steel siding strength vs vinyl siding
 

how much stronger is steel siding vs vinyl siding

What is it your really doing? Building a new building, siding over something else?
House, barn?
What type "steel" siding are you asking about? Panels, lap siding?
I have not seen anyone use alumium or steel lap siding in at least 20 years.

There doing it around here...Seamless steel lap, They poop it out just like a gutter. :laughing:

And what to you do when it gets damaged?

Hey...I'm not promoting it, i just said their doing it. A couple of summers ago a house a few blocks from here got it. The sign in the yard got my attention "ABC Seamless Siding", some company out of Nebraska. I got to say it looks pretty good (from the curb anyway).

The big thing that's getting pushed around here now is Polymer Siding. The stuff goes up pretty much like vinyl and comes in 29' lengths. Very little expansion and contraction so deep pocket accessories aren't needed. Lifetime hail damage and no fading warranty (is their pitch anyway).

Spendy stuff though...about $200 sq. for the panel only...no accessories. Their selling those jobs in the $800-1000 a sq. range.

I don't care though...there are still plenty of folks that love wood and as long as there is, I'll be there for them. :thumbsup:

We have a home built in 1921, the steel siding was added, over the wood siding, in the mid 1970's. We were wanting to put on new siding and new windows. Some have said we would be crazy to take off the steel siding and replace it with vinyl. It is 5" siding, that is really all I know. We were able to find some like it when we did a small remodel about 10 years ago.

I have not seen a steel sided house anywhere on the east coast in at least 30 years.
Steel dents, vinyl does not.
Steel or aluminum is near imposable to just replace a damaged panel.
With vinyl it's about a 15 min. job and $7.00.
I can think of at least 20 places I can buy vinyl siding within 30 miles of my house, and none that sell steel siding.

Steel is awesome. It's nearly indestructible. My area of Ohio has lots of steel-sided homes. Unless you have the mother of all hailstorms, it won't dent like aluminum does........it has a stiffer profile and hail just bounces right off. Joe is correct, vinyl is much easier to fix, but, I'm guessing that you won't have to replace any steel panels in your lifetime. Once in a great while, (usually after 20 years or so) you may get areas where the paint wears away and you may get rust spots.

P.S. I have two steel-sided homes on my street. One was applied in 1978 and still looks good although the front of the garage is showing some paint wear.......and, the other was applied in 1984 and has been painted ONCE because the homeowner wanted a different color. So, 35 years of service and 29 years of service.......you won't get that type of longevity with vinyl.

Pretty easy to find at most big box stores or even local lumberyards. Found this at our local Menards big box store.
http://www.menards.com/main/building.../p-1807295.htm

If I was to go steel, I'd defiantly would go seamless.

I don't endorse this company but their one option. http://abcseamless.com/index.php/products/siding/

That is like asking how much air does a balloon hold. Of course Steel is stronger.

It all depends on whose vinyl you have installed. I installed Vinyl siding made by Reynolds in the early eighties, it was guaranteed for 50 years and I went by the house the other day, it still looks great. The formulation and thickness has a lot to do with longevity of plastic subject to UV attack. That vinyl went through three kids. I came home one day and my 8 year old son was hitting golf balls off of it. Do that with steel or aluminum.

Why does "Strength" have anything to do with the performance of siding? Its a weather resistant cladding, not a structural member????

I would say that steel siding is overkill unless you are using it for added structural strength for example no wood sheathing.

(Yes, I have seen houses with vinyl siding and no wood sheathing.)

Steel siding has slotted holes, just like other siding because it moves under thermal change. It cannot even remotely be considered structural.

If you are using your siding as wind bracing you are in deep doodoo and denial :laughing:

Jagans I didn't piss on your cornflakes did I? I never said a thing about Steel siding's strength unless indestructible means strength. My meaning has more to do with its longevity against the elements. I know it has no ability to hold the house together.

My recommendation for steel, in this case, is based on what's ALREADY ON THE HOUSE. To keep the current look, steel makes the most sense because that's what's on the rest of the house. 50 year vinyl doesn't exist anymore that I know of. Certainly it can be a great option for these homeowners but I think it's a disservice to tell them that steel can't also be a great option......I mean, that's why they asked the question, isn't it?