Siding is meant to protect your home from the elements, but it is also the major determiner of your home's appearance. Choosing the right siding style is a must if you want the best curb appeal.

1. Horizontal Lap

Horizontal lap may be the most popular form of siding. It consists of horizontal boards or panels, with each upper panel overlapping the one below it. The width of the panels can vary depending on your design preferences. Many different materials lend themselves well to horizontal lap. It's the standard style for vinyl and aluminum siding, but you can also find it in fiber cement and wood options. 

2. Board and Batten

Vertical boards are installed along the wall of a home, then thinner strips of board battens are installed vertically over the gap between the initial boards. This style of siding is almost exclusively available in wood and fiber cement options. You can side a whole home with board and batten, but another popular option is to use a different siding style on the lower half of the home and use board and batten only on the gable roof ends. 

3. Shakes

Shakes, or shingle, style siding can be quite varied. Shakes range from uniform rectangles to rounded, coved, and diamond shakes. The size can be consistent, or it may be staggered for a quaint, cottage-like feel. Shake-style siding is traditionally made from wood, but there are now vinyl shake siding products on the market if you prefer something durable but low maintenance. Much like board and batten, shakes can be used to side a whole house or simply installed as an accent on roof gables or similar roofs. 

4. Strips

Strip siding looks very similar to lap siding at first, as it consists of horizontal siding panels. The difference is that the panels do not overlap each other but instead are butted together along the edges, locking together with a tongue and groove system. Another difference is that strip siding can be installed horizontally or vertically. The result is clean lines and a modern look. Wood and fiber cement are the main options if you want strip siding. 

5. Veneers

There is a range of veneer-style sidings available. Some are made of vinyl or composite materials, while others contain natural stone or even masonry. Brick and stone veneers are the most common. The siding is made from pouring stone or masonry aggregate, often mixed with a synthetic product, into a mold to cast it into sheets that look like brickwork or stack stone. The result is quite convincing, but this siding comes with less cost compared to putting in an actual stone or brick wall. 

Contact a residential siding service to learn more about the options that are available.