There comes a point during a new home build when the structure finally begins to look less like a construction project and more like the home you have been picturing.
The roof is on. The windows and exterior doors are in place. And then there is the exterior.
Choosing siding is one of those decisions that can dramatically change how a house feels from the street. The same basic home can look traditional, rustic, modern, farmhouse-inspired, or somewhere comfortably in between depending on the materials, colors, and siding profiles you choose.
And because siding does more than make the house pretty, this is one decision worth thinking through instead of simply pointing at the first sample that looks good.
What Does Siding Actually Do?
Siding is the exterior covering of your home, and Nelson Design Group's original siding guide identifies three major considerations: appearance, protection, and the effect your exterior can have on the home's overall value.
That means siding has to do more than photograph well.
It becomes part of the architectural character of the home while also helping protect the structure underneath from exposure to the elements.
When you are choosing a siding material, think about the whole package:
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Does it complement the architectural style of the house?
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How much maintenance are you comfortable taking on?
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How will the material hold up in your environment?
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Can you achieve the color, texture, and overall exterior look you want?
This is where practical decision-making and design have to shake hands. A beautiful exterior is wonderful. A beautiful exterior you can actually live with is considerably better.
Start With the Style of the House
Before choosing a material simply because you like it on a sample board, look at the complete exterior of your house plan.
Rooflines, windows, porches, columns, gables, and other architectural details all contribute to the personality of a home. Your siding should support those features rather than compete with them.
You also do not necessarily have to choose one siding treatment for the entire house. Different materials or profiles can be combined to emphasize architectural features and create visual interest.
The goal is not to add something different everywhere you possibly can. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and your house does not need to wear every accessory in the jewelry box.
Instead, think about where a change in material, direction, or texture would make an architectural feature more noticeable.
Wood Siding: Traditional and Highly Customizable
Wood is one of the traditional siding materials discussed by Nelson Design Group, and one of its biggest advantages is versatility.
Wood can be painted or stained, and different installation profiles can create very different exterior appearances.
Board and Batten
Board-and-batten siding uses wider boards with narrower strips covering the joints between them.
It creates strong vertical lines and can work especially well when you want to emphasize height or give part of the exterior a distinctive character.
Wood Shingles or Shakes
Wood shingles create another very recognizable texture. The individual pieces overlap, producing a layered appearance that can add detail without requiring an elaborate exterior shape.
Clapboard
Clapboard siding uses horizontal boards installed with an overlap. It creates the familiar horizontal lines seen on many traditional homes.
Other Wood Profiles
Wood can also be installed in vertical-board, drop-siding, sheet, and log applications. Each creates its own look, which is why the word "wood" alone does not tell you very much about how the finished exterior will appear.
That versatility is one of wood's strengths.
The tradeoff is maintenance. Nelson Design Group notes that wood requires ongoing attention and can be affected by insects, rot, and other deterioration over time.
If you love the natural character of wood, go into the decision understanding that maintaining that appearance is part of the bargain.
Vinyl Siding: Versatility With Lower Maintenance
Vinyl is another siding material discussed in Nelson Design Group's guide.
It can be produced in a variety of colors and profiles, including horizontal and vertical applications as well as styles intended to resemble shingles or board-and-batten siding.
One of vinyl's primary attractions is relatively simple maintenance. For homeowners who like the appearance of siding but would rather not commit to the maintenance associated with natural wood, that can be an important consideration.
As with every material, however, there are tradeoffs.
Think about the appearance you want, the weather conditions where you are building, and how the material fits with the architectural character of your house plan.
"Low maintenance" should not automatically mean "right for every house."
Metal Siding: A Different Look With Its Own Advantages
Metal siding gives homeowners another exterior option and may be made from materials such as steel or aluminum.
Depending on the profile and application, metal can create anything from a very straightforward exterior treatment to a more distinctive architectural statement.
Nelson Design Group notes differences between steel and aluminum as well. Steel is heavier, while aluminum is softer and may be more susceptible to dents and scratches. Metal finishes may also require attention over time depending on the material and treatment used.
Again, this is why choosing siding involves more than asking which material is "best."
The better question is: Which material makes the most sense for this house, this location, and the way I want to maintain it?
Don't Forget About Siding Profiles
Material gets most of the attention, but the direction and pattern of your siding matter too.
Horizontal siding tends to produce a different visual effect than vertical siding. Board-and-batten has a different personality than shingles. Even when two houses use similar materials, changing the siding profile can make their exteriors feel surprisingly different.
When looking at a house plan, pay attention to where the exterior changes naturally occur.
A gable, porch, dormer, or other architectural feature may give you an opportunity to introduce a different siding treatment without making the exterior feel busy.
This is also a good reason to evaluate the house as a complete composition instead of choosing each exterior finish independently.
Think Beyond the Sample Board
A siding sample is useful, but it is still just a sample.
Before making the final choice, think about how that material will relate to the other major exterior elements of the home:
Roofing
The roof often represents a large visual area of the house. Your siding does not have to match it, but the two should make sense together.
Windows and Exterior Doors
Window and door colors can either blend quietly into the exterior or become part of the contrast and character of the design.
Porches and Columns
Covered entries, porches, columns, and similar features can become natural places for complementary exterior materials.
Architectural Details
Gables and other prominent exterior features may be highlighted through a change in siding direction, texture, or material.
The important thing is to make these decisions together whenever possible.
Choosing a roof in isolation, siding two weeks later, and trim sometime after that is one way to discover that three perfectly nice choices are not particularly fond of one another.
Consider Maintenance Before You Fall in Love With a Look
This is one of the less glamorous parts of choosing exterior materials, but it may be one of the most important.
Ask yourself what you are realistically willing to maintain five, ten, or twenty years from now.
A material you love today may require periodic painting, staining, cleaning, treatment, repair, or replacement over the life of the home.
That does not automatically make a higher-maintenance material a poor choice. It simply means you should understand what comes with the look you are choosing.
A house is meant to be lived in, not simply admired on the day the construction crew leaves.
Let the House Plan Guide the Exterior
One of the advantages of starting with a thoughtfully designed house plan is that you are not making exterior decisions in a vacuum.
The proportions, rooflines, windows, porches, and architectural details already give you clues about the character of the home.
Use those clues.
If you are still shopping for the right design, look at the exterior renderings and elevations of the house plans you are considering. Pay attention not only to whether you like the home, but why you like it.
Is it the shape?
The porch?
The siding combination?
The contrast around the windows?
The architectural style?
Once you can identify what is attracting you to an exterior, making your own material selections becomes much easier.
Choosing Siding Is Really About Choosing the Finished Look
Siding protects the exterior of the home, but it also plays an enormous role in how that home presents itself.
Wood offers natural character and a wide range of profiles. Vinyl provides numerous appearance options with comparatively straightforward maintenance. Metal introduces another durable exterior choice with its own look and considerations.
There is no single siding material that automatically belongs on every house.
The right choice is the one that works with your house plan, your preferred style, your location, and the amount of maintenance you are prepared to take on.
So before you choose siding because a two-inch sample looked nice under fluorescent lights, pull back and look at the whole house.
Your exterior will thank you.
Ready to Start With the Right House Plan?
The exterior decisions become much easier when you begin with a home design you already love.
Explore Nelson Design Group's house plans and pay close attention to the rooflines, porches, windows, siding treatments, and architectural details that catch your eye. Finding those patterns can help you narrow down both the house plan and the exterior character you want to create.
And if you are already working through the building process, continue exploring Nelson Design Group's Building Your Dream Home series for additional guidance along the way.