Your home’s siding material makes a big difference in many aspects of the home’s desirability, from its longevity to its curb appeal to its overall value. Stucco siding and vinyl siding are two popular choices for home exterior fabrications. If you’re wondering whether to go with a stucco home or one that has vinyl siding installed, you’re probably wondering about how these two building materials compare against each other in various ways. Here’s a direct comparison for you to consider.
Aesthetics and Design Options
Stucco, also sometimes called Portland cement-based plaster, is the clear-cut winner from an aesthetic perspective. While vinyl does offer a wide range of siding colours and design styles, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s basically a plastic applied to the side of your home. Stucco, in comparison, has a rich, elegant look that vinyl can’t begin to match.
Stucco is used on the exteriors of 43% of the highest valued homes in the price range of $750,000 or greater. In comparison, vinyl is only used on 18% of the homes in this price range.
Vinyl is the more popular siding choice when you examine the overall market share in all price points. However, the data clearly indicates that vinyl is the top choice for cheap homes, particularly mobile homes and manufactured homes.
Portland cement-based plaster offers you the opportunity to create interesting plant-ons, shapes and cornice moulding designs. Additionally, you have the option to create a stucco ceiling and interior walls, which gives your home a cohesive look from the exterior to the interior.
Overall Long Term Value
Portland cement-based plaster tends to offer the best overall value when rated over a long-term period of thirty years or more.
Fire and Moisture Resistance
Both Portland cement-based plaster and vinyl generally meet building codes for fire and moisture resistance.
Cost of Installation
An exterior built of Portland cement-based plaster is significantly more costly than vinyl siding.
The least expensive options for vinyl siding require seaming between the vinyl panels, and they look just as cheap as they are. You’ll have to pay as much as 30 percent more to get seamless vinyl siding.
Ease of Maintenance
Vinyl and Portland cement-based plaster are both easy to maintain. Pressure washing is recommended for both types of fabrications.
Like any plastic, vinyl is susceptible to becoming brittle and cracking with age or significant impact. Holes and cracks in vinyl can be repaired.
Portland cement-based plaster is also susceptible to cracking, Like vinyl, if it cracks it can be repaired. There are also a number of businesses offering popcorn ceiling repair services.
Conclusion
When you take all these factors into consideration, stucco is the clear-cut winner if you are able to afford it. If a cheap upfront cost on your siding material is your most important consideration, that’s really the only point at which vinyl becomes the best choice. We hope you found this comparison helpful in determining which type of building material you’d prefer to invest in for your home.
