Like most building materials that sheath most home siding has a shelf life. Even stucco breaks down and it is one of the most durable of all the siding materials. So when your siding begins to show signs of wear this is a good time to decide what will replace it.

The original siding in most of colonial and pioneer America was wooden clapboard. Because of its overlapping design water was directed down and away from the home. Properly maintained clapboard siding could last well over a hundred years. In fact there a few homes in the country with their original clapboard dating back to the late 1700's.

Geography

Many homes are built with siding suitable to the environment. For example, the adobe-style stucco homes were, and still are, prevalent in the southwest because the materials do very well in extreme heat. In the northwest many homes were built with cedar shake siding or cedar clapboards because this material does well in moisture-laden areas. For those who do not want the maintenance or look of a cedar home will go with a vinyl clapboard-style siding or a similar material in a shake format.

However, some homes are built for style and do not take the weather and temperature into consideration. Homes in areas of intense heat can show cracks in their cedar siding or serious warps running down their vinyl-clad walls. Therefore it important to consider what you are taking off the home to see if this product, or an improved version of the same, would work again or if you should consider another option.

Stucco

The original stucco was made of lime, sand and water but since the invention of Portland cement this material has taken the place of pure lime, which is still used to ad durability to stucco. Traditional stuccoing is performed in a 3 -coat system on a base wall. If it is a wooden surface this is first covered with a mortar screen to hold the stucco on the wall. The screen is fastened down with screws and then a first coat is pressed into this surface and "scratched" with a whisk broom to add striations. The next coat, or "brown coat," is applied to provide a smooth, even finish so that the thin top coat will have an even base. Each coat is allowed to cure for a few days, and periodicallty sprayed with water to avoid excess drying and cracking, before the next is applied.

The top coat can be one of the following:

Colored: Usually a fine, colored sand is used but there are concrete dyes that work well. This mixture is put on to about 1/8" and finished in a smooth texture.

Acrylic: This is another more durable way to do a top coat but goes on much like the other ways.

Hard Coat: This type of stucco features colored glass or stones being pressed into either the brown or top coat. Very few contractors do this anymore.

Stucco is not a good siding for the northeast where there is a freeze-thaw cycle because, being semi-porous, moisture can permeate the surface and extremes in temperature can cause it to crack.

Wood Clapboard

A favorite for many years regular wood clapboard required maintenance. However much of the new siding is sold either pre-painted or pre-primed which impregnates the wood with the coatings under pressure for a long-lasting finish. It is weighty and won't crack or warp if installed properly. Cedar can also be treated to maintain its red color but even left untreated it will last up to 50 years.

Aluminum Siding

This was the original competition to wood and was guaranteed "maintenance-free." The first generations were subject to fading but, unlike wood, there was no rot, cracking or insect infestations so it was very popular. Today, aluminum is pressed into a wood-grain and powder-coated for a long-lasting, non-fading finish. In addition it is light and completely recyclable. However, it dents when hit and is not recommended in areas where hailstorms are prevalent.

Steel Siding

Another clapboard alternative steel is also light and resists dents better than aluminum. Although rust may be a problem down the road, especially in ocean areas, the new powder coats and PVC coatings this quite well. Another product is seamless-steel siding. This siding goes on vertically in custom-made pieces so there is no break for water to get in.

Cement-Fiber Siding

A siding which is replacing stucco homes is a cement-fiber, clapboard siding. Cement and cellulose – or fiberglass in some products - strands are pressed into a wood-grain clapboard. These are available in many colors and provide protection from the sun or rain. Long-lasting and almost maintenance-free the only drawback is that installers have to wear particle masks to avoid getting the dust into their lungs. Like steel and aluminum they are fire-proof but cement-fiber offers a better fire-rating. It is also waterproof and the combination is used in sheet form as an alternative for sheetrock for bathroom protection.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Siding

This product is the standard of the industry in siding. Most types are made with a strong plastic core and coated with an expensive, colored outer-shell to combat ultra-violet rays. It is cheap, easy to install and will last for years. In hot areas it may warp or discolor and in severe cold it could crack or break. Foam-backed PVC is a new product that has an R-value of 3. This stiffer board looks exactly like newly-painted clapboard and won't warp or break.

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