Vinyl Siding vs Wood: Which is the Better Choice?

Vinyl siding vs wood is the debate that many homeowners face when it’s time to replace their home exterior. Wood has a classic, traditional look that’s been popular for years. But, as vinyl gets increasingly durable and energy efficient, it’s gaining traction on the market. How can you choose which material is the best for you? When trying to decide between these materials, the biggest factors to consider are energy-efficiency, durability, cost, and appearance.

Let’s dive in to each factor and see what you need to know.

Charming newly renovated home exterior, natural wood siding and grey siding help to encrease curb appeal.

Energy-Efficiency

Since there’s no obvious feeling of a draft coming through, most homeowners don’t realize how much energy they’re losing through their walls.

The cladding material you choose has a big impact on the insulation your home receives.

Wood, as a natural material, is okay at insulating. But a significant amount of heat still seeps through it. And to allow for expansion and contraction in different temperatures, it doesn’t necessarily form a tight seal.

Vinyl siding interlocks, which creates a strong seal. Plus, our siding has a foam insulation layer underneath. That blocks heat from seeping into your home in the summer or out of your home in the winter.

Durability and Cost

Durability and cost are interlinked when considering vinyl siding vs wood, because the continuing cost of wood comes from its durability.

Right off the bat, good quality wood is a much more expensive material than good quality vinyl. So, when completely replacing your siding, vinyl is the cheaper choice.

With no painting or sealing, wood is vulnerable to water damage like mold, mildew, and rot. Even with painting, it can crack, warp, and attract pests like termites and woodpeckers.

So, to keep your wood siding in good shape, you’ll have to repaint or reseal it every few years.

This costs thousands of dollars for a professional to do. You can save some money by doing it on your own, but that still involves hundreds spent on paint and days of your time.

Vinyl, on the other hand, resists damage like mold, mildew, rot, and pest infestation. When done right, modern day vinyl won’t warp or crack.

Best of all—it’s virtually maintenance free. All it needs is the occasional light washing with your garden hose and a gentle cleanser.

Appearance of Vinyl Siding vs Wood

While you’ll feel the impact of energy-efficiency, durability, and cost, appearance is the factor that everyone can see when looking at vinyl siding vs. wood on your home.

Replacing your siding makes such a large impact on curb appeal that 80.2% of your cost in replacing siding is recouped by the increase in value on your home.

Wood is such a popular material on so many homes because it has a natural charm. However, it’s a vulnerable material that, as we mentioned, needs a lot of maintenance to stay gorgeous and in good shape.

Vinyl became so popular because it’s relatively maintenance free. We offer vinyl siding with realistic wood grain texture in a range of colors to compliment your home—colors that you’ll never have to re-apply.

Vinyl Wins for Your Home

It’s safe to say that for the majority of homes, vinyl wins the vinyl siding vs. wood debate.

Vinyl is more energy-efficient, durable, cost effective, and beautiful with little maintenance.

Do you want vinyl siding for your home? Contact us today!

We can answer all of your questions, plus offer the deals and financing you need to upgrade your home to vinyl today.