Is Composite Siding Right for Your Home?

If you’re looking to boost the curb appeal of your home, one of the best ways to do so is with new siding. Many different types of siding are on the market today, ranging from vinyl and wood to shakes and composite. Composite siding, which is rising in popularity, may be the perfect siding material for your house.

What Is Composite Siding?

When you hear the word composite, you likely think about composite decking, as it’s a popular type of building material. The term composite is used to describe the combination of two or more materials to create a new material that is lighter, stronger, and more durable than any of the individual materials. Think of composites as providing you with a new, superior product compared to many other products on the siding market.

It’s important to note that the general term composite siding is used to encompass many other more specific types of siding. The type of material that goes into making the composite determines its category. For example, when wood fibers are used alongside resins and other materials to create a composite, it’s referred to as engineered wood siding. When vinyl is mixed with other materials, it’s referred to as composite vinyl siding.

Variety of Design Options

One of the biggest advantages of opting for composite siding over traditional siding materials is that it comes in a wide variety of designs. From resembling wooden shake shingles to taking on the look of genuine wood siding, you can find all different styles in composite siding. You’ll also find that composite siding is available in a wide variety of colors. So, you’ll be sure to find the right siding to match your home’s style and overall aesthetics.

Very Low Maintenance

One of the biggest struggles that homeowners have with traditional wood siding is that it requires constant repainting or resealing to remain visually appealing. With composite siding, you can benefit from the look of real wood without the hassle of constant upkeep. Typically, composite siding may need only to be washed once a year to maintain its overall appearance.

No repainting is required with this type of siding material. However, it is important to note that if you decide you want to change the color of your siding later on down the road, you can paint your composite siding. This offers a low-maintenance option with versatility to meet your ever-changing needs.

Great Durability

Due to the way that composite siding is manufactured, it’s able to incorporate the best benefits of each input material. This allows it to be highly durable as compared to other siding options. Composite siding is resistant to rot, pests, warping, fungus, moisture, impact, and most weather damage. Unlike other materials, composite is known for not expanding or contracting with temperature swings.

Easy Installation

When deciding on the right type of sliding for your home, cost is always going to come into consideration. Siding materials that are more invasive to install will have higher labor costs. Fortunately, with composite siding, you never have to worry about excessive labor charges. It’s very simple to install because it’s extremely lightweight and can be cut with standard saw blades.

Energy Efficiency

Composite siding is a slightly thicker material than other types of siding you can find on the market today. Its thickness allows it to have better insulating qualities throughout the year. It can ensure that your home stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This performance can lead to significantly reduced energy bills throughout the entire year. Also, its thick construct helps to dampen outside noise, so the inside of your home can remain quiet and peaceful.

Composite vs. Vinyl Siding

When you compare composite siding to vinyl siding, they’re both relatively comparable in cost and upkeep. However, with composite siding, you have options that more closely resemble the look of real wood siding if that’s what you’d like to achieve. What’s more, composite siding will hold up better in extreme climates and weather conditions due to its superior insulating ability compared to that of vinyl siding.

Composite vs. Natural Wood Siding

Many homeowners strive to achieve the look of natural wood siding to enhance their houses’ curb appeal. However, genuine wood can be extremely expensive due to the lengthy process needed to acquire it. With composite siding, you can get a wood-like look at a much cheaper price.

Also, wood siding requires a lot of upkeep, including repainting or resealing every three to five years. Wood siding is also highly susceptible to pest and rot damage. On the other hand, composite siding is specifically designed to be a low-maintenance material that resists both rot and pest damage.

Composite vs. Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement is another popular siding option typically chosen for its durability and strength. However, compared to composite siding, fiber cement isn’t as moisture resistant and won’t perform as well in humid climates. Fiber cement siding tends to be heavier and more difficult to install than composite siding. This can lead to a higher up-front purchase price for fiber cement siding compared to newer composite siding.

Composite vs. Metal Siding

With metal being another popular siding option on the market today, it’s important to contrast it to composite siding to determine which one is better for your home. Regarding durability, composite siding is going to be more durable, as it doesn’t undergo expansion and contraction like metal siding does. When it comes to maintenance, metal siding will need to be repainted every 10 to 15 years depending on the specific quality of metal that you get. Composite siding comes painted from the factory and doesn’t require any repainting.

A Final Note on Composite Siding

While traditional roofing materials like natural wood, fiber cement, and vinyl have been on the market for several decades, composite siding has proven to be a more durable and versatile material. This isn’t a surprise, as composite is constructed by taking the best components of all these other materials and formulating them into a stronger, lighter, and better-performing product.

With composite siding weighing in at an affordable range for the average homeowner, it’s a worthy investment. You can enjoy a myriad of color offerings as well as many different design profiles mimicking the look of shake siding or real wood. Composite siding offers resistance from moisture, rot, pests, and impact, which aren’t attributes that you’re going to find that any other siding material can offer in totality. Given composite’s low maintenance requirements and energy efficiency, it’s simply hard to find a better siding product on the market today.

Trustworthy Siding Service

Warren Thompson & Son Roofing & Siding offers trustworthy siding services for customers in the Alpha, NJ and the surrounding areas. We can also assist with all of your storm damage, commercial, roofing repairs, gutter, and Roof Maxx needs.

Give our team at Warren Thompson & Son Roofing & Siding today to schedule a consultation!