If you’re looking for the best exterior siding in Wisconsin, this guide provides a straightforward outline of what to look for. Depending on your style and maintenance preferences, this article makes it easy to identify the best siding for your home—according to an assessment of seven specific factors.
Wisconsin has a myriad of exciting new towns and established neighborhoods. You may be fixing up a historic home or building from the ground up. Either way, one thing stays the same: Wisconsin weather can pose unique challenges to home exteriors. Accounting for the climate around the Great Lakes, this list has been carefully curated to help you find the best siding for Wisconsin homes.
How to Assess Your Siding Needs
Some conditions – like durability and weather resistance – will be a priority across the board, but there are other siding qualities that you’ll want to consider when finding the best siding for your Wisconsin home. Siding can be graded according to seven distinct components: design, protection, quality, energy, costs, affordability, and maintenance needs.
Identify your priorities first, then rank these qualities according to your siding preferences:
Design
Curb appeal can play a significant role in home value. Depending on your goals for the home and its existing architectural character, certain siding styles may be more suitable than others. For example, traditional lap siding is considered a classic, while shake, board and batten, stucco-style cladding, brick, contemporary paneling, or other siding styles may be utilized to reach more contemporary design goals.
Color is another consideration, and some siding materials are better adapted for long-term color consistency. For example, vinyl siding often fades with prolonged sun exposure. Meanwhile, other materials like fiber cement are crafted with infused color so that they can maintain their original appearance.
Protection
Homeowners can often overlook the functional aspect of siding and get caught up in the aesthetic appearance. Serving as an additional layer, exterior house siding plays a protective role that serves as a barrier against rain, snow, rodents, wind, and more – something that’s critical in Wisconsin.
Homeowners in Wisconsin will want to prioritize this protective element, since thunderstorms, blizzards, and severe weather are common around the Great Lakes region. Durable siding, like fiber cement or steel, is much better equipped to deliver reliable protection in these types of conditions than vinyl or untreated wood siding.
Quality
Rooted in the material composition, the quality of siding is usually better when it has durable fabrication. Mass-produced vinyl and cheap wood siding tend to fail to deliver an acceptable level of quality for Wisconsin homes. Quality plays a big role in the aesthetic appearance and structural performance of house siding.
Energy
Energy efficiency is another element that homeowners should assess in order to determine the best type of siding for Wisconsin homes. Existing architectural details may increase the priority of finding energy efficient siding. For example, historic homes without insulation may need siding that provides enhanced energy efficiency.
Costs
House siding cost calculations should include hired labor for installation, shipping, purchasing fees, delivery fees, and more. Traditional installation techniques, like cedar shake installation and classic stucco, can be labor intensive which adds to overall costs. Modern siding products are much easier to install, and require less time and labor. Purchase directly from the manufacturer to save additional costs.
Affordability
The price of siding can also vary depending on the material composition and fabrication type. While vinyl tends to be the most affordable option upfront, it doesn’t usually last as long as more durable siding materials – especially in Wisconsin. If you plan to remodel again within the next 5-10 years – or you don’t mind doing constant repairs – this may not be an issue. It all depends on your preferences!
Maintenance Needs
Homeowners should be honest about how much maintenance they can deal with, as upkeep requires time, energy, and money. Low-maintenance house siding like fiber cement may be the better option in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Homes Should Prep for Severe Weather
Summer storms, strong wind gusts, and heavy snowfall are standard in the Great Lakes region. Humidity is another threat, especially for lake homes. Wood is highly susceptible to moisture damage, and vinyl tends to crack or sag with temperature changes, so neither of these materials are the best type of siding for Wisconsin homes.
House siding should deliver the extreme durability needed to withstand both the notable weather events and regular seasonal changes common in Wisconsin.
Based on its enhanced durability and weather resistance, fiber cement is considered one of the best siding materials for Wisconsin homes. Designed as a durable, low-maintenance product, fiber cement siding provides more benefits than other materials.
Best Siding Choice for a Home in Wisconsin: Fiber Cement
Fiber cement is a fantastic choice for home siding in Wisconsin. Composed of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers, this composite material offers exceptional resistance to harsh weather conditions, including extreme temperatures, moisture, and UV rays. Its innate resilience makes it virtually impervious to rot, termites, and other common issues that plague traditional siding options. The material is also fire-resistant, providing an added layer of safety for homes. With minimal maintenance requirements and a long lifespan, fiber cement emerges as an ideal choice for those seeking a durable and aesthetically pleasing siding solution that can withstand the test of time and the elements.
Fiber cement from Allura makes designing easy with an attractive array of colors as well as the following siding styles:
Classic Lap Siding
With a timeless aesthetic, lap siding looks great on any home. Plus, Allura lap siding is low maintenance and easy to install.
Smooth and Stucco Panel
For a contemporary style, try smooth or stucco-look paneling. Crafted from fiber cement, these unique designs give homeowners a fast and easy way to achieve the look of traditional stucco without the complicated installation process.
Vertical Groove Panel
Great in any color, vertical groove paneling has a board and batten style for a charming aesthetic.
Choose the Best Siding for Wisconsin Homes with Allura
Allura specializes in crafting durable siding that’s easy to maintain. If you’re looking for the best exterior siding in Wisconsin, contact Allura today to explore a full range of exciting styles!
