7 Low-Maintenance Siding Options for Your Home
Keep your to-do list short with no-fuss siding
Your home’s siding is one of the first things people see when they arrive at your place, whether they’re neighbors passing by on a walk, family, and friends stopping by for a visit, or potential home buyers ready to put in an offer. Selecting a low-maintenance siding not only increases your home’s curb appeal, it also means you can enjoy it for years to come without too much trouble on your end.
However, not all siding materials are created equal. When installing new siding, you’ll certainly want to factor in the upfront cost of replacing the siding—but you should also think about ease of maintenance and how well a siding material holds up over the years. Below are seven low-maintenance siding materials that will keep you off your feet (for the most part) and your house looking great for years to come.
1. Vinyl
Vinyl siding is one of the most popular types of house siding for modern homes—and for good reason. It’s affordable, it’s easy to install, and it comes in a variety of colors and styles. But another key reason to choose vinyl siding? It’s super low maintenance.
You won’t ever need to paint or stain it, and cleaning vinyl siding is as easy as running the power washer. (If you’re not comfortable with a pressure washer, you can usually find affordable power washing companies near you.) You can also scrub vinyl siding by hand, using a cloth or brush and a bucket of soapy water. You only need to wash vinyl siding every two to three years.
When you’re ready to call a local siding contractor to handle installation, you can expect vinyl siding costs of $3 to $12 per square foot—making it one of the most affordable low-maintenance siding options.
Pros
Affordable
Low maintenance
Durable
Available in a variety of colors and styles
Cons
Not environmentally friendly
Fades over time
Not as luxurious looking as other siding options
2. Brick
Brick is one of the most durable, longest-lasting materials with which to build a home—brick structures last hundreds of years when properly cared for. And therein lies the beauty of brick homes: They’re very easy to maintain.
Brick siding is also eco-friendly: They’re made from natural materials such as clay and shale, and bricks can be repurposed if you ever knock down a wall or an entire structure. Brick walls are also fire- and weather-resistant, stand up well against mold and mildew, and are great insulators and noise blockers.
You can paint brick walls to change the appearance of your home, but it isn’t necessary as far as brick maintenance goes. In fact, maintaining brick mostly entails just cleaning the exterior once a year.
Over time, brick walls may require tuckpointing or repointing:
Tuckpointing costs $500 to $2,500 for 100 square feet of brick
Repointing a brick house costs $400 to $2,500 for 100 square feet.
While you need to keep up with tuckpointing and repointing, quality work done by an experienced masonry contractor near you should last you decades.
Pros
Highly durable
Lasts centuries
Low maintenance
Eco-friendly
Resists fire and weathering
Cons
Expensive
Costly repair work
Possible foundation issues over time
What About Brick Veneer?
If your home already has brick walls, we recommend embracing the beauty—and durability—of the natural brick. But if your exterior walls aren’t brick and you like the look of masonry, you can have faux brick veneer siding installed to mimic true brick.
Brick veneer costs less than the price of a brick wall. While it doesn’t offer all the same structural benefits as brick, it’s virtually maintenance-free.
3. Fiber Cement
Fiber cement siding has a lot going for it: It’s durable, it’s available in a range of colors and designs (it can mimic masonry, stucco, wood, etc.), it doesn’t often need to be repainted, and—for the homeowner who wants to take it easy—it’s relatively low-maintenance.
Fiber cement siding costs roughly $5 to $14 per square foot. Its moderate price point is one of the reasons fiber cement has become so popular in the last several decades, but homeowners are also drawn to it for its durability and ease of maintenance.
That doesn’t mean it’ll last forever (that’s one of many myths about fiber cement siding), but it does mean you—or a local fiber cement siding contractor—will only have to clean the siding about once a year, keep your landscaping trimmed back, and paint it once every 10 to 12 years.
You should also visually inspect the caulk once a year and re-caulk as needed. Here’s how to caulk siding if you’re new to the chore.
Check out our full guide to fiber cement siding maintenance to ensure you’re keeping up with the low demands of this material.
Pros
Durable
Low maintenance
Customizable
Resistant to fire and weathering
Cons
Difficult installation
Moderately priced
Not as well insulated as other materials
Not recyclable
4. Stucco
Stucco is a somewhat divisive siding—you either love it or hate it. But its affordability, durability, rustic aesthetic, and (most importantly) ease of maintenance make stucco a smart choice for many homeowners.
Stucco siding costs between $7 and $9 per square foot, including labor and materials. Once it’s installed, maintaining stucco siding is pretty straightforward. Stucco is a porous material, so it can get dirty more easily than some of the other low-maintenance siding options on this list; even so, a thorough exterior cleaning two or three times a year should do the trick.
Outside of cleaning, you only need to seal your stucco every five years or so and repair damage as it appears. Repairing stucco siding on your own is relatively easy (you’ll need about four hours for small repairs), but you can also hire a stucco repair contractor near you if you don’t have the time or know-how.
If properly maintained, stucco can last half a century or longer.
Pros
Durable and long-lasting
Low maintenance
Relatively affordable
Fire- and pest-resistant
Cons
Not ideal in rainy climates
Requires professional for installation
Sometimes difficult repair work
What About EIFs Siding?
When researching stucco, you may have also stumbled across the term EIF, making you wonder, “what is EIF siding?” EIF is often considered a synthetic stucco product that’s more expensive, durable, and better for all types of weather.
While regular stucco isn’t ideal in rainy climates, EIF has triple the layers of stucco—including a layer of water-resistive barrier (WRB)—that increase a home’s efficiency, water resistance, and insulation.
If you love the look of stucco and have the budget for it, EIF is well worth the investment to maintain the look without sacrificing the insulation or moisture resistance as other low-maintenance siding options.
5. Modified Wood
Wood is a stunning siding material—but it’s certainly not low maintenance. Thermally modified wood siding, on the other hand, requires much less maintenance. This wood composite siding is available in a wide range of textures, colors, and finishes. It’s made by compressing natural wood fibers with a resin composite material. This increases the strength and durability of the wood.
The modified wood is much more resistant to pest damage, and it doesn’t suffer the same swelling and shrinking as regular wood siding. Over time, it will take on a rustic, weathered appearance, but it’s not as liable to rot like true wood siding.
You won’t ever need to—and shouldn’t—paint modified wood siding. Just clean the exterior once a year or every other year. When properly maintained, modified wood should last between 20 and 30 years.
Pros
Aesthetically pleasing
Low maintenance
Durable
Variety of styles and colors
Free of chemicals
Cons
Expensive
Can become brittle over time
Not fire-resistant
6. Steel Siding
While aluminum siding isn’t as popular as it once was, steel siding is a nice choice if you’re into the industrial aesthetic and want something that’s easy to maintain. Steel siding is resistant to fire, mold, and mildew and has one of the highest returns on investment (ROI) of any siding material, at 86% ROI.
The upfront cost of steel siding is steep, but its low maintenance costs over the year make up for the initial investment. You’ll need to clean your steel siding about once a year, but you won’t need to paint, seal, or winterize it in any fashion.
Pros
Very durable
Low maintenance
Industrial aesthetic
High ROI
Cons
Large upfront cost
Difficult to install
Prone to dents
7. Stone Veneer
Stone veneer siding offers the aesthetic appeal of traditional stone siding but at a fraction of the cost. Budget between $5 and $11 per square foot for the cost of stone veneer siding; true stone siding can go up to $30 per square foot. That said, stone veneer siding is still more expensive than other siding options.
Stone veneer mimics the look of real stone and, like stone, is fire- and moisture-resistant. Homeowners often choose stone veneer because of its easy maintenance. You won’t need to paint it; just clean it once a year and have a contractor conduct repointing as needed.
Pros
More affordable than stone walls
Low maintenance
Long-lasting
Aesthetically pleasing
Cons
More expensive than other siding options
Not as durable as true stone walls
Not recyclable
How to Choose the Best Low-Maintenance Siding for You
The market is full of house siding options that are easy to maintain. If you’re struggling to choose the best option, consider a few factors:
Cost: First and foremost, what’s your budget? Some siding options are more expensive than others. If you’re paying out of pocket (i.e., not taking out a home equity loan to fund your siding update), you may be limited to more affordable options. Steel and brick might be out of reach.
Geographic location: Some siding options make more sense in certain areas of the United States. Stucco, for example, is ideal for drier climates. If you’re in an area prone to wildfires, avoid modified wood. Some options are better insulators—something to keep in mind if you deal with cold winters.
Insulation: A well-insulated siding means lower utility bills. However, not all siding options are created equal. The industry uses the term “R-values” to measure how well a material resists heat transfer. So the higher the R-value, the better the insulation. Some types of vinyl siding, like insulated vinyl, have the highest R-value of any siding.
Aesthetics: What siding is most eye-catching to you? It’s your house, after all; you’ll want to love coming home to it every day. Beyond your own personal tastes, consider the mass appeal, especially if you plan to list your home for sale within the next decade.
In general, the pros and cons of types of house siding can depend on a variety of factors. Sometimes, a homeowner may find a feature of one siding to be a pro, while another homeowner may think of it as a con. Weigh all of these factors above to find the one that makes the most sense for your home (and your budget.)
And if you can’t pick just one, consider mixing siding types to get a more unique and customized final product that doesn’t skimp on the low-maintenance benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
It costs an average of $3 to $12 per square foot to install new vinyl siding, plus an additional $0.25 to $0.75 per square foot for the removal of the old siding. Alternatively, it costs between $2 to $4 per square foot to repair vinyl siding. That being said, the total ROI depends on the type and extent of the damage. In some cases, a complete replacement may be more expensive but could be more worth it in the long run to prevent additional repairs or damages.
While you can install siding yourself, it’s an extensive and complicated process. Unless you have all the tools (including the proper ladders and hands on deck) and have experience in siding, you’re usually better off hiring a siding repair company to do the job for you. For most homeowners, the money saved by doing it yourself isn’t worth the time and potential risks—both during the installation and down the road—involved with the project.