Barndominium Siding Options: Pros, Cons, and Price

If you’re considering siding for a barndominium, there are several go-to materials: metal, wood, vinyl, fiber cement, brick/stone, stucco, and engineered wood.

Each has unique benefits and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on factors like climate, budget, and desired style.

In this article, we will discuss about the different siding materials and their respective challenges.

Metal Siding

Quick Fact: Tenacious and long-lasting, metal is a top pick.

Pros:

• Highly durable and weather-resistant
• Fireproof
• Low maintenance
• Wide range of colors
• Can be insulated for energy efficiency

Cons:

• Prone to dents
• Can be noisy during rain or hail
• May corrode without proper coating

Metal siding works wonders for modern barndominiums or those in harsh weather conditions. The costs can range from $3 to $8 per square foot.

Wood Siding

Quick Fact: A classic choice that adds warmth and charm.

Pros:

• Timeless, natural look
• Can be refinished
• Eco-friendly if sourced responsibly

Cons:

• Requires significant maintenance
• Vulnerable to rot, insects, and fire

Wood siding is beautiful for rural, traditional barndominiums. On average, it costs $6 to $12 per square foot, but prices vary based on the wood type.

Vinyl Siding

Quick Fact: A cost-effective, versatile option.

Pros:

• Low cost
• Diverse styles and colors
• Minimal upkeep
• Doesn’t peel, rot, or flake

Cons:

• Can look plasticky
• Not the most eco-friendly
• May crack in extreme cold

Vinyl is ideal for those looking for an affordable choice, costing about $2 to $7 per square foot.

Fiber Cement Siding

Quick Fact: Emulates wood or stone successfully and is tough.

Pros:

• Mimics more expensive siding
• Fire and termite resistant
• Withstands severe weather
• Long lifespan

Cons:

• Heavier, making it harder to install
• Can need repainting over time

If you encounter varied weather, fiber cement — priced between $5 and $10 per square foot — might be your match.

Brick and Stone

*Quick Fact: Creates an imposing and ageless appearance.*

Pros:

• Extremely durable
• Low maintenance
• Great insulation properties
• Premium aesthetic appeal

Cons:

• High upfront cost
• Complex installation
• Limited ability to change appearances

Brick and stone are spot-on for those preferring a classic, sturdy look, especially fitting for large, majestic barndominiums. Typical costs start around $9 to $30 per square foot, not including installation.

Stucco Siding

Quick Fact: Offers a unique texture with an artistic flair.

Pros:

• Energy efficient due to insulating properties
• Customizable in texture and color
• Firesafe

Cons:

• May develop cracks over time
• Needs expert installation
• Occasional maintenance and painting

Stucco performs well in warmer, drier climates and is visually striking. It typically runs from $6 to $9 per square foot.

Engineered Wood Siding

Quick Fact: A smart blend of performance, cost, and aesthetics.

Pros:

• Cheaper and greener than traditional wood
• Resistant to rot and pests
• Easy to paint in various colors

Cons:

• Still requires more maintenance than synthetic alternatives
• Can be less durable than pure wood

Ideal for those wanting wood without intense upkeep. Engineered wood averages from $3.50 to $8 per square foot.

Siding Performance Factors Comparison

Durability: Metal, brick, and fiber cement lead with exceptional toughness.
Installation Difficulty: Metal and vinyl are DIY-friendly, while brick, stone, and stucco need skilled installers.

Climate Suitability: Stucco fits dry areas, wood works well where temperature fluctuations are moderate, and metal caters to a range of environments.
Maintenance: Metal, vinyl, and fiber cement offer the least hassle.

Aesthetic: This is subjective, but wood, brick, and stone typically win on traditional appeal.

Challenges with Siding

Issues typically arise from improper installation, lack of maintenance, or local environmental conditions that stress the material. Factors like humidity, extreme temperature changes, and exposure to salt can impact longevity.

Here we address all the challenges along with potential safeguards.

Installation Issues

With heavy materials like brick, stone, or fiber cement, installation can be complex and typically requires pro help.

Solution: Opt for lightweight alternatives like vinyl or metal if you want to DIY. Hire trusted contractors for heavier siding to ensure it’s done right.

Climate Concerns

Not all siding stands up well in places with extreme weather. For example, vinyl may crack in cold temperatures, wood can rot in humid areas, and metal might corrode near the ocean.

Solution: Choose a siding adapted to your climate. Metal that’s treated for rust is a good option by the sea. Vinyl with anti-crack features works in the cold. Make sure wood siding is sealed properly for damp areas.

Maintenance Matters

Some siding types demand more upkeep than others. Wood can need frequent staining, and stucco might require patching if it cracks.

Solution: If you’d rather spend less time on maintenance, go with vinyl, metal, or fiber cement, which only need an occasional wash down.

Color Fading and Peeling

Colors on some sidings, especially cheap ones, may fade with sun exposure. Paint can peel, too, making your home look not so great.

Solution: Some siding materials now come with color baked in, which lasts longer. Look for those or be ready to repaint now and then to keep everything looking fresh.

Economic Considerations

Siding can get expensive, quickly. High-end choices like stone can drill a serious hole in your budget.

Solution: Plan your costs carefully. Consider durability versus upfront expense. Sometimes a costlier option needs less fixing over time, saving you money in the long run.

Environmental Impact

Yeah, all this building stuff does affect our planet. Producing vinyl, for instance, isn’t super green, and neither is cutting down forests for wood siding.

Solution: Seek out eco-friendly choices. Maybe recycled metal, sustainably-sourced wood, or engineered wood made with environmentally safe practices.

Tackling these siding challenges head-on means you’ll be better positioned for a successful barndominium build or redo. Keeping sight of your goals, circumstances, and values will guide your hand in selecting the siding that best fits your needs.

Seasonality & Location: How They Affect Siding

In the world of construction, just like packing for a trip, it’s essential to dress your barndominium appropriately for its surroundings and the weather it’ll encounter. Siding is the outfit your home wears all year round—it has to look good and protect well, whatever the climate dishes out.

Coastal Climes: Resist the Rust

Living on the coast is a dream with those ocean views but can be harsh on a house. Just ask Amy from Florida, whose barndominium with a metal exterior resisted salty gusts from the Gulf. She picked a siding with a protective coating, a simple step that’s kept her charming home as dazzling as a lighthouse.

Snowy Spots: Keep Out the Cold

Up north where snowflakes are more common than raindrops, like Jeff’s place in the Michigan U.P., you’ll want a siding that keeps the heat in. His fiber cement choice stands up against Santa-level blizzards without flinching, combining sturdiness with insulation prowess.

Sun-Drenched Regions: Fade No Fair

An ardent sun can fade paint within just a few cycles of the calendar. That’s why the Ramsey family in sunny Nevada chose vinyl siding known for its UV resistance; their home looks just as vibrant as the day that siding came on board.

Windy Cities: Stand Firm Against Gusts

In places like Chicago where the “Hawk” wind roars, you’ll find robust structures with heavier siding like stone to block out those blustering drafts. It’s all about not letting the wind boss your barndominium around.

Location-specific Considerations

If your barndominium sits somewhere hot and sticky, materials that don’t rot or mold up are golden. That’s where engineered wood—treated to stand firm against such clammy conditions—ends up a crowd favorite, as Sean discovered with his Louisiana hideaway on the bayou.

For areas with a higher wildfire risk, like certain spots in California, it’s not just about looking good—it’s about resilience. Non-combustible siding materials, including metal and brick, can give you extra peace of mind.

Owing to seasonality and location, siding choices can wildly vary, linked to natural occurrences and

Siding’s Effect on Temperature and Insulation Strategies

When it’s blazing hot or teeth-chattering cold outside, the last thing you want is for that to mess with your comfy barndominium temperature. So does siding really act like a superhero shield against temperature swings? Totally.

Imagine putting on a sweater that is too thin when it’s cold—you’ll shiver, right? Siding can be like that sweater for your home. Cheap, thin siding won’t help much with the outside temperature trying to creep inside.

How Different Siding Materials Hold Up:

The Warmth of Wood
Wood’s like a cozy cabin-next-to-the-fireplace material. It’s naturally insulative, but remember, wood needs help – like added weather stripping – to seal the warmth in and keep drafty air out.

Metal’s Cool Shield
Metal siding reflects sunlight, bouncing back the heat instead of soaking it in. That’s chill for keeping broccoli-crunchy coolness in summer, but it doesn’t store warmth, so your barndominium might need extra insulation come winter, which is just like layering on more blankets.

Vinyl—The Adaptable One
It’s not a natural insulator, but vinyl’s like a DIY builder’s candy store with all its insulating add-ons. You pair vinyl with these snug-like-a-bug options, and that’ll reduce a ton of the hassle from high electric bills across seasons.

Brick—the Toasty Bookend
Brick acts like an old-school thermal mass, soaking up sunbytes during the day and releasing ’em later slowly—like loading a woodstove with logs and letting the heat drift out bit by bit. Defending against cold invasions? Check.

We have Nick from Texas—he wrapped up his barndominium in brick, preventing the scorching summer sun from affecting his indoor tea-party coolness. His energy bills practically took a nose dive.

Stucco’s Double Duty
Stucco’s thicker than a gossip magazine and lets you piggyback extra insulating foam underneath too. Picture Rae—he splashed his Arizona barndominium in stucco, ensuring his air conditioner didn’t have to slog through the scorching sauna of the Sonoran Desert.

Insulation Pathways:

Now, good siding may block some outside temps, but that’s just part of the whole keep-comfy system. Mix

it with some solid insulation under the hat—like batt, foam, or blown-in choices–and together, they’ll join forces to maintain your barndominium’s inner weather climate.

Burden on Your Wallet:

When it comes down to dollars and cents, great siding with boss insulation means the air conditioning or heating get less of a workout. Let’s do the math: if your walls are skimpy on resistance against temperature (that’s what R-value measures), you’re essentially leaking cash. Spend more now on high-quality, high R-value stuff, and the saving spree on your energy bills kicks off.

Take the Hiltons in chilly upstate New York: They invested upfront in high R-value foam insulation paired with hearty vinyl siding enriched with an insulating backing. The gambit paid off. Their cozy radiant-heat setup has used less energy than their last microwave snacks budget thanks to all that nicely trapped warmth.

On the reverse card, the Ellis family threw up fiber cement siding, along with decent insulation, on their barndominium in steamy Florida, keeping them so chill you’d think they hibernate for summer. Their upfront bump in costs is now offset by how crazy low their cooling bills are.

The Big Picture:

Touching base with the siding game is akin to picking out your year-round outerwear. Be savvy, scoping out the best combos of durability, insulation, and smack-on value you can grab. Not every material goes hand-in-hand with every condition nature snaps at us. Comparison shop measuredly—you’re building not just a place, but an efficient haven decked top to toe in perfect weather-fighting gear.

Summing It Up

In discussing various barndominium siding options, remember to blend personal style with practical functionality. Reflect on the climate, the intended look, and longevity when juggling these siding worthies.