The exterior of your home is the first impression people get, and it significantly influences how they perceive your space. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right type of siding for your home. Among many options, shake siding stands out as a popular choice because of its durability and versatility.
In this blog post, we go in-depth into each of the top four shake siding options that are perfect for any type of home. By exploring the features, advantages, and factors associated with each option, we hope to arm you with the information required to make an informed choice; one that not only improves the visual appeal of your home but also speaks to your tastes and architectural style.
Top 5 Shake Siding Options To Choose From
1. Cedar Shake Siding
Cedar shake siding, crafted from genuine cedar wood, offers a natural and rustic appeal to homes while providing durability against diverse weather conditions. Regular maintenance, including staining or painting, and adequate ventilation, are essential to prevent moisture, insects, and fire hazards.
With options like sawn and sanded cedar shingles, as well as textured shakes, homeowners have the flexibility to create their desired aesthetic. Despite maintenance requirements, cedar shake siding remains a premium choice, delivering lasting weather protection and timeless charm.
Features
- Comes in a variety of thicknesses, widths, and lengths
- Resistant to insects, rot, and decay
- Provides excellent insulation and energy efficiency
- Can last up to 50 years with proper maintenance
Benefits
- Offers excellent insulation for energy efficiency and cost savings
- Customizable to fit desired color and style preferences
- Requires minimal upkeep, ideal for low-maintenance homeowners
2. Fiber Cement Shake Siding
Fiber cement shake siding is a new, and more durable option compared to traditional cedar shake siding. It’s made from a mix of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers, making it tough and easy to care for. What’s great about it is that it looks a lot like natural wood, giving homes that classic cedar shake look without requiring the same level of maintenance. You can also find it in many styles and colors, allowing you to design your home just how you want. Plus, it’s resistant to moisture, fire, and pests, which means it will keep your home safe for years to come.
Features
- Crafted from a blend of cellulose fibers, Portland cement, and sand
- Mimics the cozy texture of wood without needing frequent upkeep
- Comes in various designs, such as straight edge panels and staggered edge panels
- Manufacturers offer different sizes, shapes, and colors to match various building styles
Benefits
- Highly resilient against fire, pests, mold, and mildew
- Doesn’t warp, crack, or peel as it ages
- Simple to clean and maintain compared to natural cedar shake siding
- Durable, with an average lifespan of around 50 years
- More budget-friendly than authentic cedar shake siding
- Suitable for use in damp climates due to its moisture resistance
3. Vinyl Shake Siding
Vinyl shake siding is a wallet-friendly and easy-care option for homeowners looking for an alternative. Made from tough polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, It consists of durable panels that interlock and overlap to withstand the elements. You can find vinyl shake siding in a wide range of colors and styles, giving you the appearance of real wood without the same hassle of maintenance. Its tough polymer composition also ensures long-lasting color retention and durability, surpassing traditional wood siding. It’s also straightforward to install and needs minimal upkeep, usually just requiring a simple cleaning with soap and water ever so often.
Features
- Made from durable and low-maintenance vinyl material
- Available in various patterns, sizes, shapes, and colors
- Resistant to pests, rot, and decay
- Easy to clean and install
Benefits
- Provides long-lasting weather protection
- Requires minimal maintenance
- Can last up to 30 years
- Provides excellent insulation
4. Engineered Wood Shake Siding
Engineered wood shake siding is a versatile option for siding. It’s constructed from a blend of wood fibers that are treated with resin and undergo compression to ensure durability and weather resistance. With a diverse range of colors and finishes available, homeowners can achieve their desired aesthetic.
Resistant to warping, cracking, and splitting, it adapts well to various weather conditions. You can also get it in pre-painted and sometimes pre-finished variations. While it’s easy to install, proper installation and maintenance are crucial for long-term performance, just like any other siding material.
Features
- Made from a blend of wood fibers and resin
- Available in various patterns and sizes, including straight and staggered edge panels
- Resistant to damage from pests, rot, and decay
- Easy to clean and install
- Lightweight and adaptable to diverse architectural styles
Benefits
- Resists rot, decay, and insect damage, reducing the need for replacement
- Typically more affordable than natural wood shakes
5. Polymer Shake Siding
Made from polypropylene resin, polymer shake siding is known for its strength, resilience to impact, and capacity to tolerate heat. It imitates the look of classic cedar patterns adding a rustic charm to homes, and it became well-liked in the 1990s due to its reasonably priced and eye-catching designs.
It offers homeowners a long-lasting, low-maintenance option with its seamless appearance and customization options, offering vibrant colors without requiring frequent cleaning or repainting. It provides both practicality and visual appeal, making it a dependable option for external cladding due to its resilience to adverse weather and impacts.
Features
- Its natural cedar appearance requires minimal maintenance
- Highly durable, it withstands severe weather and provides three times the impact resistance of vinyl siding
- Requires minimal maintenance due to baked-in color
Benefits
- Durable and long-lasting, capable of withstanding extreme weather
- Low maintenance compared to other options
- Enhances overall curb appeal and property value
- Backed by warranty coverage
A Brief Guide To Installing Shake Siding
While professional help is always the best way to ensure quality installation, here is a brief guide on how the shake siding installation process works:
#1. Prepare The Surface:
- Wrap the house with a waterproof layer or house wrap to keep moisture out
- Protect window sills by covering them with waterproof material like FlexWrap
- Install drip edges along the tops of windows and doors to prevent water from seeping in
#2. Start From The Bottom:
- Decide where the bottom row of shakes will begin, usually at the bottom of the wall
- Nail the first row of shakes to the wall so it reaches the bottom, then add more shingles beside it at the same level
#3. Continue Upwards:
- Mark a line for the next row of shakes
- Put in the next row of shakes, making sure they’re aligned with the chalk line and arranged in a staggered pattern that overlaps the row below
#4. Finish and Secure:
- Fit each shingle above the joint of the two shingles below
- Use appropriate nails or staples to secure the shingles in place, ensuring they’re evenly spaced with a small gap between each one for natural expansion and contraction
The Cost Associated With Installing Shake Siding
The cost to install shake siding varies depending on factors like location, house size, and the type of material used. Cedar shake siding typically costs $6 to $8 per square foot, adding up to around $9,600 to $12,800 for a 1,600-square-foot home. Installation expenses average around $4 per square foot, with an additional $2 per square foot for existing siding removal if necessary. Labor costs fluctuate based on workload and season.
Conclusion
Selecting the perfect shake siding for your house is an important choice, and it involves thinking about things like your budget, how much maintenance you want to do, and what style you like. Whether you prefer the classic look of real cedar shakes or the durability of vinyl shakes, getting good-quality shake siding can really make your home look better and increase its resale value.
No matter what you choose, ensuring that you get a quality installation is crucial. Luckily, with the team at All Around Roofing, Siding & Gutters, you can get just that! With years of experience, we’re ready to take on your shake siding project, no matter what it entails. Reach out to us today to speak with one of our experts by giving us a call at (937) 902-2839.
