If you are considering a wood siding for your home, the first thing you must consider is the type of wood. If you want the log cabin look then your choices of wood might be; ponderosa, white pine, cedar, red cedar, redwood, cypress, or maybe even oak. And although this is a no-no amongst true wood lovers, tree-huggers will want you to look at the imitations.

They make simulated aluminum log siding and fake steel log sidings too. And there are Wood and Cedar vinyl sidings as well. Vinyl log siding may have you shaking your head, saying “no way” and yet, the cost is next to nothing compared to real wood and the maintenance is very little to keep it up. The cost of wood siding can be astronomical, and if you don’t keep it up, well, it’s not going to be worth much in future years.

The specification and grade of the wood also matters – for instance if you go with a Western Red Cedar there is Kiln Dried Clear Siding, Dry Knotty Sidings, and Green “unseasoned Siding grades – all with a different look, and feel and drastically different in price as well. The color of wood siding of course changes with the type of wood and the region from where the wood was taken, which forest and exact species of tree.

It’s best to buy your wood in one place from the same vendor so that the color is all the same, as even after you apply protective coatings you can have variations in color. And some folks like this because it gives the home personality, others who are more detailed and perfectionists often cringe at the sight.

Wood Composite Siding is another concept to think on, as composite wood siding comes in two variations and many choices of materials as well. Plywood style sheet is one variation, and particle laminated boards another. It’s all a matter of taste, but as one recent realtor warned, do not get too exotic, as your return on investment at resale might be tough.

Clapboard Wood Siding is yet another type of wood siding, it is quite common, and again it is a personal choice. There are indeed a lot of advantages to clapboard wood siding, and in some regions of the US it is practically a tradition. So, please consider all this.