Beauty aside, the practical, value of cedar siding offers other benefits; the cedar siding wood’s cellular structure creates interior air spaces that give it an insulation value higher than most woods and much higher than brick or concrete.
Homes with cedar siding tend to stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Cedar siding also has excellent sound suppression and absorption qualities.
Cedar siding does not always look attractive to a person the first time they see it. It can appear plain, and uninteresting.
Traditionally, Red Cedars have been used in making the shakes. But, with the advent of modernization, the number of red cedar trees has reduced, making manufacturers look at other types of wood in the manufacture of shakes.
Cedar siding is particularly beneficial if your home is in an extremely wet climate. I live in Oregon and, here, cedar is the number one choice in home siding products.
Some of the benefits of cedar siding include:
- Some cedar sidings can even last a lifetime, if properly installed and maintained.
- Every piece of wood is dried, precision milled and stained to provide long lasting beauty.
- Cedar siding does not need to be painted. In this case, it will retain a natural look. Natural cedars can come in varying colors, from light shades to reddish ones. The more red the cedar is, higher is the price. Aging is the main factor causing the cedar sidings to become reddish in color.
Cedar siding has disadvantages too, though. Since it made of wood, it is vulnerable to termite attacks. This will make the siding weak.
Having your home treated for termites and preventative measures installed before you install the siding is necessary, along with annual termite inspections.
There might be other pest infestations and fungal infections. All these will compromise the structural integrity of your house. A protective coating of polish or a varnish should be applied that will retard the growth of the fungus.
