Different Types of Wood Siding For Houses
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different types of wood siding for houses. Whether you’re stuck between untreated wood or thermally modified wood, or can’t narrow it down between ash, cedar, pine, poplar, or hemlock, we’ll help you choose among the many wood siding types.
WoodPlank is your trusted source for all things wood siding in North America. We’re proud to present the best selection of thermally modified ash, cedar, hemlock, pine, and poplar. And although you came here to learn about the different styles of wood siding, we also stock composite and aluminum alternatives if you want low to no maintenance.
Homeowners taking matters into their own hands and contractors alike turn to WoodPlank for all the different wood siding types, and you can too. Reach out now for one-on-one support or learn more below.
Quick Look at the Most Common Wood Siding Types
|
Wood Siding Type |
Durability |
Maintenance |
Cost |
|
Cedar |
High (natural oils) |
Periodic stain or seal |
Higher |
|
Ash (thermo-modified) |
High |
Low to mid (factory-sealed) |
Mid-high |
|
Hemlock (thermo-modified) |
High |
Low to mid (factory-sealed) |
Higher |
|
Pine (thermo-modified) |
High |
Low to mid (factory-sealed) |
Moderate |
|
Poplar (thermo-modified) |
High |
Low to mid (factory-sealed) |
Moderate |
|
Tropical hardwoods |
Very high |
Periodic oiling optional |
Highest |
|
Reclaimed wood |
Variable |
Low |
Mid-high |
What Should You Think About When Choosing a Wood Siding Style?
It’s not nearly as simple as looking at pictures of exterior wood siding types and deciding which you think looks best. You have to take into account quite a few variables, from profile to treatment, local climate, and long-term maintenance. Then there’s the budget side of things.
Our advice is always to get samples shipped to your property for a more up-close and personal look at the texture, grain, and color against YOUR specific home. What looks great on a screen may not actually pan out as well in person.
Here are the things we walk customers through when they ask us for help choosing among the different types of wood siding for houses.
Appearance
Each wood species has its own unique characteristics. Cedar has this warm, rustic appearance that looks absolutely stunning untreated. It weathers into this silver-gray patina over the years. On the other hand, some species look best stained or painted.
The same species can look totally distinct in different profiles too, though. For example, shiplap siding has overlapping horizontal boards that you’d see in coastal homes. On the other hand, vertical siding has a more contemporary feel with its top-to-bottom pattern.
Durability
Where you live might limit your options to some extent. Cedar and thermally modified wood can withstand hard conditions anywhere as they resist moisture and UV damage really well.
But untreated softwoods soak up moisture and won’t last long in wetter climates - not without chemical treatment or thermal modification, that is. For example, pine and poplar are softwoods that are suitable for these climates with thermal modification.
Maintenance
This is one of the biggest questions to ask yourself when choosing among the different styles of wood siding for your home or business - how much maintenance are you willing to undertake? “None” is a perfectly acceptable answer. You’ll just have to look beyond wood to something such as composite or aluminum siding.
Cost
You can trim your options down a bit by getting a little more specific about your budget for this project. Just to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for different types of wood siding for houses, thermally modified pine cladding starts at $179.99 for 15 square feet. Western red cedar is $374.99 for the same coverage. Thermally modified ash sits in between the two.
One important note: You get what you pay for with wood siding. Cheaper siding will cost you more in terms of repainting and replacement over the course of its life compared to a premium-grade siding.
We’ll talk more about it later on, but consider composite as well. It’s not wood but it’s maintenance-free - which means lower ongoing costs, AND, it typically comes in well below wood costs.
Sustainability
Whichever type of siding you land on, it’s worth looking into how it’s harvested and manufactured before you place your order. For instance, our thermally modified pine, ash, poplar, and hemlock come from sources that are all FSC-certified - which means the timber came from responsibly managed forests. Our reclaimed barnwood comes from barns across the Midwest. You can find stunning siding and feel good about what you’re buying when you shop at WoodPlank.
All the Different Types of Wood Siding For Houses
Here’s an in-depth look at the different wood siding types.
Cedar Siding
Western Red Cedar is probably the most popular of all the different types of wood siding for houses. It’s also among the most expensive, but that’s because it naturally resists rot, decay, and insect damage without any chemical treatment needed.
The straight tight grain is truly a sight to behold, and the color can range from warm reddish-brown to blond depending on the cut. It does accept stains really well if you want to customize the look of your home, too. Otherwise, it’ll naturally weather to a beautiful silver-gray finish. A lot of people prefer that weathered look.
We have tongue-and-groove cedar siding in 15-square-foot boxes. It can be installed without any visible fasteners for a seamless appearance.
Ash Siding
This dense hardwood has a more pronounced grain pattern, which translates to more visual texture than smoother species (such as pine or poplar). It’s quite a bit darker than cedar, more of a brown color.
Ash siding is plenty durable on its own, but susceptible to moisture damage over time. That’s why we thermally modify it for exceptional resiliency to the elements. This heat treatment process prevents the wood from absorbing too much moisture so it’s more rot-resistant.
Our ash siding is factory sealed with a 25-year warranty and a Class B fire rating. It’s also sourced FSC-certified so you can feel good about your choice of siding. Available in slat wall profiles or modern exterior cladding.
Hemlock Siding
Hemlock is a beautiful softwood with an unusually clean grain in clear-grade cuts - almost no knots at all. It looks more refined, which is why you’ll see it used for modern and traditional facades alike.
Like ash, hemlock siding is vulnerable to moisture in wet environments. We have thermally modified it so you can install it anywhere with peace of mind, without stressing about warping, splitting, shrinking, or cracking. A great alternative to clear grade western red cedar.
Choose from sealed or unsealed hemlock siding, both backed by a 25-year durability guarantee and ready to install at your job site.
Pine Siding
This is among the most common types of wood house siding in North America for one simple reason - it’s widely available and far more affordable than hardwoods.
But since it’s soft and porous, it’s imperative that you use thermally modified pine siding. Otherwise, you’ll encounter swelling, warping, and rot faster than cedar or any hardwood, for that matter. The alternative is pressure treatment with chemical preservatives or constant repainting, neither of which is ideal.
Our pine siding starts at just $179.99 for 15 square feet. It’s the most affordable wood siding style we stock, and it’s still backed by a 25-year warranty.
Poplar Siding
Poplar is technically a hardwood. However, it’s actually lighter and softer than both ash and oak. That’s a good thing. It makes it easier to mill into wide plank profiles while still keeping the cost down.
It has a glorious caramel tone, somewhere between pine and ash. It can also achieve beautiful walnut tones when thermally modified at higher temperatures.
The problem, like with many natural wood varieties, is that poplar has poor outdoor durability - so it’s not a good choice for exterior siding. Unless, of course, it is thermally modified. This beefs up its resistance to rot while increasing its dimensional stability.
Our thermally modified poplar starts at $236.24 for 15 square feet for modern exterior cladding styles. Or, you can go with wide plank profiles in 1x8 through 1x12 widths. It also comes in V-joint, nickel gap, and S4S profiles.
Other Wood Siding Types You May Come Across
Here at WoodPlank, we prefer domestically grown species. They come from sustainably managed North American forests with shorter supply chains, so we can offer more realistic pricing (and lead times). This also gives us a level of assurance about how the lumber was sourced, that just isn’t possible overseas where concerns about deforestation are real.
We don’t carry these tropical hardwoods here at WoodPlank, but you’ll see them referenced among other types of wood siding for houses so it’s worth being aware of them.
Jatoba
Jatoba is also known as Brazilian cherry, and it’s one of the hardest wood species you’ll have access to. Its rich reddish-brown color deepens over time, kind of like Western Red Cedar. It’s naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage. That’s why it’s most popular in harsh climates where maximizing lifespan is the main priority.
Garapa
This golden-yellow tropical hardwood is sometimes called Brazilian ash. It has a lighter-looking tone than most tropical hardwoods, so it’s a good choice for contemporary homes. It will slowly but surely begin weathering to a consistent silver gray, unless you oil it every year.
It’s also naturally durable and weather-resistant, and at a lower price than some other types of wood siding for houses, it’s worth looking into.
Machiche
A dense Central American hardwood with dark chocolate-brown tones. It’s super durable without any chemical treatment needed. It might not be as popular as ipe or cumaru, but it still performs well in the same types of environments. It’s just harder to come by here in North America, so expect to pay a premium for machiche.
Cumaru
AKA Brazilian teak. It’s incredibly dense, which is why it’s used not just for house siding but also decking and boardwalks. It has rich brown tones with a very distinctive grain. Tighter grain than ipe, so it looks a little more refined in vertical installations.
Ipe
The benchmark for wood durability in exterior siding. It’s so dense that it sinks in water, with a natural oil content that has both fire and insect resistance. It’ll begin weathering to a gray color over time, but it keeps performing well from a structural perspective.
The obvious trade-off, like many types of wood siding for houses that are considered “tropical hardwoods,” is cost. Ipe is very expensive, and not a very practical choice for residential buildings. Moreover, it’s not the most workable wood - it’s hard on cutting tools and every fastener must be pre-drilled because screws can’t penetrate it.
Thermally Modified Wood Siding vs Untreated Wood Siding
You’ll notice there are two types of wood siding for houses at WoodPlank: natural wood (untreated) and thermally modified wood. The big difference comes down to durability.
Thermal modification uses sustained high heat to change the wood’s cell structure. This minimizes moisture absorption, in turn preventing rot, warping, and pests from taking a toll on your siding.
The process also darkens the wood’s color a little bit during treatment. That’s why our thermowood siding has a warmer, more caramel-to-chocolate tone compared to other natural, untreated wood. Actual color depends on the species, of course.
Thermally modified wood from WoodPlank has a 25-year warranty against rot and decay, and every product is factory-sealed and sourced FSC-certified. It’s definitely the way to go if you want to install siding with peace of mind knowing it’ll stand the test of time.
What About Composite or Aluminum Siding?
We know you came here curious about the different styles of WOOD siding, but we do want you to be aware that there are alternatives if you want something maintenance-free and perhaps more affordable.
Composite siding, for example, is made from recycled materials. It does an exceptional job of mimicking how natural wood planks/slats look. The untrained eye may not even notice the difference. We sell composite siding backed by 30-year warranties. You can pick from narrow slat, wide slat, and plank profiles in a wide array of colors to match your home.
On the other hand, aluminum siding has unparalleled fire resistance - actually exceeding Class A fire ratings. We use T5 marine-grade aluminum with sublimated wood grain finishes for an aesthetic that mirrors real wood.
Discover All the Different Styles of Wood Siding at WoodPlank
Hopefully, this deep dive into all the different types of wood siding for houses has left you feeling clear about how many options you have at your fingertips and which best suits your home.
WoodPlank is your one-stop shop for house siding online, with samples available to ship to your job site now so you can compare grains and colors side by side. Browse the full catalog or get in touch with our customer service today for one-on-one support.