How to Modernize Your Home’s Exterior With Wood Siding

Over time, your beloved family home can start looking tired. A dated exterior can impact your living experience and lower your property’s curb appeal. Adding wood siding or changing the look of your existing siding are some of the easiest ways to update your home’s exterior. Maintaining wood siding is also easy when you partner with Teak Master. We’ve got more than 25 years of experience providing expert wood siding refinishing services in Los Angeles, so we understand what this natural finish can do for your home.

Appeal of Modern Wood Siding

Wood siding is a timeless exterior finish that’s appealing today for many of the reasons it’s always been popular. Wood has a unique warmth and character that other materials can’t match. Its natural grain is beautiful, but with a little paint, it can be any color of the rainbow. It also comes in a range of finishes, so you can use this versatile material to decorate any style of home.

Modern Americans often seek a connection to nature that wood siding can provide. At a time when movements such as bringing the outside in and entertaining al fresco are trending, utilizing a material that comes from trees makes so much sense. It’s organic, and no matter how much the manufacturers of synthetic variants try, nothing looks quite like it. Modern wood siding is also sustainable, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint.

With some simple maintenance, modern wood siding can also help your home look good for years to come. Wood is incredibly durable. Cutting-edge treatments help modern wood siding resist decay, moisture, and damage from pests better than the siding of the past.

Trends in Modern Wood Siding

Wood siding has come a long way since its advent in the 1800s. Today’s trends are bringing this classic finish into the 21st century. Some modern wood siding styles include:

• Going bold with black siding: All-black siding is a dramatic choice that is radically different from the natural grain and white wood siding of the past.
• Opting for unusual colors: Instead of monochrome and neutral hues, unexpected colors such as blue and green can make a property pop.
• Contrasting wood siding with other cladding materials: Mixing wood siding with materials such as stone, brick, or metal can add new dimension to a home and make it seem much edgier.
• Matching wood siding with the garage door: Homeowners who prefer a more cohesive look are pairing wood siding with a garage door of the same color.
• Using two shades of the same color: Using siding a few shades darker than your main siding for accents can be striking.
• Pairing bright trim and dark siding: Dark, natural wood siding can stand out when paired with bright white window and door trims.
• Decorating gables with unique siding: Unusual siding options such as shakes or board and batten can add interest to gables and break up a property’s look to enhance its street appeal.
• Embracing classic looks: Bright white siding complemented by natural wood accents creates a vintage farmhouse look that has returned to vogue.

Color and Finish Options

Wood siding comes in more colors and finishes than ever before, so there’s bound to be one that suits your design aesthetic. A natural finish is a timeless choice. White wood siding recalls coastal retreats. Today, wood siding comes in a full spectrum of monochromatic hues. Pale gray provides a unique alternative to white, while darker shades of gray and black are much bolder. Browns of all shades have an earthy appeal, while a rainbow of colors can help homes stand out.

There are smooth wood siding options, including smooth lap and smooth panel siding. Traditional woodgrain siding has a more organic textured surface. Wood shakes, commonly used on cottages, have a more rustic, textured finish.

Sustainability and Maintenance

More American consumers than ever before are demanding homes created more sustainably. Whether you want to make more eco-friendly choices or simply increase your home’s value, choosing a sustainable exterior finish such as modern wood siding is an excellent way to achieve your goals. Wood siding has always been a relatively sustainable choice, as the material is biodegradable. However, a shift toward sourcing lumber from responsibly managed forests has made modern wood siding an even better choice for eco-conscious consumers.

Wood is also a natural insulator, so adding wood siding can be an excellent way to make your home more energy efficient and reduce your power bills. An R-value shows the thermal resistance of insulation materials. The higher the R-value, the better the material is at retaining heat. Softwood is the better insulator with an R-value of 1.41, while hardwood has an R-value of 0.71. Both options are better insulators than siding made from fiber cement, steel, and aluminum. Softwood siding is also a better insulator than vinyl siding.

With proper maintenance, wood siding can last between 20 and 40 years. Homes in Los Angeles are usually exposed to high degrees of UV radiation, which can age wood. Refinishing your wood siding every three years can restore its protective coating and keep it looking fresh. This routine maintenance will help extend the life of your wood siding and make your investment more sustainable.

Taking care of your wood siding between refinishing services is easy. Once a year, wash down your siding with a soft-bristled brush and warm, soapy water to remove any accumulated dirt and debris. Work from the bottom of your home to the top in sections, hosing down each part before moving on to the next. A 1:4 bleach and water mix can remove any mildew, while a solution of oxalic acid can take care of any rust.

Give Your Home a Fresh Look With Wood Siding

Wood siding is a natural and sustainable exterior choice that’s right on trend. With a variety of different colors and finishes, you’re bound to find wood siding that suits your style. Maintaining wood siding is also easy, especially when you let Teak Master manage your refinishing. We’re always here for customers around Los Angeles and Southern California, so give us a call at (888) 204-8316 or reach out to us online. Our friendly team would love to offer personalized advice about wood siding and all our wood refinishing services.