Seattle Cedar Siding: Wood Siding that Lasts

In Seattle, it's hard to justify installing any type of natural wood siding. The persistent rain and near continuous moisture can cause disastrous results. The one common wood that does have what it takes to stand to the climate of the Puget Sound area is cedar siding. Seattle homeowners who are set on the beauty of natural wood should start their siding search with this hardy wood. As with any organic material, you'll still see some cupping and curling, but it should be well within standards to retain the integrity and appearance of your siding. You'll need to stain and periodically seal your cedar siding and treat it to a professional inspection every so often, but if you're willing to invest this time and money, you have every reason to believe that you can have the look of natural wood with a siding that will last several decades.

Seattle Cedar Shake Siding and other Options
While the natural beauty of the cedar wood will do most of the work of creating a beautiful looking siding, you will have several options for the cut and design of the cedar. Cedar shake siding is the most popular, and differs from shingles in that shakes are split rather than sawn on both sides. Other forms of cedar include beveled, channeled, and tongue and groove cedar siding. Shingle sizes and dimensions will also vary. While there can certainly be a difference in the quality of the cedar, these different manufacturing options are generally one of aesthetics and homeowner preference.

Other Seattle Cedar Projects
One reason you might want to consider installing cedar siding has nothing to do with siding at all. Cedar makes a great wood for any number of outdoor installations, such as decking, fencing, hot tubs, sheds, and more. To create continuity for your home's curb appeal in Seattle, cedar siding may be, by far, the best option. Of course, you may also want to shy away from creating an entirely monotonous look, but tying different sections of cedar installations together with landscaping can be the premise for some of the most beautiful homes in Seattle. Plus, with a little foresight, you can reduce the overall cost of multiple projects by ordering the cedar all in one shot, which can provide significant discounts.

Cost and Installation of Cedar Siding in Seattle
The initial cost of installing cedar siding is actually not too bad. In fact, you can probably even price some lines of cedar siding that are cheaper than many of the common alternatives. Whereas the overall cost of an average siding installation tends to run around $10,000 or more, chances are cedar siding in Seattle will stay below this mark. As with any siding material, expert installation is crucial to creating a long-lasting siding material. Improper nailing and fastening techniques are often as much of a cause of warping as any natural process.

To this end, you'll want to thoroughly check your contractor before you sign a contract. ServiceMagic provides a 10-step screening process for every contractor in our system, which will give you a first line of defense against the more egregiously unreliable contractors. Once you begin talking to different contractors referred by ServiceMagic, however, you'll also want to take a look at our customer ratings and reviews section to ensure you get quality work at a reasonable price.

Alternatives to Seattle Cedar Siding
One of the reasons we mention tying different cedar projects together is because if you're not set on real wood siding and don't already have cedar installations in your yard, you might want to consider fiber-cement siding, instead. This siding has a wood appearance, but will last considerably longer than real cedar siding. Seattle's rainy season can eventually take its toll on even diligently cared for cedar siding. So, if you're willing to sacrifice a bit of authenticity for a more cost-effective and permanent solution, you should also look into this great Seattle siding option.