Siding: Pros & Cons – Heritage Home Program

With so many available siding options available, many homeowners looking to complete home improvement and maintenance may question what the best route is for them. Does the existing siding just need repairs? Should it be replaced with an updated material?

According to Historic Preservation Standards, it is important to retain historic material whenever possible. A building’s siding is one of the many components which contributes to its historic character. The material, size, texture, and shape of a home’s original siding is an important facet of this characteristic. Historic materials are also of much better quality than what you would find today. Routine inspection and maintenance – such as painting and cleaning – can keep your original siding in tip top shape! If possible, repair of original siding is always your best bet!

We recognize that maintenance and repair cannot solve every issue; sometimes replacement is necessary. In this case, it is ideal to replace the original historic material in kind – that is, in the same design, color, texture, and material. When using the original material is not feasible, a substitute material can be used to convey the historical visual appearance. It is important to ensure your new material will not damage, destroy, or obscure historic characteristics of your home.

Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of popular siding materials. It is important to remember that no siding is 100% maintenance free. All materials will fall into disrepair without proper attention and maintenance.

Wood

Aluminum

Vinyl

Fiber Cement Composite

Further Reading

There are a variety of types of wood siding, each with their own unique histories and characteristics, such as clapboard, shingles, and board and batten. Below are some of the general pros and cons of using wood as your exterior cladding material.

PROS	CONS
Can last 50-100+ years with proper maintenance	Maintenance can be time-consuming and costly: periodic painting/staining every 5-10 years; recommended annual cleaning
Readily available and can be installed quickly	Can be more expensive than other options
Repairs are usually easier and less noticeable than aluminum and vinyl siding	Can be susceptible to insect damage, rot/warping, and fire
Can add resale value
Customizable: can be painted any color
Maintains the historic character of the home
“Green” Option: Wood is renewable and biodegradable. The manufacturing process does not release pollutants and requires less energy than alternative siding options.

Many people believe the required maintenance is one of the biggest drawbacks for wood siding. However, a well-executed paint job should last 5-10 years. If you are finding the need to paint your home more frequently, it could indicate an improper paint job or a problem that new siding may just cover up, such as excessive moisture.

Sherwin-Williams’s Problem Solver for Peeling and Cracking paint can give possible causes and solutions to common paint issues: https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/ask-sherwin-williams/problem-solver/peeling-cracking.

Metal has been used as a cladding option in a variety of forms over the past 200 years. However, patented in 1939, aluminum siding became widely popular beginning in 1946, due to its availability, ease of installation, and cheaper price tag than traditional wood siding. Below are some of the general pros and cons of using aluminum as your exterior cladding material.

PROS	CONS
Less maintenance and relief from periodic painting	Still requires maintenance. It is recommended to be washed twice a year and, if painted, it will need to be kept up similarly to wood
Will not rot, rust, or swell and protects against pests; Fire resistant	Can conceal issues and lead to more expensive repairs later (ie, trapping moisture)
Can be recycled	Prone to dents and scratching: Matching color on repairs can be difficult as factory finishes change over time and colors can fade
Lifespan of 25-45 years	Application can cost 2-3x more than a paint job on wood and be more expensive to repair
	Installation may lead to removal or obstruction of historic character defining features, such as door and window trim, porch details, etc, or destruction through nail holes

Other metals, such as steel, can also be used for exterior cladding. The pros and cons of aluminum and steel are very similar. However, there are some notable differences. For instance, steel siding can rust. However, steel is also more resistant to scratches than aluminum siding.

Steel siding also comes in a variety of colors and textures. One popular texture mimics the look of wood grain. However, this would be inappropriate in replacing historic wood siding as it does not accurately reflect the visual look of authentic wood siding.

Aluminum and steel replacement siding is often marketed as more energy efficient than traditional wood siding. However, there is little evidence that this siding alone would be much more energy efficient. It would likely be more cost effective to put your money towards storm windows, weather-stripping, and attic insulation. As opposed to siding, insulation can have a much larger impact on energy efficiency. When adding insulation to an historic home, blown-in insulation is usually recommended as it would have the least impact on the house’s historic materials.

For more information on improving energy efficiency in your historic home: https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/3-improve-energy-efficiency.htm.

Vinyl siding has been marketed as an exterior siding choice since its introduction in the 1950s, increasingly gaining popularity in the subsequent decades due to its durability and ease of maintenance.

*Note: The Cleveland Restoration Society’s Heritage Home Loan Program does not fund vinyl projects.

PROS	CONS
Less maintenance and relief from periodic painting	Still requires maintenance. It is recommended to be washed twice a year and, if painted, it will need to be kept up similarly to wood
Will not rot and protects against pests	Can conceal issues and lead to more expensive repairs later (ie, trapping moisture)
Cheap and easy to install	Application can cost 2-3x more than paint job on wood and more expensive to repair
Variety of colors to choose from	Prone to warping in heat and cracking in cold; Matching color on repairs can be difficult as factory finishes change over time and colors can fade
Lifespan of 20-40 years	Not “Green” Option: Manufacturing of PVC is linked to release of toxic chemicals and subsequent environmental concerns; If burned, releases toxic chemicals and gases. Vinyl is difficult to recycle and most ends up in landfills
	Installation may lead to removal or obstruction of historic character defining features, such as door and window trim, porch details, etc, or destruction through nail holes, etc; Can look out of place in context

Vinyl siding can be ordered with an embossed finish to mimic the look of wood grain. However, this would be inappropriate in replacing historic wood siding as it does not accurately reflect the visual look of authentic wood siding.

Vinyl replacement siding is often marketed as more energy efficient than traditional wood siding. However, there is little evidence that this siding alone would be much more energy efficient. It would likely be more cost effective to put your money towards storm windows, weather-stripping, and attic insulation. As opposed to siding, insulation can have a much larger impact on energy efficiency. When adding insulation to an historic home, blown-in insulation is usually recommended as it would have the least impact on the house’s historic materials.

For more information on improving energy efficiency in your historic home: https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/3-improve-energy-efficiency.htm.

Fiber cement siding, such as the popular Hardie Board, is a material made from cement reinforced with cellulose fibers. This type of siding most often resembles wooden boards, clapboard, or shingles. It was introduced in the 1980s, replacing a similar previous product which utilized asbestos.

PROS	CONS
Warranty coverage typically extends 30-50 years; factory coat of paint usually carries a guarantee against fading, peeling, chips, etc. for around 15 years	A little more maintenance than vinyl: periodic re-caulk of butt joints at trim terminations
Breathable; Insect, fungus, UV damage resistant; Fire resistant; No rotting, warping; crack resistant	Installation is highly skilled process and expensive
Can be ordered pre-colored or painted; available in range of colors, textures, styles
“Green” Material: Reliance on waste wood fibers, low maintenance requirements; Does not degrade into damaging substances
Smooth lap siding can be visually similar to wood, as long as traditional width and profiles are followed

As with steel and vinyl siding, fiber and cement composites can be ordered with an embossed finish to mimic the look of wood grain. However, this would be inappropriate in replacing historic wood siding on a historic building as it does not accurately reflect the visual look of authentic wood siding.

While many manufacturers claim this siding will last for fifty or more years, the product’s lifespan is less clear than other materials that have been around longer.

NPS Preservation Brief 3: Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings:
https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/3-improve-energy-efficiency.htm

NPS Preservation Brief 8: Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings:

https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/8-aluminum-vinyl-siding.htm

NPS Preservation Brief 10: Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork:
https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/10-paint-problems.htm

NPS Preservation Brief 16: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors:
https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/16-substitute-materials.htm#pros-cons

NPS Preservation Brief 47: Maintaining the Exterior of Small and Medium Size Historic Buildings:

https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/47-maintaining-exteriors.htm#exterior

Different Types of Siding

PROS

CONS

Can last 50-100+ years with proper maintenance

Maintenance can be time-consuming and costly: periodic painting/staining every 5-10 years; recommended annual cleaning

Readily available and can be installed quickly

Can be more expensive than other options

Repairs are usually easier and less noticeable than aluminum and vinyl siding

Can be susceptible to insect damage, rot/warping, and fire

Can add resale value

Customizable: can be painted any color

Maintains the historic character of the home

“Green” Option: Wood is renewable and biodegradable. The manufacturing process does not release pollutants and requires less energy than alternative siding options.