Differences When Installing Vinyl Siding Over Wood Siding

When the time comes to replace your home’s siding, you’ll pick between a few different materials. Vinyl siding and wood siding are two of the most common and popular choices thanks to their durability, aesthetic appeal, and wide variety of customization and color options.

But if you’re planning to install siding on your house, you might wonder what the differences are when installing vinyl siding vs. wood siding. After all, if one is significantly easier than the other, you might opt for the siding type that takes less time (and sweat)! Let’s take a closer look.

Wood siding vs. vinyl – key differences

Many Port City homeowners opt for either installing vinyl siding or wood siding after carefully considering the pros and cons. For example, wood siding is available in tons of different styles and color options, is eco-friendly, and has excellent ROI since it maintains its value over decades (if you put in the time and effort to maintain it, that is).

But vinyl siding also has big advantages, especially compared to wood. It’s a little tougher than wood siding since it isn’t susceptible to insect-related rot. It’s also not affected by moisture and humidity, and it can last for up to 40 years – especially if you get quality insulated siding, like the 6000 Series. Add to that the fact that installing vinyl siding is cost-effective and affordable, and it's a stellar siding choice for many first-time homeowners.

How is vinyl siding installed?

Whenever you install new vinyl siding, you follow a relatively straightforward process. In fact, installing vinyl siding is totally achievable without the support of a professional installer (although installers may be of assistance from larger siding installation jobs). Without getting into too much detail, the steps to install vinyl siding include:

• Removing any old siding panels using a special zip tool and a pry bar or utility knife to remove existing nails from the nail slots
• Adding house wrap if your Port City home doesn’t already have it — the house wrap is a water barrier that prevents water from seeping into your house
• Installing starter strips for your vinyl siding
• Placing corner posts and corner pieces to frame the main siding panels
• Installing the new siding panels and working your way from bottom to top

These basic steps are perfect for installing the most excellent siding products. The ease of installation is another reason why many homeowners prefer installing vinyl siding rather than wood siding.

Differences in wood siding installation

For the most part, the steps to install wood siding are similar to the steps you follow when installing vinyl siding. However, there are a few key differences.

Panel priming

Firstly, you'll need to prime or coat the wood siding panels you choose to install. Primer is needed if you plan to paint your siding, while special wood siding coating is required if you want a more natural look for your property.

In either case, you must paint or coat all six sides of each panel before installing them. As you might expect, this can take quite a bit of time, although you can somewhat expedite the process using a paint sprayer instead of a normal brush.

Furring strips & metal screens

You’ll also need to install “furring strips,” which are vertical wood pieces to offset siding from your home’s sheathing or wrap. The furring strips help to allow airflow between the siding and the underlayers of your house. You’ll need to nail the furring strips to your home’s walls, plus add metal screens to the bottoms of those strips to stop rodents and insects from crawling behind the wood siding panels.

End-grain sealants

Before you install your starter boards or panels, you'll need to apply end-grain sealants to any cut panels you create. On the plus side, if you use primarily factory-cut wood boards, they usually come already sealed and ready to go.

Altogether, these extra steps can add several hours to any wood siding installation project. Plus, you’ll need to spend a bit of extra money to make sure you have these materials on hand and ready to go.

Is wood siding worth it?

At the end of the day, wood siding’s extra installation effort makes it a less-than-optimal pick for many homeowners. Vinyl siding is tougher, easier to install, and there are even vinyl siding options that look like wood, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds!

That’s why you should get in contact with Window World of Port City. With products like the ASCEND Composite Cladding, you can set up your home with brand-new siding that blends the ease of installation of vinyl siding with the look of wood siding – plus call in our installers to tackle the lion’s share of the task in no time. Get in touch today to learn more!