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Choosing The Right Siding For Your House - Cedar Lap And Gap Is One Choice But There Are Many More

By Sonia Walsh

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 11Oct2009 Word count: 648 Viewed: 1387 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Although most people are just used to using the standard house siding, there are actually many choices out there. They may cost a little, or a lot more than the standard siding, but they add great curb appeal to a house increasing its value.

Exterior wood siding has always been a favorite choice for siding in the US and Canada. Whether it is vertical siding like board and batten, or horizontal siding like shingles, shakes and clapboards, there are a few grades and species that are more commonly used for all applications.

Cedar is the premiere of all the woods used. This is because of its durability, very light weight and resistance to decay. Cedar lap and gap siding or board and batten siding, is made from cedar indigenous to North America. It is one of the North American Softwood species of wood, which include Western Red Cedar, Alaskan Yellow and Inland Red. You can order your cedar siding in a variety of sizes, grades and patterns, making it perfect for most siding applications. The other exterior wood siding options available are Pine, Spruce and Fir.

Vinyl siding is the most popular type of siding used. It is an attractive, durable solution eliminating painting and maintenance concerns, ensuring the aesthetics of your home is kept up for years to come. There are several choices available, such as insulated vinyl siding and vinyl log siding to name just a few, but there are many more. Many more vinyl siding colors, styles and accessories to create that unique look for your home. Installing your vinyl siding is easily done through any home improvement store like Home Depot.

If you're the kind or person that have weathering or pests concerns, fiber cement siding is the right choice for you. This type of siding is 90 percent cement and 10 percent cellulose fiber, resisting harsh weather conditions, fire and pests. It comes in various styles, patterns and colors, and the HardiPlank lap siding brand is backed by a 30 year non-prorated, limited, transferable warranty.

Masonite siding offers a great alternative. Many homeowners choose Masonite siding because it looks like natural wood without the troubles. It is synthetically constructed from a mixture of wood fibers, wax and other resins, and because of its strength, there's no swelling, blistering or shrinking. Masonite is typically cheaper than lumber and avoids the flaws that you can get from natural wood.

If you like the look of stone and brick, stone siding adds a different dimension to the aesthetics of your home. Choose from natural cut stone, cast stone or stone veneers. Stone comes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, and you decide if you want an entire stone siding installation done, or half way up the walls. Either way you can't go wrong. It gives your home that grandeur look and feel.

A Note On Asbestos Siding

There are several reasons for removing asbestos materials from your home, the first and most important reason being you and your family's health.

This is some really awful stuff and has proven to cause cancer and other lung related diseases. When asbestos is disturbed either by sawing, drilling, cutting or scraping, the fibers from the asbestos are released into the air and accumulate in your lungs. Asbestos removal is a time consuming and meticulous process and should always be left to professional asbestos removal companies. Asbestos can be found in siding, ceiling tiles, insulation, dry wall tape and compound, roofing, flooring (especially linoleum and vinyl), paints, plasters and other building materials.

The good news is, asbestos cannot be found in materials before 1980 due to a ban from the EPA. Each year, more and more is being removed from homes upon discovery, so before you go tearing down your walls or prying off the siding from your house, you or your contractor need to make sure there isn't asbestos harboring underneath.

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