5 Factors to Consider When Selecting Residential Siding:

• Type of Construction— re-model or new build
• Installer— seasoned or first-time installer
• Location— surrounding environment
• Theme— modern, rustic, contemporary, and industrial
• Personal Value—budget, durability, maintenance

Envision yourself standing in front of a paint match section at a local hardware store. In front of you is an endless array of colors ranging from Black of Night to Sundance. As you scan the colors you see a wide range of brands—Behr, Sherwin-Williams, Valspar. . . As your eyes settle on a finish that spikes your interest you realized the decision is not over—glossy, semi glossy, matte. We can all relate to this scenario. Whether we are picking out paint or just trying to find dinner at the grocery store, we always have options—and a lot of them too. In today’s society, we have access to thousands of options right at our finger tips. And when it comes to siding a home, nothing is different. Once you have settled on a base material for your siding, you still need to select the brand, the style, and the finish. So, how do you find the right metal siding for your home? Below are 5 factors to help guide you in finding the perfect metal siding for your house: type of construction, installer, location, theme, and personal value.

Type of Construction

When selecting residential siding, an important aspect to consider is the type of construction. Is your project a new build or are you looking to give your current house a re-model or “face lift”? If you are starting from scratch, you are not limited on your panel profile or color selection. You can use your theme, color scheme, and inspiration to guide you. However, if you are looking to re-model you need to keep your current building in mind. Your new siding needs to incorporate well with the other colors and products on your home. You need to be conscious of how you will transition from product to product. And, you need to plan on removing the old product, as well as work through connecting and attaching the new product. Being aware of your construction type is vital in selecting residential siding.

Installer

Another element to consider when selecting residential siding is the installer. Are you, the homeowner, looking to do the project yourself or do you plan to hire out a contractor? If you have a contractor, is this his/her first time installing metal or is he/she well-seasoned? Metal siding can be installed by people of all skill sets; however, you want to keep the installer’s abilities in mind. Selecting a panel that has a more basic install may be a better option for a first-time installer.

Location

Besides the type of construction and experience of the installer, you also want to keep your location in mind when selecting siding. Your location has the power to select not only your panel profile, but your finish and gauge too. Is your siding near a high-volume traffic area? Do you have hot summers or cold winters—or both? Is your home located in a rural area or in the heart of the city? Do you live by the ocean or in the forest? Focusing and addressing these questions could be the deciding factor from a bare metal or a dark or light color. For instance, living by the ocean near salt spray could limit you on the product and finish for your project. Or, living in an area with high volumes of snow may nudge you to selecting a stronger gauge. Either alternative illustrates that your surrounding environment is a great guide when selecting residential siding.

Theme

Modern, rustic, contemporary, and industrial are all description words that come to mind when thinking of themes for residential siding. These themes can be achieved based on the style of panel and finish you select. For example, corrugated panels are often labelled as the traditional panel, and known for their continuous pattern. Standing seam, on the other hand, is often loved for its clean lines and ability to hide the fastening system used to install the product. Whatever panel inspires you, it is not the only factor that composes the theme—color also plays a huge role. Textured colors often help pull off a rustic look, while dark colors with even a pop of color helps achieve a modern look. What may appear as an agricultural panel can quickly be transformed into a modern panel just by a change of color. The theme of your project has the ability to guide you in selecting the right product for the project.

Personal Value

Before you can even begin looking at your options for residential siding, you need to determine what is most important to you. It may be your budget, your need for a low maintenance product, or a rustic style—whatever you pick it needs to be the foundation of your selecting process. The moment you stray from the root of your project, you may discover yourself overwhelmed, discouraged, or even struggling to find the right product for you.

While all the residential siding options can seem overwhelming at times, using these five factors can be a great guide to make the selecting process easier and even fun! Choosing the right panel, finish and gauge comes down to the type of construction and installer you have, as well as the location and theme. Most importantly, remember what is the root of your project and don’t waiver from what inspired you to use metal in the first place. At the end of the day, sticking to these factors will make the array of options seem less daunting.