You know that horizontal stripes aren’t usually flattering as a fashion statement. They make you look fatter than you really are. These lines can do the same thing to your home. Traditional beveled siding wraps your home in overlapping horizontal layers that can make the entire building look short and squat.

What if you want a façade that draws the eye upward toward lovely scalloped trim or a specialty roof? In that case, you might choose vertical siding. You can purchase this style of exterior in vinyl, cedar, or fiber cement varieties; so there is a product for every budget.

Manmade

Board and batten style vertical siding is available in cement fiber sections from manufacturers like HardiePanel. This look features wide flat panels (boards) interrupted by, thin raised strips of trim (battens) at regular intervals. Fiber cement can be pre-coated at the factory with a baked on finish or painted on-site. This material is very durable and resistant to wind, hail, and sun.

Vinyl siding offers even more vertical design options with fancy beaded and triple batten patterns. It come in preselected colors and doesn’t have to be painted. This option is cost effective from a maintenance standpoint. Just hose it down a couple of times a year and check the caulking around joints.

Natural

Red cedar is kiln dried in preparation for use outdoors. This pre-shrinks it by removing moisture so that it won’t contract as much after installation. Lapped, tongue and groove, board and batten, and other joining methods can be used for vertical installation to add visual interest.

Cedar that is properly primed and painted is resistant to weathering and can last for several decades with proper maintenance. If you select this wood, install a different façade material for the bottom 6”. Cedar that comes into contact with the soil is prone to decay.

Related posts:

1. Pros and Cons of Fiber Cement Siding
2. Pros and Cons of HardiePlank Siding
3. Different Types of Wood Siding
4. Hardiplank Siding – An Exterior Alternative
5. 3 Siding Installation Mistakes To Avoid

Tags: Siding

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 11:12 am and is filed under Siding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.