Siding

Wanting a new look for your home’s exterior? Having brand new siding installed is the most obvious way to give your home’s curb appeal a major boost and to eliminate any problems that old or damaged siding is causing your home.

Two of the best options for a home exterior makeover today are vinyl siding and steel siding. Both offer a number of benefits to the homeowner, and it’s just a matter of comparison and weighing the pros and cons for your situation.

Vinyl Siding – Today’s Most Popular Home Exterior Covering

Just take a look around you and you’ll quickly notice that vinyl siding is an extremely common home exterior option. Why is it so popular? What is its appeal?

First of all, vinyl is more affordable than most other home exterior coverings and than just about any other siding material. But it also owes its popularity to its great diversity of colors and styles. You can easily find vinyl siding that will fit in with virtually any home exterior style.

Additionally, vinyl adds insulating power to your home, lowers energy bills, is easy to install and repair, can be easily cleaned or power-washed, it won’t rot, mold, or get eaten by termites like wood siding can, and will not dent the way aluminum siding can. The best part is, it can last 20-40 years or more.

Every material, however, has some drawbacks. Vinyl can crack, especially if it is nearing the end of its useful life or if it gets hit by a bad hail storm. Vinyl can eventually fade in color, and doesn’t last as long as some other materials, including steel.

Steel Siding – A Strong, Beautiful, & Durable Choice!

Steel siding is about the opposite of vinyl in many ways. Steel siding is less common than vinyl largely because it costs more. However, its value is higher and it lasts longer. In other words, you get what you pay for.

Steel siding is like armor for your house. It doesn’t crack, ding, break, or dent easily. It isn’t likely to be much affected by hail. It is fire-resistant and wind-resistant and doesn’t fade much, if at all.

Another big plus for steel is it is not only recyclable (vinyl is too,) but it is so valuable that it is almost always going to be recycled at some point, making it much better for the environment.

There aren’t as many color options with steel siding, but it can be painted. It costs more and takes a little longer to install. But really, there aren’t many cons with steel, it’s just a matter of it requiring a bigger initial investment.

To learn more about our siding options, or for a free no-obligation quote on your very own siding installation, contact Double J Siding & Windows in Amarillo, Texas, today!

Siding in Amarillo, Texas

Comparing Steel To Vinyl

 

The very first layer of defense for your home’s exterior walls is of major importance when you’re talking about protecting your home’s value and curb appeal for in the long-term. While there are many options, we’ll look at just two here below: vinyl siding versus steel siding.

Both vinyl and steel have their pros and cons – and more pros than cons. But these two materials differ enough that one or the other may be a better match depending on the particular person or property involved.

When comparing and contrasting steel siding versus vinyl siding, you have to take the two materials category by category to get the full picture.

 

1. Strength & Durability

Steel siding has the edge when it comes to strength and durability. Vinyl siding can last from 20 to 40 years, varying based on the thickness of the vinyl material, sun exposure, and impacts from wind storms and other weather events. But steel can last practically forever.

Steel won’t fade or get nicks, dings, and cracks in it. It is strong enough to withstand even severe winds. But you can also get higher quality vinyl that is fade-resistant and less likely to crack in a storm.

 

2. Versatility Of Style

Vinyl is the most versatile of all siding materials these days. It offers the widest array of colors and surface patterning and styles. That’s not to say you can’t find a steel siding in a style and color that will match your home’s exterior decor, because you probably can.

But there are literally dozens and dozens of vinyl styles to choose from, while other types of siding tend to have fewer options. However, steel can be painted, while with vinyl, you can’t change the color later on without re-siding the house.

 

3. Fire & Hail Resistance

Steel doesn’t burn. It’s as simple as that. Vinyl does. Thus, if fire resistance is your concern, steel is the number one option available. Also, it is resistant to hail impacts, which is not true of aluminum siding nor or vinyl.

Thus, it’s not just in the realm of wind resistance that steel scores higher than virtually any other option. It’s just “tough.”

 

4. Installation Cost

Here’s where vinyl scores the highest. It is practically the lowest-cost option available in the siding market. That’s why it is also the most popular siding material in the whole US and has been for decades.

Of course, maintenance costs will be higher a bit with vinyl, and steel will last longer. Plus, steel adds more value to your home. Vinyl is pretty standard and a good investment. Steel costs more, but you get more too. It’s a trade-off.

 

5. Environmental Friendliness

If you are concerned about the environment, your choice of siding can be one way to make a practical difference. Steel is more friendly to the environment in that it lasts longer and is easier to recycle. And as its material is much more valuable, you can be sure it WILL be recycled at some point – it’s not just going to stay a hypothetical possibility.

However, vinyl offers more insulation protection for your home, which can help lower your energy usage and bills to a degree. Thus, both materials have some benefits environmentally.

To learn more about how to decide between vinyl and steel siding in Amarillo, feel free to contact Double J Siding & Windows in Amarillo, Texas. We can answer all your siding-related questions and give you a free, no-obligation estimate today!