While there are many choices that homeowners need to acquaint themselves with, wood siding has certainly withstood the test of time and is still one of the top choices when it comes to residing a home. For many homeowners, wood is the real thing and nothing less will do. In Wisconsin, wood siding is popular and beautiful but it does have its drawbacks.
Almost every type of siding on the market tries to imitate the look of real wood. Why? Because real wood has a timeless, classic look that simply makes humans feel secure and grounded. It is almost as if the look, the feel, even the smell of real wood is somehow imprinted on human DNA. So perhaps it would be a good idea to skip all the make-believe options out there and stick with the real thing
Real wood siding comes in a wide variety of wood types and styles, enough to fill the needs of virtually any homeowner. Some of the styles available in wood include hand-cut shakes, machine-cut shingles, clapboard and solid wood, plus many other choices. Cedar and redwood are common woods when it comes to choosing a wood for siding because these types of wood are decay-resistant but many other kinds of wood can also be used if a certain look is desired. Wood cladding is available in both horizontal and vertical styles, ready to accommodate virtually any home remodeling plan. The choice of wood, the style, and the color can all be combined in an almost endless array to create a plethora of siding choices for the discriminating homeowner.
A more practical advantage is that wood is readily available and can be installed quickly. Virtually any competent siding installer can install wood as siding. Wood is so easy to install that many homeowners, with only a modicum of carpentry skills, are able to install their own wood siding, saving both times as well as money.
Cons
Insect damage and water damage are two of the largest drawbacks for wood siding. Wood must be regularly maintained; this means that it must be painted or stained every few years and if you have a two-story home and can’t the work yourself you will have to hire someone to perform the work and that can add to the overall cost of wood siding. Regular maintenance is costly to the homeowner in terms of both time and cash. Without regular maintenance wood can rot, warp or twist, allow water to seep behind the siding, potentially causing untold damage to the home’s structure. Repairing such damage can be both costly as well as inconvenient.
Pros
Wood is more expensive to buy and to install but in the long run, I think it’s so much better. Wood is classic. It’s beautiful! It is difficult to go too far wrong with the look and feel of real, genuine wood as opposed to all the fake-wood that the homeowner could make. The value of many older homes especially can be irreparably compromised by siding them with anything but real, genuine wood. So while it is true that real wood requires regular and often time-consuming maintenance to keep its appearance and its structural integrity, the bottom line is that in many cases the extra time and expense can be worth it in order to keep the timeless and classic look of the real thing.