Let’s Talk Siding | Comparing pros and cons of most common siding types

With so many options for exterior cladding on the market today, it can sometimes be hard to know what’s the best option for the money!
In this video we break down the pros and cons of four of the very common affordable types of siding and compare them. There are a lot of factors into choosing the right materials to build your home, including material cost, labor cost, overall durability, aesthetic appeal, and availability at our local distributors. Thanks for building with us today and remember to give us a thumbs up and get subscribed if you enjoy this video!

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#siding
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[kenr]

Back in the 80's was a siding installer. The business owner called vinyl a once in a lifetime siding. Once you had it you'd never want it again

[jtelectric]

You used the broken end of the hardiplank to show it absorb moisture, cut a piece of the LP siding, put the cut end in water and see if it wicks to be a fair comparison.

[_oven]

Here in Norway we use pressure treated pine siding. It’s milled on all four sides, so it overlaps nicely. We also install them on vertical 1x2 battens, to provide ventilation behind the siding so it dries out properly.

[Asta-wljz]

We just finished siding a tiny house with fiber cement board. The non-profit we helped with this project gets a break on their insurance due to fiber cement being fireproof. You'd think that would be a MAJOR plus in your area due to the abundant vegetation. I can't stand installing fiber cement due to the dust in cutting, brittleness, weight, etc., but it does have it's place.

[craftedworkshop]

“A little bit different but kind of the same.” Been watching too much Berm Peak! 😂

[Mayamax]

Excellent piece boys. I installed Hardie siding on my house.

Pro's: Insect, fire & hail resistant.
Easy to paint
Dead straight on all dimensions
Comes in various widths & textures: smooth or woodgrain

Can be ordered pre-painted & or primed on the back as well.
Doesn't require a forest of trees to make.
>>
Cons: Like you mentioned: Heavy, dusty, brittle & requires special tools & equipment to cut install & protect your lungs.
>>
One of the best things about this product is that you can easily paint it again & again & it never peels. Vinyl siding fades like crazy, so when it does, you have to either leave it or paint it, which doesn't work well.
Not a fun material to install, but I'm glad I did.

[billdarling]

I started out in carpentry working for a siding installer on new housing. At the time aluminum siding was pretty much the standard (yes, I'm THAT old)! Eventually having my own crew I was given the task of being the first in my area to install fiber cement siding. Being a brand new product at the time the supplier had me use standard carbide tooth framing blades to cut the siding and "Maze" nails to attach it to the walls. (double dipped galvanized nails) the type used for installing cedar siding. I would get 1 or 2 days use out of a blade before they were ruined and hand nailing would generally take 2 or 3 nails just to get through the boards. I asked about pre-drilling and was told it would void the warranty. Needless to say the job took forever and I never wanted to see the stuff again!
Another great, informative video. I've always felt that you never stop learning and I think you guys do a great job of explaining to everyone how things work and how to do things well. Keep up the good work!

[AbbieHoffmansGhost]

Of the choices shown I have to go with solid cedar claps, pre-primed, then oil primed on cut ends. Two coats of really good paint. To prevent short, under window pieces a story board angled. But my favorite is cedar shakes and even better from a fun to install siding-- cedar hand splits. They aren't the cheapest but the most satisfying from a carpenter's perspective. All done with the production end of building. I'm in it for the art of the trade.

[scottjackson]

Just a friendly observation and a question. Matt Risinger (a high quality builder in Austin TX who also has a YouTube channel) has done some comparisons of siding options. He comes down on the exact opposite side of the debate between fiber cement and LP SmartSide.

Here are two issues that I think PBB is not fully considering (I say this with respect and not to nitpick...I love your channel). First, SmartSide is relatively new, and it is a wood-based product. The track record for this product is fairly short at the moment. It is not obvious that the performance of a wood-based product will be as good as a fiber cement product (or even close to it). Building science comes down firmly on the side of fiber cement lasting much longer than a wood-based product (and there is literally no disagreement about it). Second, any homeowner I know will opt for slightly higher installation cost to get (1) greater durability, (2) a longer track record of proven performance, and (3) better life-cycle performance. What I mean by life-cycle performance is that fiber cement runs almost no risk of needing replacement for the life of a home, while SmartSide almost definitely runs the risk of needing replacement during the life of a home.

Although it will be tempting to agree with this post by saying "all true" but the cost is greater for fiber cement than SmartSide, the question is "how much greater?" So, maybe a "concrete" answer to this question is possible. On the Nantahala Retreat, what did you price out for siding using SmartSide (labor and materials) and what would you have priced out for using fiber cement (labor and materials) (setting aside the sponsoring arrangement from LP)?

Thanks for considering this question!

[surebrah]

The tide of this comments section illustrates the classic problem of sponsored videos. Build a channel on good content, build rapport with audience, try to figure out how to take $ without alienating the audience. Suggestions: play long game, don't take money, keep your dignity, it will pay off eventually (Andrew Camarata). Only sponsor a really good product you don't have to make excuses for (that water "test" was rigged). Only sponsor stuff outside the building realm (Keeps, Athletic Greens, etc...)
That being said, love the channel.

[jacobeaton]

I like these type of vids. As someone who is buying their first house within the next 6 months and needing to renovate parts of it myself, I like having this type of expert knowledge.

[dalegraves]

Found you guy’s on You Tube looking at LP siding for a small house project since then can’t stop watching your videos!! I was laid up with Covid over the holidays and binged watched the farm house build . Jealous of you guy !!! Keep up the good work !!!!

[parascalemodels]

to prevent that blowout on the vinyl siding when it is cold out...turn the blade around in the saw. Works a treat and no more blowouts. Works well with aluminum soffit as well

[kiepeout]

Guys I normally love your stuff, but that was straight up an LP SmartSide commercial. Forgot to mention the fire resistance of Fiber cement siding.

[ronwhite]

Used LP Smart Siding on my cabin here in Alaska. I'm 60 and NOT planning on ANY painting during retirement! Looks beautiful and maintenance free. Nice siding, looks great and I've received many compliments on it.

[eureka]

This is interesting because where I am, people pretty much use vinyl exclusively unless they're upgrading to something like brick or stone. I've never seen lap siding of any type used here. The options presented to me by my builder are pretty much summed up by, "what kind of vinyl do you want?".

[Angela-zmox]

Sure do love you guys. Only just found your channel about 2-3 weeks ago and have made my way through a BUNCH! I shutter to tell you exactly how many, but I am up to speed on Jamie's injury as well. You guys are so fun to watch, I love the vibe. Thanks for being here and doing what you do.

[briangc]

Fiber cement for longest life, never warps or rots, CAN NOT BURN!!!! Holds paint well, easy to install when using the Gecko hangers. Cuts like butter with a cordless saw and an air nail gun gets the job done quickly with no issues. I'm about halfway through doing it on my house.

[saulmoreno]

Up here in the Pacific Northwest we're using fiber-cement a lot. We've been having a lot of fires during the summers, as we build into the hills more and more fiber cement siding is being installed

[atulanandadas]

Vinyl siding cuts well with a regular carbide blade if you flip the blade around backwards. Smart siding is by far my favorite option for the price and durability. Just used their t1-11 style 4x8 panels on our off-grid cabin here in Hawai'i. We get tons of rain here so the Smart Side water and mildew resistance is a huge advantage!