Austin Cedar Siding

by Marcus Pickett

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From vinyl to Hardie board to aluminum, there are several options on the market for cladding your home. The siding that is generally considered the most beautiful, though, is cedar siding. While more expensive, a home in Austin with cedar siding will undoubtedly stand out in neighborhoods full of vinyl. This doesn't mean that you're going to be viewed as pretentious, either. Cedar has a naturally warm and inviting look, as opposed to the stuffier look of stone siding. The other great advantage of installing cedar siding in Austin is the unmatched insulating quality of the wood that reduces both heat loss and noise levels.

Austin Cedar Shake Siding and other Cedar Siding Options:

Cedar Shake Siding in Austin: Cedar shake siding is made from a slightly different process than other wood sidings. The logs are split with an axe instead of sawn on all sides, giving the shingles a slightly different appearance that many homeowners prefer.

Cedar Beveled Siding in Austin: Cedar siding can also be beveled by creating shingles of different thicknesses. This requires re-sawing the lumber and the process costs more, but it produces a truly stunning siding for your home.

Cedar Paneled Siding in Austin: Cedar paneling is made from shingles. These shingles, however, are mounted on sheets of plywood to create a panelized look.

Maintaining your Cedar Siding in Austin, TX
You may have heard that cedar siding can't compete with the durability and longevity of other siding materials. This is partially true. Cedar has natural antifungal properties that allow it to perform better than any other wood siding. Even untreated cedar siding will last for a good number of years. On the other hand, it's not indestructible and will eventually show signs of deterioration before its synthetic counterparts. You should probably reseal your cedar siding every couple years. Cedar siding that is properly cared for can last as long, if not longer, than poorly cared for vinyl siding. Finally, even with the relatively dry climate in Austin, cedar siding's biggest enemy is water. The quicker your cedar can dry after it rains, the longer it will last. Don't allow a lot of trees and plants near the side of your home, as they will trap air and increase the drying time of your siding.

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Cost and Project Length of an Austin Cedar Siding Installation
Cedar siding is more expensive than some other options, but not necessarily completely out of most price ranges, either. It's difficult to say exactly how much your Austin cedar siding will cost because so many factors go into the final price. More than just thickness and coating treatments, the type of cedar will also have an impact on the cost. You can choose red cedar from the Pacific Northwest or white cedar from Canada (a little more expensive, but more durable and considered more attractive). Generally speaking, cedar siding is comparable or a little more expensive than the average cost of vinyl siding ($7,500), but not nearly as much as stone siding ($12,000). Of course, part of the cost of cedar siding includes extensive pre-coating and/or resealing treatments every few years.

One of the reasons Austin cedar siding can be more expensive has little to do with the material itself. Cedar siding installation is labor-intensive. It may take a while to install and needs to be done by a professional. Count on spending a week or two with a contractor pounding his or her hammer against your home. Of course, if nobody tends to be in your home during the day and you're not in a huge rush, this isn't a major inconvenience, like a kitchen remodel often is. Plus, while Austin siding companies can't control the cost of building materials, they can often cut labor costs. By taking the time to talk to multiple contractors, you can often find someone who will install your cedar siding in Austin for less than many of the competitors.

Marcus Pickett is a professional freelance writer for the home remodeling industry. He has published more than 600 articles on both regional and national topics within the home improvement industry.