rot-resistant, and has a gorgeous red color. Cedar siding can obtain from less expensive white woodgrain sections or more expensive, dense heartwood sections. Cedar turns a silver-gray color when left unstained. And cedar siding can be stained or painted in a variety of styles.

Details:

• A type of standard exterior wood siding
• Easy to find
• The amount of heartwood determines the cost of the siding.
• More moisture and rot-resistant than other softwoods.
• A permanent option, if you can cut it close
• Annual power wash and refinish every 5-7 years
• For $3-$5 per square foot

Pros:

• Suits himself well
• Resists cupping and splitting
• Sustainable and locally sourced

Cons:

• Regular washing with a power washer and occasional sealing is necessary.

Also Read: 10 Best House Siding Colors

3. Cypress Siding:

Cypress is a softwood, but it is more complex than many softwoods. It shares some properties with hardwood. This wood is rot and insect-proof. This type of cypress siding in the southeast makes it a sustainable choice in this region. It also has perfect wood grain and color. This beautiful wood is known for its durability, versatility, and character.

Cypress is a hardwood often used for siding. It is more durable than cedar or fir and is resistant to rot and insect damage. Cypress siding stained or painted and is available in various styles.

Details:

• Less common than other types of wood siding
• It has a reddish color which will fade over time
• Sustainable if maintained
• Clean once every year and refinish every 3-5 years
• For $1-$5 per square foot.

Pros:

• Cypress is ideal for wood cladding projects due to its reliability and low maintenance costs. It can withstand most elements.

Cons:

• Although cypress is long-lived, some varieties are poisonous and can irritate people with certain respiratory diseases such as asthma. Cypress has an unpleasant smell.

Also Read: How Much to Paint Vinyl Siding

4. Redwood Siding:

Redwood siding is one of the most popular types of wood siding because it is durable and has a gorgeous color. It does not shrink or warp like other woods. It is also insect, rot, and moisture-resistant. It occurs primarily in the western US.

While cedar changes color rapidly as it ages, redwood retains its red color and darkens. However, over time, redwood driftwood will change color to gray. One of the more expensive wood siding options.

Consider the redwood variety if you’re looking for a beautiful amber-red exterior. It is famous for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. Like cedar, redwood is resistant to rot and worm damage.

It is slightly heavier than cedar but easier to work with. Redwood siding can be unfinished or stained/painted to match your home’s exterior.

Details:

• For $4-$14 per square foot.
• Resistant to rot, insects, and moisture.
• Clean once each of year and refinish every 3-5 years.
• Because of the beautiful color, it is common to stain redwood.
• Indigenous to the northwest but challenging to find in other parts of the country.

Pros:

• Resists shrinkage and cracking.
• Repels pesky insects like carpenter ants and termites.

Cons:

• Supply is dwindling.
• Getting to the eastern part of America takes work.
• It may be more expensive than other options.

5. Wood Composite Siding:

Wood composite siding is an engineered wood siding that is durable and versatile. Manufacturers make them from wood chips, sawdust, and other bonding agents to last up to 30 years.

There is engineered wood, putty, and synthetic wood. This lumber is designed for the highest degree of durability and strength while maintaining the look and feel of natural wood.

Engineered wood can be a mixture of different materials depending on the brand. Engineered wood is a composite wood siding. Its wood fibers are coated with wax, resin, and other ingredients, then pressed under heat into a natural wood texture. It does not look like natural wood and needs to be painted to look its best.

Details:

• Lightweight yet durable.
• Easy to cut and apply.
• Doesn’t look like natural wood.
• For $3-$7 per square foot.
• Less expensive than other wood products with similar longevity.

Pros:

• Later fiber cement and some wood siding materials.
• Uses recycled materials.
• Less expensive than other devices.

Cons:

• It doesn’t look natural; It must be painted.
• Binding agents are not eco-friendly.
• Some binding agents may contain carcinogens.

6. Wood Fiber Cement Siding:

Fiber cement siding is made from natural wood and cellulose fibers. And those fibers are mixed with portland cement, sand, and water. It is then molded to match the grain and texture of the natural wood. It is durable and fire-resistant. It is also more expensive other than natural wood options.

Wood fiber cement siding is easy to paint but does not work with stains. While it doesn’t look like natural wood, it has better durability, fire resistance, and insect resistance than other types.

Details:

• Durable and fire resistant.
• It takes more experience to cut and install it.
• Molded to look like wood.
• $10-$13 per square foot.
• It absorbs moisture, so homeowners should paint it to maintain its appearance.

Pros:

• More fire-resistant than other types.
• Greater durability.
• Less insect damage.

Cons:

• Brittle and prone to cracking.
• It does not have the look of natural wood.

7. Fir Siding:

Fir is a softwood comparable in cost to pine or spruce. Fir is uniform in color and grain size. It is a true western softwood and is available in longboard form. This wood is easy to cut with sap or resin to adhere to the saw blade. This makes it a popular choice for types of siding that require more milling, such as tongue-and-groove.

Fir is not naturally insect resistant, nor is it rot-resistant. Therefore, it needs regular maintenance to prevent it from absorbing moisture or hosting destructive insects. It should be sealed with paint or stain to maintain its integrity.

Details:

• A type of exterior common wood siding.
• It takes paint and stains well
• for $5-$15 per square foot.
• Easy to cut and available in long sections.
• Clean once a year and clean every 3-5 years again.

Pros:

• Stains and finishes nicely.
• Also, available in long sections.
• Easy to rip to size or mill.

Cons:

• It was filled with cupping and warping.
• It must be painted or coated on all sections.

8. Shake Siding:

Shake siding is made from thick, almost wedge-like shingles. Shakes are wrapped from top to bottom like the roof slabs of a house. People often mistake shakes for shingles because they look similar, but shakes are usually thicker and more durable.

In many cases, the shakes are not uniform in thickness, giving them a rustic, rough appearance, which is part of their appeal. While shakes are primarily associated with cedar, they are also made from fiber cement and engineered wood.

9. Accoya Siding:

A new type of Akoya siding is modern wood cladding. It is perfect for home renovation projects, including siding, decking, windows, and doors. Manufacturers treat the wood with a unique vinegar that is toxic.

Accoya is a brand name for siding types of acetylated wood. Acetylated wood is where manufacturers treat softwood like that radiata pine to make it more durable. It creates rot- and moisture-resistant wood with a small carbon footprint.

---

Like this post? Share it with your friends!

Suggested Read –

• Dam Types
• Uses for Cedar Wood
• Stone Cladding Details
• 10 Best House Siding Colors
• What Type of Siding Is Best?
• Best HVAC Business Insurance
• Butterfly Roof | Butterfly Roof Pros and Cons
• Types of Brick Bonds | Flemish Bond | Different Types of Brick Patterns

---