Best Siding Buying Guide – Consumer Reports

Thanks to better graining and deeper profiles that cast wider shadows, some vinyl, plastic, and synthetic siding gives you the look of wood for a fraction of what you'd pay for the real thing.

Buy the Right Amount An installer will calculate how much siding your home needs, but you can make a rough estimate without climbing a ladderand avoid overpaying someone you hire. Simply multiply the height times the width of each rectangular section of your house in feet, going by what you can measure from the ground, to determine its area. Multiply the approximate height and width of gables and other triangular surfaces and divide each total by two. Then add all the totals. To allow for waste, don't subtract for doors, windows, or other areas that won't be covered. Finally, divide the total square footage by 100 to estimate how many squares of siding you'll need. A square represents 100 square feet.

Get It Installed Right We recommend having a professional install your siding. If the old siding is sound, new siding can go over it. But rotted wood siding should be replaced and the wall behind it checked for damagesomething that could save you tens of thousands of dollars in structural repairs later on. If the old siding is removed, install a moisture barrier beneath the new siding, and add flashing around doors and windows. Fasteners should attach to wall studs, not just the sheathing. The installer should center the fasteners in the slots and leave a gap as thick as a dime between the panel and the fastener heads to allow for expansion and contraction.

Make It Last You can extend the useful life of your siding with simple maintenance and repairs. Siding is susceptible to leaks, especially where it meets windows and doors. A $5 tube of caulk could ultimately save you thousands of dollars in structural repairs. If you live in a region with cold winters, check the siding under the eaves for water stains, possibly a sign of ice damming. Adding attic insulation and sealing any gaps around pipes and ducts into the attic may help prevent future dammingand may lower your heating and cooling bills as well.

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Best Siding Buying Guide - Consumer Reports