<p>I just bought a “this old house” that has wood siding on it. The paint is peeling, we need do a lot of work to scrape it off and perhaps 3 coats of paint? Instead, I am thinking either Aluminum, Vinyl, scape and paint or another layer of wood siding and paint. Which one do you think is more cost effective and lasting longer?</p>
<p>We have vinyl siding and love it. Sure beats our friends old house for painting maintenance!</p>
<p>Vinyl, then you can sit with a drink in your hand and watch your neighbors paint.</p>
<p>Our town house has aluminum siding. My older sister’s house has steel - including the roof. Youngest sister’s house has vinyl. No painting for any of us. Yay!</p>
<p>Our former house had aluminum siding. Our current house has vinyl siding. They are equally maintenance free. </p>
<p>Vinyl seems to be preferred over aluminum, though, although I’m not sure why. </p>
<p>About 10 years ago, we had a severe hailstorm, which damaged the siding on most of the houses in our neighborhood. Everyone’s homeowner’s insurance paid for replacement of the siding, and everyone chose vinyl. We chose vinyl simply to go along with the crowd, but there must have been some reason why no one went with aluminum.</p>
<p>The aluminum dents if kids throw stuff at it. It prevents OTA signals from entering the house (hence the antenna in the window at my aluminum sided house). OTOH the vinyl can crack and break if something is thrown at it. I know you can paint the aluminum - can you paint the vinyl?</p>
<p>yes, vinyl can be painted. But then it becomes a maintenance item, and really defeats the purpose of putting on vinyl siding.</p>
<p>My aunt had her brown aluminum siding painted as it had faded. I don’t know whether this paint chipped. Maybe it’s time for a drive-by.</p>
<p>I would side the house, Art. You add modern wraps and insulation in the process, and people know they don’t have an ongoing maintenance issue that happens with the wood. We’ve left some shaped wood trim alone, not sided, since the house looks better that way.</p>
<p>I would look around your neighborhood to see what other people have. That being said, I would go for the paint job, especially on your older home. I think that any lovely architectural details will be obliterated by siding. My old house hadn’t been painted in 23 years. A great sanding job brought out its beauty, and choice of color is unlimited. You won’t have the same blue or beige as thousands of others.</p>
<p>I think there are regional differences on preference for siding and agree that it is a good idea to check the neighborhood and maybe a local realtor. Where I live, people prefer “paint and complaint” (about the maintenance).
It can impact re-sale if you are not in synch with what people are looking for in siding.</p>
<p>I agree that neighborhood norms are important. That said, around here at least few vinyl companies do a decent looking window surround. If you have new clad window this is less of an issue. My preference is for refinishing the original wood or if your budget can afford it using something like Hardiboard. Why? 50 year guarantee. Fire resistant. Made from recycled materials. More storm resistant than the light weight sidings.</p>
<p>ALP, are you upgrading this house in order to sell it quickly? If that’s the case, I’d do whichever is fastest and cheapest but still looks good.</p>
<p>OSB siding (wood product) is the best, in my opinion having worked in the industry. :)</p>
<p>I have vinyl shakes and I love how it looks. I was very reluctant to go with vinyl but after seeing a few other remodeled homes of the same vintage (mid-century) with it, I changed my mind.</p>
<p>Will say that vinyl technology has risen dramatically in the last 10 years as to fading, storm proofing etc, color selection, etc. You just need to go check out your options.</p>
<p>Has anyone try to install the Aluminum or Vinyl siding DYI? How difficult is this?</p>
<p>VH,</p>
<p>I am in no rush. If I keep the $$ in the bank, I will make .1%/year. So, If I can do the stuff right on this house, I can double my money back…</p>
<p>I choose the latter. :)</p>
<p>Post #9 said you don’t need to paint for 23 years–but say you are 50–want to be out there on the ladder at 73 wishing you had gone for the vinyl? We’ll still be watching you from the porch with our drinks while you paint…</p>
<p>Our last house, circa 1925, had beautiful cedar clapboard with a 9 1/2 relief. When it was time to paint or cover we discovered that vinyl siding did not come in the 9 1/2 relief but rather two splits of 5 inch each. Did you ever notice how ugly that kind of thin siding looks on an older house? Ugh!</p>
<p>We spent the money (allot less that siding) to have the whole house sanded down to the bare wood and then treated with two separate coats of different oil based wood penetrating primers and than one coat of Benjamin Morre latex paint. </p>
<p>The results were fantastic! People would stop when they saw us in the yard to complement us and ask what we did. I think our house sold a half dozen near-by paint jobs for or that contractor. </p>
<p>It is wise to be respectful of the original architecture of older homes.</p>
<p>Do they even sell aluminum anymore? Isn’t aluminum expensive now? We have grooved cedar siding which we scraped and restained ourselves. The trim is painted with a Sherwin Williams product which costs $60 per gallon and is amazing, but worth the expense. Everything on the outside is original, except the eaves which the former owner covered in vinyl and they are doing well. I will sell this house before I will ever have to side it in vinyl, as they cannot match the shingle style.</p>