If you’re looking at new siding for your home, you’re probably considering various materials, like vinyl, wood and fiber cement. But after you pick one of these, think about whether you want to install your new siding horizontally or vertically.
You wouldn’t think it would matter, would you?
But it does.
LOOKS
You probably noticed that you see a lot more horizontal siding than vertical, so if you choose vertical, you’re bucking the trend. Maybe you’re a big trend bucker, but remember that if you decide to sell your house down the road, trend bucking might cost you.
On the other hand, if you want your house to stand out from the crowd, vertical siding might be just right for you.
Commercial buildings, however, more often use vertical siding than horizontal. Part of the reason is durability (more on that later), but you might want to consider the shape and structure of your house when choosing this type of siding, lest someone mistake your home for an auto body shop.
COST
Horizontal siding costs less to install than vertical. Why? What does it matter which way the boards go? Well, when you install vertical siding, you need to put furring strips down first to fasten the boards to. This adds to the labor cost, as well as a bit to the materials cost too.
FUNCTION
Originally home builders likely installed siding horizontally because it made sense, considering gravity. Rain falls straight down (usually), so you would think that horizontal siding would offer the most protection. But in fact, it doesn’t.
Vertical siding is snapped into place as it is installed, offering more of an airtight seal against moisture and weather in general.
This aspect of installation also makes vertical siding easier to clean. With horizontal, you can’t really safely use a power washer or even a hose because the pressure could easily force the water behind the siding and cause mold, mildew or rot.
Even rain can cause damage to horizontal siding more quickly than vertical because it can seep into gaps more easily. For this reason, vertical siding usually lasts longer.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
The experts at Renovation by Burbach can help you decide what type of siding would be best for your home. We have the technology to generate images of what your home would look like with any type or color of exterior cladding.
Call us today to set up a free consultation to discuss what type of siding you’re interested in, and whether you want might want to go with vertical or horizontal.
