Top 5 Residential Siding Options

Are you planning on building a home soon?  If so, you've probably already been overwhelmed with all of the different choices and decisions that go into the building process.  Starting with the floor, you have to decide whether you want a wood floor or concrete floor.  There's also what kind of roof?, what kind of insulation?, Trim?, Doors?, Floor coverings?, Cabinetry?...........you get the point.  I'm not trying to scare you, but hopefully educate you.  My intentions here are to give you some insight, as well as pros and cons, that will possibly help you make good decisions.  Decisions that you'll be happy with in the future.

This post is going to be focused on the exterior of your house.  Have you already made your decision?  If not, let's take a look at some different options.

1.   Brick or Rock
Brick and/or Rock is a very common choice when building a home because of its durability.  Brick will last for many decades and will probably last as long as the structure does.  Light maintenance is all that is usually required with that being the occasional power washing.  The downside to using brick or rock as a siding option would be the cost.  This is usually at the higher end of all siding options.  But once it's done,...it's done! 

2.   Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is probably the most popular siding that has been used for the past several years, mainly because it is mostly maintenance free and also its relatively low cost.  Vinyl siding is easy to install and will not rot and doesn't have to be painted.  It now comes in many, many different styles and colors.  The downside to vinyl would be that the color can fade over time and it does need to be cleaned periodically.  Typically a vinyl siding detergent and a power washer will take care of this every year or two.  This can easily be a DIY project as well!

3.    Wood Siding

Wood siding has many different options in itself.  Cedar is a very popular wood of choice for siding purposes.  It is naturally resistant against rotting and can be installed in different ways, such as Lapped horizontally, Board & Batten, and also by using Cedar shakes.  For several years now, there has been a Log siding on the market, which gives the look of a traditional log cabin, but still using traditional building methods.  This too is at the higher end of cost to install, but it also has a high cost of maintenance as well.  Wood siding has to be treated with water sealers periodically and thus the costs to keep the siding in good shape will continue over time.  

4.    Fiber Cement Siding     

Fiber Cement Siding is a good option for the fact that is NOT wood, and therefore, is termite-resistant and water-resistant.  It comes in an array of forms and textures and is installed the same way as actual wood siding.  It will typically cost more than vinyl siding but less than wood siding.  It is NOT totally maintenance free though......it will require painting.

5.    Stucco Siding

Stucco is a type of cement mixed with other ingredients, such as sand and lime.  It is typically spread over metal screening that has been attached to the walls.  It can also be spread over a masonry surface.  It can be tinted when mixed to achieve the desired color or even painted afterwards.  Stucco has been around for many years and, although it is not very common in all regions, it is a good siding option.



Although there are many more siding options, these are probably the most popular choices of today.  Some things to keep in mind when deciding are:

• Installation Costs
• Costs Over time
• Return on Home Value
• Individual Style You Prefer

If you don't plan on living in your new home permanently, then the upfront costs should be important to you, as well as the return on your home's value when you decide to sell.  If this will be your home for many years to come, then the cost of maintenance over time should definitely be considered, along with your personal style and taste.  Sometimes this can be worth more to someone than the overall costs.

Discovering Pocket-Holes!

  If you've done any woodworking at all, you've probably dealt with the decision of whether to use nails or screws.  Of course, there are pros and cons to both methods (as with everything!).  For starters, screws are less apt to back up, while we all know that nails can do this over time.  On the flip side, a screw head is a lot harder to hide, or fill, than a nail head.  I can go on and on over different reasons why you should use screws or nails, but the truth is that there is a reason for both.  Both are great methods of joinery that have been used for years and for very good reason.  In a nutshell, there is a time and application to use screws, and also the same for nails.

  Several years ago I was building kitchen cabinets and I came across, what was new to me, a different method of joinery.  It was called the KREG™ Pocket-Hole System.  This method would give me the holding power that I liked from screws, while at the same time, not having to worry about hiding or filling the screw heads because........they were Hidden!  This was especially beneficial to me on the cabinet project because I could now join all of the face frame parts (stiles & rails) from behind.  Sounds crazy, huh?  It's actually a brilliant idea.  You see, before, I would have to toe-nail a finish nail through the rails, into the stiles.  This could be tricky because, even with the boards clamped together, they could still shift slightly when the nail was driven.  It's just a tedious process, and if you are seeking perfection, it is extremely important!

  This new system works by using a perfectly designed pre-drilling jig that aligns the drill holes at a sharp angle through the work piece from the back side.  After laying out where you want to drill the holes, a step-drill bit (which makes a pilot hole for your screw at the same time) is used.

 Once all holes are drilled, assemble the pieces with wood glue applied in the joints, and clamp together.  Now using the 6" extension driver bit included with the kit, run the "pocket-hole screws" in, making sure not to overtighten them.  After all screws are applied, remove the clamps and what you have now is perfect wood joints that won't back up!  And best of all, you can't see any screws or nails....perfect!

Now since then, I've learned of more applications for this pocket-hole system, such as:  building the actual cabinet boxes (not just the face-frames) and other furniture pieces too.  You can also adjust the pre-drilling jig and use longer pocket-hole screws.  This will let you use this method on 2x material also.  Kreg also makes a shelf pin jig so you can make multiple matching holes for shelf pins.  Really makes this easy!  All of the jigs come in different sizes and multiple price ranges.

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The pocket-hole system has been a difference maker for me.  Since I discovered this method, there have been more woodworking projects that I'm confident in doing.  As I said earlier, this system comes in many different sizes.  I started out with the smallest, basic kit and it has worked perfect for almost everything I've done.  They now offer a DIY kit that is like a basic "all-in-one" option that could be a great buy.

I am not being paid by Kreg, and its not necessarily my intention to promote this company, however, I am promoting their product.  I do believe it is a wonderful joinery method that can be beneficial to both the professional and average DIYer at the same time!  I've included a YouTube video about the Kreg DIY kit.  I recommend that you watch the video and hopefully are intrigued to try this method yourself.  Good luck down the road "Doing-It-Yourself"!  As always, please leave me a comment on your thoughts and don't hesitate to add your input!
Cory

Concrete Slab or Crawl Space?

Concrete Floor?....Wood Floor?....(Does it really matter?)

 Many times people plan to build a new home and don't give much thought to their floor. The truth is..it really does matter. Before we get to that, let's start by thinking about how each method is performed.

 The concrete slab method starts with pouring a footing, followed by laying foundation blocks. The top course of blocks is typically done using "L-Blocks". In between these blocks, fill dirt is hauled in and used to fill the complete cavity. After that, a vapor barrier is applied, reinforcement steel (or "re-mesh") is laid down and finally.....the concrete is poured. The wood floor method starts the same way except, instead of hauling in fill dirt, a floor is framed using wood beams, floor joists and a couple layers of plywood. Although both methods can provide a good, sturdy floor for your new home, a couple of things should be considered:


First of all, just as any wise builder should look at every part of the construction process, economics must be considered. The terrain you are building on, and in particular the slope of the ground where your house stands, must be considered. If you are building on relatively level ground, pouring a concrete slab could be the cheaper alternative. However, if the ground is sloping, it may be better to frame a wood floor instead of hauling in all the extra fill dirt. As you can see, the ground you start with can affect the cost of the options your considering.


Next, let's think about the plumbing. If you have a water leak (and everyone does at some point) and you have a wood floor, you run the risk of a damaged floor and extra repair costs. The flip side to that is that by having a crawl space your plumbing is easier to run during construction and also during repair situations. But what if you have a concrete slab? In this case, the plumber has to set all water lines and drains perfectly before concrete is poured. If things are off when it's poured, they won't line up with walls and could cause extra costs. This is usually not a problem for quality plumbers, though. In the event of a leak in the water line under the slab, you have two choices:  Cut out concrete to repair the plumbing and then report (Expensive! ).  The next option is to run new water lines through the attic. Now you would have to worry about making sure they insulated very well and not freezing in the cold attic, not to mention the damage to ceilings that a leak would then cause.


Lastly, you should consider comfort and preference. Some people prefer to walk on a concrete floor versus a wood floor,  and vice versa. That may sound silly but it's true. I personally like walking around on a wood floor better but, at the same time, I know folks who prefer the opposite.


I understand if you think I'm talking about extreme and/or rare scenarios to consider during your decision process. But what I'm encouraging you to do is consider ALL scenarios! Whether it's upfront costs, future problems, or just plain preference,  a wise builder should always consider everything. After all, your home could be the biggest investment you ever make. Hopefully this was helpful. Please leave me a comment and share your thoughts. Till next time,

CK