Siding a Home Involves More Than Just Replacing Boards

When siding a house, there are many things to take into consideration. Rotting wood, flaking paint, and siding that’s chalking badly are all possible reasons a homeowner may desire to replace their siding. Sometimes, however, homeowners are just tired of the style or color. The benefits to installing beautiful, energy-efficient, low-maintenance new siding are overwhelming.

Other Things to Consider

Before deciding on a siding color, the color of the roof should come into play. While siding doesn’t have to “match” the roof color, it should complement it. If there’s a stone façade or accent on the home, the color of the stone needs to be taken into account as well.

When doing exterior remodeling, including replacing siding, you’re making an investment that will last a lifetime, so you want to be absolutely certain that the end result is something you’ll be able to live with for a long time. That’s why, when Callen exterior product specialists meet with a homeowner, they imagine the home is their own home. We listen to what the homeowner wants and needs, then make recommendations based on the information provided.

Tips for Choosing Siding

We start by looking around the neighborhood where the home is located. For example, if every home in the neighborhood has tan siding, we typically recommend a different color. It’s all part of the design process – thinking about what other people have and what you do and don’t like about it. Once all the information is collected, we can then move forward and discuss styles and colors and make a more informed decision.

One of the things to consider in addition to color is the siding style. Wide siding of eight to 10 inches looks dated, while four-inch siding can have a lot of lines, unappealing to some. Callen has found the six-inch width is the most popular with our clients. Mill Run™ insulated vinyl siding comes in a six-inch width, adds insulation to the home, reduces noise, and gives your house a solid, authentic look. It doesn’t bow in, either, because the insulation makes it stronger and flatter and emulates the natural beauty of a wood-sided home. In addition to Mill Run, the company offers James Hardie® fiber cement siding as well as traditional vinyl and steel siding, which were addressed in previous blogs.

Don’t Forget the Gutters

When we assess what needs to be done on a siding project, we also look at gutters, downspouts, soffit, and fascia.

Gutters are one of the most important parts of the house, because they divert water. If the gutters are bad, they’ll need to be replaced. If not, they should at least be re-pitched. When replacing gutters, our recommendation is .032 five-inch seamless aluminum gutters with four-inch downspouts to alleviate overflow.

Soffit and fascia (overhang and faceboards) are used to enhance the style of your new siding, to provide attic ventilation, and increase the longevity of your home and roof.

When evaluating a new siding project, we’ll also determine if we need to do a total tear-off. If the siding is aluminum, wood, or cedar, a tear-off of the old material is recommended. After the tear-off, we’ll inspect the wood for rot, deterioration, mold, and mildew. If any of these are detected, then further remedial work is likely needed.

Tyvek® HouseWrap, a “breathable” material that works as an air infiltration barrier, is installed before the new siding goes up.

We’re not finished yet. In next week’s blog, we’ll talk about siding trim and accessories. For your next siding replacement project, contact the area’s best remodeling company, Callen. Call Callen at 414-765-2585 to set up an appointment for a free estimate.