My 1918 house has its original wood cladding, which, from a distance, looks good and charming. I’d love to have it painted, but it’s in really poor shape in some areas (pieces of cladding have fallen off and there’s some water damage; a specialty carpenter would have to do some really involved work to match the wood).
Conservatively speaking, it probably has six+ coats of paint and I wager it’s never been properly scraped between coats. I’ve owned the house for four years.
I HATE to lose the historically-correct wood cladding and period window framing, but I’m considering vinyl siding might be more economical and better protect the house. Some same-era homes in the 'hood have nice vinyl siding but, well, it looks like siding.
Suggestions? Experiences? We have about 2300sf interior minus the basement (below ground, no above-ground cover needed).
You don’t say where you are, but most new construction here (with traditional-Colonial look) uses vinyl. First time I’ve ever lived with it and while it can be annoying for a DIYer who just wants to put a damned hook in the wall for something, it seems to be enormously durable and forgiving. I can’t tell it at casual sight from the houses done in traditional clapboard.
The way I look at it, if you don’t live under HOA or historical designation rules that require you maintain original materials, go for vinyl! Ease of maintenance is a biggie. There’s also a bonus of added insulation if you go that route. We replaced the aluminum siding on our house with vinyl that had a layer of foam insulation within. It made a noticeable difference in keeping that house warm in winter. And maintenance so far has been having it pressure washed once, 6 years after installation.
Vinyl is easy to maintain, looks good, and can be insulated. Like FairyChatMom, we replaced our old aluminum siding two years ago. The house has been far warmer.
You can work with your contractor to find something that fits in with the style of your house. It’ll be worth it.
I wish I could remember what the siding portion of our overhaul cost, but I can’t. We had roof, gutters, windows, patio door, siding, and trim all done at once, and we added a solar tube as the roof was being done.
“Cementitious” is probably a better description than concrete. Hardi products are guaranteed for a very long time, but need to be installed according to product tolerances, especially around windows. It used to be that you had to caulk between the siding joints. It’s a pain in the ass because no matter what kind you use, it will dry up and need to be done again in five years or so. Then it won’t match the paint and you either end up with a zebra stripe house or a new paint job. The newer method involves metal strips behind the siding, so caulking isn’t needed.
There is a big range in vinyl siding quality. The cheap stuff is thin and easily damaged, and the expensive stuff is quite nice. Instalation is pretty easy, especially for the cheap stuff. It goes up fast. Go take a look at any hardware store, they will have a display where you can see the difference in quality. Call around to a few contractors to get local installation costs.
Vinyl siding is becoming increasingly popular in all climates, particularly as petroleum prices continue to drop. And, unlike wood or stucco, homeowners with vinyl siding don’t have to worry about the danger of burning to death if the house catches fire. No, the dioxin fumes will kill you long before you know there’s a fire! :eek:
See the Concerns by Organizations section on Wikipedia’s article about Vinyl_siding: Vinyl siding - Wikipedia
But that’s okay. The manufacturers and distributors and installers will have been paid and moved on well before you need to worry about such a thing.
When we asked the fence contractor about dioxins in the vinyl fencing he was offering, he said the fence would be far enough from the house that the fumes from vinyl melting in a fire (So. CA is famous for its wildfires) couldn’t possibly reach the house. When we asked the vinyl siding guy about dioxins, he would find ways to change the topic.
I feel for you. But the repairs you do with real wood will probably last the rest of your life. Costing more than vinyl, maybe more than replacing that vinyl a couple of decades down the road also, but if you appreciate the beauty and feel of old homes and wood construction then it could be worth it for a lifetime of that enjoyment. Anyway, that’s what I keep telling myself.
