Curb appeal is an important factor in choosing a siding for many homeowners. Though function needs to be taken into consideration, as well, when you look at your house from the street, it's the rare person that doesn't care at all what he or she sees. Aside from the pleasure homeowners take in their houses' appearance, curb appeal can also be a deciding factor when it comes to selling a property, making it a practical concern, too.
That being said, no honest contractor will be able to tell you with a straight face that, in a climate like you find in Chicago, cedar siding is the most practical choice for your home. In fact, cladding your home with cedar siding in Chicago is a decision that will probably be based mostly on appearances. Vinyl, fiber-cement, and aluminum are generally less expensive to install, and will almost certainly be easier to take care of than cedar siding. Chicago's annual precipitation levels and temperature changes can have a very detrimental effect on any outdoor wood, but, if you're willing to take care of it, very few things are as attractive or have as much classic appeal as natural wood siding.
Benefits of Chicago Cedar Shake Siding
Moist environments that see both freezing and blistering temperatures every year are generally not thought to be the best places to have wood outside. However, folks in New England, where conditions are far from optimal, have long enjoyed the appearance of wood sided homes; in Chicago, cedar shake siding is likely to look just as good and hold up just as well as it does in a place like New Hampshire, but you have to be prepared to do a little work to keep it functioning well.
Of course a home can be clad using whatever species of wood you like (though some might be more difficult to find in shingle or shake form), but there are several advantages offered by cedar that make it one of the preferred choices for outdoor wood. First, it contains an oil that makes it naturally resistant to warping and bowing. If left exposed, cedar holds up relatively well; if untreated it develops a weathered look that many find very appealing, while still remaining functional. This same oil makes cedar resistant to bugs and rot.
Drawbacks of Chicago Cedar Siding
Cedar siding is also a more expensive material than many of the other cladding options on the market. Basically, putting cedar siding on a home in the Chicago area will have to be a labor of love. It's more expensive (at least more expensive than aluminum or vinyl; wood siding is about the same cost as fiber cement and far less expensive than brick or stone), requires more upkeep, and is more susceptible to environmental conditions than several other options, but if you really want the look, feel, or even the smell of natural wood, cedar is probably your best choice.
Though it has an appearance that is almost universally appealing, you'll have to have some patience with cedar siding. Chicago residents looking for a siding material that you can put up and practically forget about should really choose vinyl, fiber cement, aluminum, or some other material that's designed to be low maintenance. Cedar will require yearly attention; if it doesn't get it, there's no way that it will make it to its full life expectancy.
