Your home’s exterior is about more than its visual impact. It also protects the bones and interior of your house. So when you choose new siding, you want something that looks great, performs its job well, and lasts for decades.
Steel siding is an attractive, durable option to consider. It outperforms other popular siding materials, including wood, fiber cement, and vinyl. But when you factor in the upfront cost, is steel siding worth it?
Use this guide to discover the many benefits of steel siding, why its long-term value makes it a worthwhile investment, and how other materials stack up.
Is Steel Siding Worth It Long Term?
Yes, steel siding is worth it over the long term. The upfront cost of steel siding materials is $4.25 to $8.50 per square foot. While you can certainly find cheaper siding products, that doesn’t mean they’re cost-effective.
Your siding’s true affordability and return on investment come from its long-term value and costs. Steel is a high-quality siding material that’s durable, low-maintenance, and long-lasting. You won’t have to worry about repainting it or frequent replacements, making it a low-cost option over its lifetime.
What Are the Benefits of Steel Siding?
Steel siding comes with a long list of benefits, including its:
- Curb appeal
- Impact resistance
- Weather resistance
- Pest resistance
- Fire resistance
- Low maintenance
- Energy efficiency
- Eco-friendliness
- Long lifespan
Let’s look at each of these in greater detail.
Curb Appeal
You aren’t limited when it comes to steel cladding. It’s available in different types of siding styles and colors to fit a variety of home designs and aesthetics — from modern farmhouses and barndos to Craftsmans and cabins.
Steel comes in the following styles:
- Log siding: The rounded profile of log siding, along with hew and chink lines, gives it the authentic look of real wood logs without the risk of rot or high maintenance.
- Lap siding: When you want traditional horizontal siding, lap is a classic choice. The steel lap panels give the look of overlapping boards, which adds dimension to a home’s exterior.
- Board and batten siding: Vertical siding is very popular and trendy, especially on barndominiums and modern farmhouses.
You can choose from a variety of colors and woodgrain finishes. TruLog steel siding is available in Matte White, Matte Black, Dark Charcoal, Musket Brown, Standard Cedar, and Evergreen. When you want the look of wood, you can choose from Hickory, Ponderosa Pine, Western Cedar, Dark Walnut, Weathered Gray, or Driftwood.
With a wide range of steel siding styles and colors, homeowners can find the perfect combination for impressive curb appeal.
Impact Resistant
Some siding materials are prone to dents or holes when struck by flying debris or hailstorms, which is the last thing you want when you’ve invested in new siding. However, this isn’t something you have to worry about with steel. TruLog siding protects your home with a Class 4 impact rating, which is the highest rating available.
Weather Resistant
Hail isn’t the only weather you want your home protected from. Luckily, steel siding holds up well to all types of conditions, including heavy rain, snow, and sun.
Steel won’t rot like wood does, and TruLog’s metal panels have a corrosion-resistant barrier and steel core with a galvanizing alloy to prevent rust. Plus, sun exposure won’t cause your siding to warp or fade. TruLog’s UV protectant clear coat keeps the color and finish looking great for years.
Pest Resistant
With real wood siding, you run the risk of damage from termites and woodpeckers. Even though vinyl is more pest-resistant than wood, mice, squirrels, and chipmunks can still chew through it. Steel siding is an excellent way to enjoy the aesthetics of wood without any of the worry.
Fire Resistant
Do you live in a state that’s prone to wildfires? Then, you know how important it is to take preparatory measures, like creating defensible space around your home and using fire-resistant building materials when possible.
Low Maintenance
One thing that makes steel siding particularly worthwhile? It’s very low maintenance. You don’t want to spend a lot of time and money to keep your siding performing and looking its best. With steel siding, you can say goodbye to spending your weekends repainting, resealing, or restaining. The only maintenance needed is a quick rinse with a hose to wash away dust and dirt. TruLog even comes with a 30-year paint coat warranty, giving you extra peace of mind.
Energy Efficient
What if your siding could help you save on energy bills? That’s an investment that would help pay for itself over the long term. TruLog steel siding is energy efficient thanks to its reflective paint finish and foam backer. It helps keep heat out during the summer and heat in during the winter.
Eco-Friendly
Energy efficiency is a good first step for eco-friendly siding, but TruLog doesn’t stop there. Its steel siding is made in the U.S. from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. So decades later, if it reaches the end of its lifespan, you won’t be adding to overflowing landfills.
Long Lifespan
A siding material is definitely worth it when it doesn’t require frequent replacement and holds up for a long time. Steel siding is designed to last for the lifetime of your home — meaning decades. You can feel at ease knowing steel siding has a lifespan of 40-70 years or more.
How Does Steel Compare to Other Siding Materials?
Even if you’re convinced that steel siding is worth it, you may still be curious about how it compares to other siding options. After all, you want to choose the best siding so your home’s exterior will hold up over the long term.
Let’s look at how some of the most popular siding choices stack up with regard to initial cost and durability.
Wood Siding
The natural beauty and timeless style of wood siding are undeniable, but it comes at a price. On average, it costs $6.90–$13.90 per square foot for materials. So, the upfront expense is quite high.
On top of that, wood requires diligent maintenance and care to keep it in good condition. It’s very susceptible to water and pest damage. Wood needs frequent resealing, repainting, or restaining to prevent rot and maintain its look.
Fiber Cement Siding
Homeowners like fiber cement’s wood-like appearance and versatile style options. On average, it costs $4.70–$8.50 per square foot, so fairly comparable to steel siding.
Fiber cement outperforms wood and vinyl when it comes to durability. It’s fire-resistant and holds up well to moisture and pests as long as it’s installed properly. The downsides are that it’s quite heavy, which can make installation more expensive, and susceptible to impact damage. You’ll also need to repaint fiber cement periodically.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is the common choice for production home builders due to its affordability and easy installation. On average, it costs $4.50–$8.20 per square foot.
While vinyl holds up well against moisture, it’s otherwise not very durable. It’s prone to fading, cracking, and warping. Vinyl also melts at high temperatures, so it doesn’t provide fire protection.
Make a Worthwhile Investment in Your Home
As you can see from its laundry list of benefits, making the investment in steel siding is worth it. The curb appeal, durability, low maintenance, and long lifespan — just to name a few — all provide exceptional long-term value. Whether you’re remodeling your home or siding a new build, you won’t regret choosing steel. You’ll feel good about your decision for decades to come.
TruLog steel siding is even more cost-effective because you can order directly from the factory — avoiding the price markup of buying from a home improvement retailer. On top of that, every order over 1,000 square feet ships for free.
Download the TruLog steel siding catalog today to pick out your favorite style and color combination.
