Wood Siding Cost

Typical costs:

• Lumber prices vary considerably from year to year and region to region, which directly affects the cost of installing real wood siding. Typically it averages $6,500-$7,500 to have a contractor install 1,250 exterior square feet of yellow pine, spruce or fir clapboard (overlapping rows); $7,000-$8,500 for cedar clapboard over that same size area; and $9,000-$10,000 for cedar shingles (also called cedar shakes). For 3,000 exterior square feet, costs jump to $14,500-$16,000 for yellow pine, spruce or fir clapboard; $15,000-$17,000 for cedar clapboard; and $18,000-$25,000 for cedar shakes. Redwood, which is hard to obtain outside of the western states, costs about the same as or a little more than cedar.
• Engineered wood siding (plywood or hardwood sheets made up of bits of wood bonded together with special resins and treated with insecticide and fungicide) runs about $3,000-$5,000 for 1,250 square feet; or $8,000-$10,000 for 3,000 square feet.
• To roughly calculate exterior square footage, add together the length of the four sides of the house then multiply by the height of the walls. A home 10' tall, 38' long and 25' wide has 950 square feet [38x25=950] of interior floor space but 1,260 square feet [(38+38+25+25)x10=1,60] of exterior wall space. To cut costs, some homeowners have siding installed on the front and sides of a house but not the back wall because it isn't visible from the street.

• Real wood siding can last 30 years or more if properly maintained; typically it should be painted or stained every 4-6 years. In hot, humid climates it may be necessary to apply fungicide or mildew retardant every 3 years. Dry climates may call for an oil finish every 5 years.
• Coated with a moisture-resistant overly, engineered wood siding is lighter weight and therefore easier to install than real wood siding. Engineered wood siding can be bought pre-primed and ready to paint, or already finished in a variety of styles designed to mimic real wood patterns. This siding often comes with a 30 year warranty. However, moisture is still the enemy and early versions of engineered wood siding resulted in class-action lawsuits because of water-related problems. According to the manufacturing companies these problems have been fixed in the current engineered wood products.
• BobVila.com provides overviews of both real wood siding options[1] and engineered wood alternatives[2] .
• Check with the local planning department for any regulations governing siding, and to see if a building permit is required.

• There could be added carpentry or other costs if the existing exterior walls have been damaged by water or weather and need to be repaired before new siding can be added.

• Find nearby neighbors who also want wood or engineered wood siding installed; it's possible to negotiate a reduced price for multiple projects in the same area.

• Manufacturers include Cedar Valley[3] and Shakertown[4] , which sell real cedar shingles on plywood panels; or Georgia-Pacific[5] , which produces engineered wood siding. Contractor referrals are available through most manufacturers. Or watch for wood siding projects in your area; after the work is done, knock on the door and ask who the contractor was and how smoothly the project went. Most people like talking about their remodeling projects.
• Get several estimates, making sure what is (and isn't) in each quote; understand whether all prep and clean-up work is included. Request and check references. Ask to see a completed project; joints should be neat and evenly caulked. Ask about the contractor's length and type of experience. Be sure the contractor is properly bonded, insured and licensed in your state.

1.  www.bobvila.com
2.  www.bobvila.com
3.  www.cedar-valley.com/products.php
4.  www.shakertown.com/showcase.html
5.  www.gp.com/build/product.aspx?pid=1397

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