Consider your options when deciding on siding-Choosing Sides

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Salvaged barn siding is a responsible and ­pleasing option. Photo courtesy Old Grain

Siding works a lot like skin. It serves as the first line of defense against unwanted air infiltration (pollen, dust mites, drafts) and moisture penetration (mold and rot). If that isn’t enough, siding is the single largest exterior element. Faded, weathered siding can make a home look old before its time; new siding can make an old house look brand new.

Trying to perform this homeowner hat trick—accomplishing protection, good looks, and longevity—isn’t easy. Add environmental and health concerns to that mix, and choosing among the options gets even more confusing. Dozens of products claim to be the “ultimate answer,” but most offer only a partial solution.

Selecting the right type of siding involves balancing all of the immediate costs (material, installation, maintenance) with future costs (longevity, effects of long-term exposure, eventual biodegradability or recyclability). If possible, also try to factor in the unseen environmental costs of manufacturing and transportation.

For those considering residing, sometimes the best advice might simply be a fresh coat of paint.

Wood

Solid wood siding continues to be the most popular choice in North America because, in many ways, wood is still the ideal siding material. Renewable, locally available, requiring little production energy, and ultimately biodegradable, wood siding—bevel lap, ship lap, board-and-batten, shingles, and shake siding—is safe to cut and easy to install. But wood siding installation generates a fair amount of waste and requires frequent maintenance. Of additional concern, the desire to mill the heartwood from the most weather-resistant woods, cedar and redwood, has led to overharvesting and clear-cutting.

If you already have wood siding, the most environmentally responsible choice is to keep what you have. Thousands of wood-sided homes along the East Coast have withstood more than a century’s worth of harsh weather, and with ­regular maintenance they can last just as long as replacement siding. But be mindful of potential toxins that could be emitted by scraping and sanding. Lead was a common paint additive until the mid-1970s. In some areas, shingles were treated with creosote for extra durability.

For the most responsible option, look for preweathered salvaged wood from old barns, other buildings, and bridges, or newer-looking stock that has been resawn from larger beams. In addition, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sustainably certified forests offer an increasing supply of wood products.

Engineered Wood

Engineered wood was born from the desire to find a use for the waste created by milling wood products and to use otherwise unsuitable trees. Wood chips are coated with binders and resins, and then reassembled into panels and boards. The resulting product is more uniform and more dimensionally stable than solid wood. Although the products such as ­oriented strand board (OSB) and fiberboard can make use of lumber by-products and otherwise unsuitable trees, critics contend that OSB encourages clear-cutting and the harvesting of immature forests.