Wood and Cedar Siding
The siding every other material imitates. Beautiful, breathable and honest about wanting maintenance.
The original siding, chosen with eyes open
Wood, log and cedar siding carry real search volume in our demand data, ahead of aluminum and just behind vinyl's numbers. People search it because nothing else looks like it: real grain, real shadow lines, and a material that ages rather than degrades.
The catalog is wide. Cedar bevel and clapboard are the classic American wall. Shakes and shingles bring texture to gables and whole cottages. Board and batten reads modern farmhouse. Log and log-look profiles clad cabins and lake houses. Engineered wood products deliver most of the look with better dimensional stability and lower cost.
The honest part is upkeep. Stained or painted wood wants recoating on a cycle of several years depending on exposure, and unfinished cedar weathers to gray on its own schedule. Budget owners who will not repaint should hear this clearly: engineered wood, fiber cement or quality vinyl will make them happier than neglected cedar.
Wood and alternative options worth weighing
Real wood first, then the lookalikes and the metal option that shares this aisle.
Cedar bevel and clapboard
The premium classic. Naturally rot-resistant, takes stain beautifully, and prices accordingly.
Shakes and shingles
Texture for gables, dormers or whole elevations. More pieces means more labor and more edges to finish.
Board and batten
Vertical boards with battens over the seams. Strong farmhouse and modern character from a simple system.
Log and log-look profiles
Full log, half-log and knotty profiles for cabins. Chinking and finish maintenance are part of the deal.
Engineered wood siding
Treated strand or composite boards with wood texture, better stability and lower cost. The pragmatic wood look.
Aluminum siding
The legacy metal option: fireproof, paintable and dent-prone. Mostly chosen today for repairs and matching.
What does it cost?
Commonly published ballparks put installed wood and cedar siding roughly in the $6 to $15 per square foot band, with engineered wood toward the low half and premium cedar, shakes and log profiles at the top. Whole-house numbers commonly land in the teens to thirties of thousands.
Finishing is the budget line people forget: factory-primed or prefinished material costs more per board but saves a site-painting bill immediately and buys years before the first recoat.
Ballparks based on commonly published national averages, stated as assumptions, not measured local pricing. Your competing quotes set the real number for your home and ZIP.
How to hire for wood siding work
Who does the work
A siding contractor or carpenter-led exterior crew comfortable with wood detailing: scarf joints, corner boards, flashing above trim and correct fasteners. Log profiles are their own specialty, especially on existing log homes.
What pros will ask
Wall areas and stories, the profile and species you want, prefinished versus site-finished, what is on the wall now, and exposure conditions like sprinklers hitting a wall or full southern sun.
What to check before signing
That the bid specifies rain-screen or flashing details, fastener type (stainless or hot-dipped for cedar), finish system and coats, and how rot discovered in sheathing is priced. Ask for addresses of wood jobs at least five years old; that is where craft shows.
Related searches homeowners make
Pulled from the same demand data behind our Roofing, Siding and Gutters category.
Wood and Cedar Siding questions, answered straight
How often does wood siding need refinishing?
Common guidance: stain every three to seven years and paint every five to ten, sooner on weather-beaten south and west walls. Unfinished cedar can be left to gray naturally, which many owners choose on shakes.
Is cedar siding rot-proof?
Rot-resistant, not rot-proof. Cedar's natural oils slow decay, but trapped moisture, ground contact and failed flashing will still take it. Detailing and drainage matter more than species.
What is engineered wood siding?
Wood strands or fibers bonded with resins into boards with real wood texture, factory-primed or prefinished. It hangs like wood, costs less than cedar, resists warping, and carries long finish warranties. The main tradeoff is that it is a manufactured look up close.
Why would anyone choose aluminum siding today?
Mostly for matching and repairing existing aluminum-clad homes, or where fire rating and paintability matter on a budget. It dents, which is why vinyl largely displaced it, but it remains serviceable and recyclable.
Can I put wood siding over my current siding?
Usually the old cladding should come off so sheathing can be inspected, wrapped and flashed, and so the wall does not get too thick at windows. Quality wood installs almost always start at the sheathing.
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Keep planning your exterior
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