A Bit On The Side: Choosing Budget Siding Materials For Your Home

Affixing some well made and well chosen siding to your house can do far more than simply spruce up your home's exterior appearance -- the extra layer of protection that siding gives your walls can also drastically reduce the amount of wear and tear they take over time, as well as providing an extra layer of heat insulation to lower your heating and air conditioning bills. However, having siding fitted to your home can be prohibitively expensive for those of us on a tighter budget. If you're looking to add or renew siding on your home but don't want to break the bank, consider choosing one of the following low-cost options:

Engineered wood

Wooden siding is a perpetually fashionable and desirable choice for your home, but can be enormously expensive, especially if you choose highly prized tropical woods. Engineered wood can be a far cheaper option, while retaining all the practical properties of the natural product. This form of wood is made from recycled wood fibres bound together with tough resins, and can be painted and finished to accurately mimic the look of 'real' wood. The addition of this resin, which contains various preserving and stabilising compounds, also makes engineered wood far more low-maintenance than regular wood, adding much-needed resistance to rot, termites and inclement weather.

Take care, however, not to go too cheap when choosing engineered wood siding -- siding sold with a short warranty (or no warranty at all) should be considered a huge red flag, as poorly made engineered wood can absorb moisture and lose all of its mould-resistant properties. Engineered wood siding can also be damaged by very high winds, and may crack and peel if used in areas that see regular cold weather in winter.

Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding is one of the most cost-effective siding options out there, providing long-lasting durability, protection and strength on a tight budget. The tough material is capable of shrugging off almost anything that the weather can throw at it, while its inorganic makeup renders it thoroughly immune to the attentions of fungal rot and wood-boring insects such as termites. It is also relatively light, especially when formed into traditional horizontal slats, and can be fitted quickly and easily.

However, plain vinyl siding can have an artificial appearance that may not suit more traditionally styled homes. To get around this you can choose vinyl slats with colours and treatments designed to mimic the look of natural wood or stone, but these will generally cost more than ordinary vinyl and may not be thoroughly convincing up close. Vinyl also has a tendency to perish in intense sunlight without the correct treatments, so make sure to choose vinyl siding made with UV-stabilising compounds.

Fibre cement

If you're looking for raw durability on a budget, it's hard to beat fibre cement siding. This specialised form of cement is tremendously tough, immune to rot and insect damage, and extremely fire-resistant -- as such, it can be expected to last years or even decades with little to no maintenance. It is also far more aesthetically versatile than you might expect from a cement product, as it readily accepts paints and stains and is sold in an enormous variety of colours and designs. 

Unfortunately fibre cement is not a light material by any means, and even small slats can be difficult and unwieldy to apply. While this can be a boon in windy areas, you may find yourself requiring expensive professional assistance to apply fibre cement siding safely, especially over multiple storeys.