Ready to Re-Side Your House? Here’s How to Start

There are a number of great reasons to re-side your house. New siding can improve your home’s curb appeal and boost its saleability. In addition to giving your home a fresh look, house siding also protects the interior surface against the elements, which can prevent costly damage over time.

Ease of installation, cost, appearance and weather conditions are all factors that will shape your home siding decision process.

House Siding Types—Choose the Best Fit for Your Home

There are a variety of exterior siding types to choose from. Discover the features and benefits of some of the most popular types.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl is a widely used siding material. Standard panels are 12-feet long. Some panels come in longer lengths to reduce the number of noticeable seams, but these will cost more.

Overview of Vinyl Siding:

Tough, inexpensive and low maintenance
Requires no painting or caulking
Available in a variety of colours and textures
Can mimic the look of wood, stone and other natural materials
Lightweight and easy to handle for a straightforward DIY job
Can be applied directly over existing siding, making it a good retrofit option
Solid colour throughout the panel – won’t chip, flake or peel
Some products offer lifetime warranty

Overview of Wood Siding:

Available in panels and shingles
Presents a premium appearance and lasts for generations with proper care
Modern factory finishing now provides a durable finish that is warranted for up to 20 years
Factory finishing offers custom colour options
May require more maintenance than other materials as it is vulnerable to wear and tear
More expensive than some other materials
Can be stained or painted
Colour of siding can be changed if desired down the road
Is available as raw wood or factory-finished
Harder to retrofit as you must remove the existing siding first
Easy to cut and shape for installation by reasonably skilled DIYers

NOTE: Also consider more cost-effective engineered wood siding or wood composite siding. It is stronger and lighter with a similar appearance.

Overview of Fibre Cement Siding:

Available in panels, shingles and planks
Contains a mixture of cement, sand, cellulose fibres and other materials that can be formed to look like natural wood, clapboard, shingles, stucco and masonry
Highly resistant to weather, fire and insects
Requires minimal maintenance
Heavy and can crack or break if mishandled, making it harder to install compared to other materials
Comes primed or primed and pre-painted
Modern pre-finishing now provides a durable finish that is warranted up to 15 years
May require some maintenance if abused
Requires periodical refinishing

Aluminum Siding

A long time popular favourite, this type of siding is highly resistant to extreme weather and damage.

Overview of Aluminum Siding:

Comes in a variety of textures and patterns
Has excellent insulating properties, which can help save on heating and cooling costs
Highly resistant to extreme weather, moisture, fire, rot and insects
Resists rust and corrosion
Recyclable
Light, easy to install and low maintenance

NOTE: Aluminum siding can make a “pinging” sound in high wind or heat.

Steel Siding

Similar to aluminum siding, steel siding is low maintenance and offers strong resistance to the elements. But it’s also much tougher than aluminum siding.

Overview of Steel Siding:

Maximum resistance to hail damage and denting
Environment friendly: 100 % recyclable
Low thermal expansion
Low maintenance
Strong resistance to extreme weather, moisture, fire, rot and insects
Available in different profiles and colours
Some products offer lifetime warranty

Stone Siding

Naturally produced stone siding gives your home an authentic appearance that will last for decades without fading.

Overview of Stone Siding:

Creates attractive mixed material finishes and diverse colour palettes
High attachment to vinyl siding and many other exterior cladding products
Available in a variety of colours and textures
Panelized stone siding can create the look of natural stone at a fraction of the cost
Panelized stone siding requires no masonry and installs like siding
No seasonal restriction on installation

How to Enhance the Performance of Exterior Siding

Once you choose your home siding, consider the following features to help maintain its appearance and durability. Although they may add to the initial price, they can reduce costs over the life of your siding.

Vinyl Siding Installation

Double-hem nailing area: For sturdy application, a double-layer mounting hem provides stronger attachment and better resistance to high winds than a single-layer hem.

Extra-long panels: Longer panels create fewer seams for a cleaner appearance.

Foam backing: Some vinyl comes with a backing of rigid foam. This adds insulation, makes the vinyl stiffer, and helps with noise infiltration.

Fibre Cement Siding

For fibre cement, consider using a factory finish. You may have less colour selection and pay a higher price, but a durable factory finish tends to last much longer.

Exterior Wood Siding

Re-staining and re-painting wood as part of regular maintenance can make it last for generations.

Consider ordering it with a factory finish. While this may cost more upfront, it will usually last longer.

Maintenance Tips:

Prevent leaks by adding caulking to the butt joints, corner joints and areas around windows and doors
Prevent ice damming (ice build-up on eaves) in winter by adding insulation to the attic and sealing gaps around pipes and ducts

Tools and Tips for Smooth Home Siding Application

For quicker and easier installation, browse these siding tools to help make your siding project as success.

Siding Removal Tool: Use this tool to safely remove damaged vinyl siding panels. Also called a zip tool, you can use it to cut away only the damaged portion of the siding and install a patch piece, rather than replace an entire panel.

Fibre Cement Siding Facing Gauge: Use this tool for fast and accurate installation of fibre cement panels. It can help prevent sagging and ensure a straight, professional look.

Snap Lock Siding Punch: This tool punches tabs into the cut edge of vinyl siding and aluminum siding panels to lock them into utility trim or finishing trim. It is ideal for use at the top of walls and below windows.

Siding Mounting Blocks: Use siding blocks to mount exterior light fixtures, water faucets, electrical outlets and more. They provide a neat finish and help to eliminate moisture and air infiltration.

Caulking/Sealant: Caulking can be used to repair small cracks and prevent leaks. It is especially useful with fibre cement and wood. Caulking comes in a variety of colours, so you can choose one to match your siding.

Wood Siding Stain: If staining wood siding, make sure to choose a suitable stain for the type of wood or engineered wood. Clear and semi-transparent stains will highlight the grain and are best with high-quality grades. You can use opaque stains or paint with less costly grades.

NOTE: Depending on the product type and the weather conditions, you may need to re-stain periodically.

You now have all the information you need to choose new house siding and install it like a pro. Select from our versatile line of siding products to upgrade your home’s appearance