Exterior Siding - How to choose

Planning for exterior siding requires understanding material cost, labor cost, maintenance and patina. This article focuses on the first three qualities. Patina will not be covered beyond standard maintenance recommendations.

Index -

1. Wood Siding

2. Textured Cement Panels

3. Stone

4. Cement Boards

1. Tongue and Groove Wood Siding on Rain Screen

Material Cost: $10–$20 per square foot

Labor Cost: $5-10 per square foot

$$

Tongue and groove wood siding is installed over a two-part rain screen assembly consisting of a weather-resistant barrier followed by vertical furring strips fastened to the structural sheathing. The furring strips create an air gap behind the siding that allows moisture to drain and air to circulate, dramatically improving the wall assembly's drying potential and longevity. The tongue and groove boards are then face-attached to the vertical furring strips using a blind-nail or button-style fastening tool that conceals the fasteners within the tongue of each board, leaving a clean face with no visible nail heads. Each fastener must penetrate through the wood siding and seat firmly into the furring strip behind it. This method produces a tight, flat finished surface with interlocking boards while maintaining the rain screen gap for moisture management. Cost varies significantly by wood species — cedar and hardwoods run toward the higher end, while softwoods like pine or spruce are more affordable. The rain screen furring and weather barrier add roughly $1–$3 per square foot to a standard direct-applied siding installation.

Let's go over a few wood species we like to use;

Thermally modified ash - $$

Modern but a touch of rustic appeal from the mixed grain. Sturdy, hardwood that feels furniture grade.

(Installing thermally modified ash wood, tongue and groove, on double rain screen)

Hemlock/ Thermally Modified Hemlock -

A softwood with a clear grain. It must be detail carefully so it does not receive water splashing on it. It should be thermally modified to now show exterior wear and tear. It receives stains well, making it exceptional for styling interior finishes. The necessary thermal treatment process will add 10-30% cost depending on the market.

Hemlock (with a light driftwood stain) - $$

(project photo)

Thermally modified hemlock - $$$

(Photo from vendor Specialty Wood Products)

Thermal Southern Yellow Pine - Black Oil $$

Thermally treated for long lasting durability, Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) looks great with a Cutek black oiled finish. An arguably better product than Shou Sugi Ban for much lower cost. A difference between black oil and painted black finish is most noticeable in close up areas, where the grain of the wood can be seen and appreciated.

2. Textured Fiber Cement Panel on Aluminum Z-Clip System

Material cost: $10–$38 per square foot

Labor cost: $10-15

$$$

Fiber cement panels, such as those made by manufacturers like Cembrit or Swisspearl, or KOL is most notable for their integral textured finishes. They are more like a piece of cut stone in appearance than the other cement boards on the market that we show in section 4, that are meant to be painted. Installed using a concealed aluminum z-clip system that creates a ventilated rain screen cavity behind the panels.

The installation is more complex than other sidings, and will cost more per SF to install. The result is a really high end commercial grade finish that requires no maintenance. The inert cement boards give the appearance of monolithic stone slabs. Clean modern, international, and sturdy.

(KOL panel in natural)

3. Natural Stone Veneer (Adhered Ledgestone Panels)

Material cost: $20–$35 per square foot

Labor Cost:

$$$$

Natural stone veneer, particularly ledgestone or stacked stone panels, offers the look of real masonry without requiring a traditional foundation ledge or structural support. Typically this material is sold as short ashlar strips and does not look like true masonry siding, and comes across as decorative. then veneer panels like this will command the lowest cost, and is comparable to wood siding all-in.

Small stones $$:

(Lymra limestone by MSI)

These panels consist of thin strips of natural stone (typically three-quarters of an inch to one and a quarter inches thick) pre-assembled on a mesh or interlocking panel system weighing around 13 pounds per square foot. For exterior residential installation, the substrate must be a cementitious surface — either cement backer board over studs, existing masonry, or a traditional metal lath and scratch coat assembly over the sheathing with an appropriate weather barrier behind it. The panels are adhered using a polymer-modified thinset mortar applied to both the wall and the back of each panel, similar to setting tile. Per building code, adhered stone veneer is limited to pieces no larger than 36 inches in any dimension, no heavier than 15 pounds per square foot, and generally should not be installed higher than 15 feet above grade without mechanical fastening or engineering review — some codes allow up to 30 feet with proper detailing.

Mid size stones:

$$$

(Alamo Sandstone by Floor and Decor)

For heights beyond these limits, or for heavier stone, a mechanical clip or foundation ledge to bear on. This is a deeper ledger product that sits between small ashlar ledger stone and real masonry. Companies like Norstone, MSI, Floor and Decor and Stoneyard offer real natural stone ledger panels made from sandstone, limestone and durable stones suitable for all climates including freeze-thaw regions. However, stone will need to be sprayed with sealant every few years. It will show wear and tear significantly more if it doesn't have a modern roof overhang.

4. Hardie Plank T&G/ Lap siding

Material cost: $7–$10 per square foot

Labor Cost: $5-10

$$

An alternative to real wood siding, these popular fiber cement products are well known. Beware of their seemingly low material cost. Hardie planks, and fiber cement planks are more difficult to install than wood, and painting is not cheap. Consistent, reliable, inert. The benefits work if you like a smooth painted finish.

(Hardi v-groove)

(James Hardie shiplap)

(James Hardie shiplap above)

(Hardi square channel)