A lot of questions about the type of siding best to use in the Northwest can be answered by driving around and looking at homes in the area. However, you should also take into account the historical, cultural, and geographical region when determining the best siding for a house in the northwest, as all are factors.
Northwest History: Wood Was King
One short answer to the best siding question is that it depends upon the era. In the 1800’s logs gave way to natural wood siding, which never really lost its market leadership until the latter part of the 20th century when fiber cement became the leader. Sandwiched around the fiber cement era were two periods where engineered wood siding became the most popular. In fact, were it not for a recall of one very popular brand of exterior OSB siding, engineered wood siding may not have ever given up it’s crown. After the recall, all manufacturers of engineered wood siding beefed up their quality and product development practices, resulting in products that have typically been in development for a decade before they reach customers. That commitment brought the engineered wood sector back to parity in the marketplace.
Culturally, Northwesterners Prefer Wood Siding
Another answer is to look at how the material fits in to the region culturally. Culturally speaking, wood and engineered wood win hands down as a building material, because both Oregon and Washington are well known for providing much of the United State’s wood for building over the course of the past century. There is therefore a lot of timber industry support as well as homegrown pride in using wood siding on your home. If you are in the Northwest, despite the fact that there is a decline in timber industry employment, you will still see log trucks on the road all the time, a sign that the industry is alive, according to The Oregonian.
Wood and Fiber Cement Fit the Geography
In terms of geography, you would have to look at climate to determine the type of siding best to use in the Northwest. Wood and engineered wood products are popular because the Northwest is largely untroubled by pests like termites that are everywhere in places, such as California. If your house is built to code, they are also likely to last and provide better aesthetic longevity against the elements than a material like stucco, which has been known to degrade in the heavy rainfall areas of the Northwest.
Fiber cement is also very popular, because it emulates wood well enough that it looks like natural wood when it is sealed and painted. Like some engineered wood products, fiber cement siding does not warp like natural wood can, allowing you to keep the uniform look on your home.
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If you are in the process of choosing a siding for your home in the Northwest, chances are that either fiber cement, with its multiple pattern configurations or engineered wood will be the material that you choose. Although either material will work very well, engineered wood remains the type of siding best to use in the Northwest.
