When the time comes for you to replace your old siding, you will have to choose among different siding material options. Most siding that was put up several years back is likely to be made of wood–and untreated wood, at that. Luckily, with the many technological advances that have seen the light of day over the past years, there are now a lot of far more cost-efficient and reliable options available on the market today.

Two of the most popular siding options these days are fiber cement and vinyl siding. Both offer considerable benefits, so choosing between them is more a matter of evaluating how well each of them suits your own preferences and your home’s needs than anything else.

Fiber Cement Siding

This type of siding material has grown in popularity because of its aesthetic and functional benefits. Fiber cement siding can flawlessly mimic the look of other siding options, including wood, stucco, and masonry. Moreover, it is known to be very durable and reliable. It can resist practically anything: water, moisture, extreme temperatures, pests, UV rays and even fire. This type of siding is also virtually maintenance-free and can last a long time—up to 50 years or even more. To back this up, fiber cement siding products are warrantied for 30 to 50 years. Currently, the biggest fiber cement siding manufacturer is James Hardie™.

Vinyl Siding

The primary reason behind the popularity of vinyl siding is its affordability. To date, it is the least expensive siding material on the market. It is also very easy to install and maintain–and comes in a wide variety of colors styles, many of which mimic the look of other siding materials.

Vinyl siding has an average life expectancy of 20 to 30 years, but higher quality products may last longer even longer. Ply Gem’s Mastic siding products, for instance, come with a 50-year transferable warranty.

In the next part of this blog series, we’ll discuss choosing the right siding design and color. Stay tuned!