For a large majority of homes vinyl is the best choice for siding due to its toughness, style, low maintenance, many colors and reasonable cost. 

Below are some key things to learn as you explore which is right for you.
 

Siding is to a house as clothing is to our body. Siding protects the house against the elements and pests. It helps prevent moisture from penetrating and the growth of biological contaminants such as bacteria, mold, and dust mites. These three types of biological contaminants have been known to cause health problems in humans, including allergies and respiratory illnesses.

You should put in careful consideration when choosing you siding. Siding needs differ depending on whether you're in a dry climate, or wetter climates. Some siding is better suited for windy conditions. However, other siding such as vinyl, are suited for all types of weather conditions.

Moisture concerns include rain, snow, and frost. If moisture gets behind the siding, the wall will get soft and thus degrading the strength of the entire frame of the house.

Common pests that you may find behind improper siding are termites, carpenter ants and dust mites. Dust mites are a common concern for those with allergies. Carpenter ants and termites eat away at the home, resulting in a weak wooden frame of your home.

Aluminum

Aluminum is one of the metal siding. It is more popular than steel because exposed areas of steel have a tendency to rust. Aluminum siding comes in long panels with baked-on enamel finish that can be textured or smooth. Aluminum may dent and depending on how high or low the damaged panel is replacing it can be a difficult task. Aluminum is a good heat insulator and is very waterproof. Aluminum is composed of the same 3 basic parts as vinyl.

Rectangular Plank

Perfectly rectangular wood planks are applied vertically with their ends butted together for a smooth look. The vertical joints of the planks are covered by long, narrow strips of wood called battens, to help keep out the moisture. The battens also help give a vertical "rise and fall" look to the siding.

Clapboard

Clapboard is rectangular planking applied horizontally and overlapped. Clapboard will not look as smooth as rectangular planking that is applied vertically. However, it can be given a smother look if the edges of the plank are beveled or tapered.

Composition Board

Composition board or hardboard is planks or sheets of compressed wood fiber and weather resistant adhesive. Hardboard is a good choice in drier areas. The panels can be as long as 16 feet without any gaps. It can be made to look like clapboard if it is cut and applied horizontally.

Shingles

Shingles are usually cedar, redwood, or cypress. They are smooth sawn and of uniform size and shape. They are applied from the bottom up and overlap each other a bit as the next highest row is applied. Some people prefer to have their shingles overlap in various amounts to give a different look of texture. Shingles can be applied in a single course, where all shingles are exposed to the elements or a double course in which only the top layer of shingles is exposed. Shingles are prone to cupping, a rolling of the shingle toward the center, and checking, which is cracking or splitting.

Shanks

Shakes are a rough type of wooden shingle, usually redwood, cedar or cypress. They can be either: hand split, hand split and sawn on one side or hand split and sawn on both sides. They are non-uniform in size and shape and give a rustic look to the exterior of the home. Shanks can be applied in a single course where all are exposed to the elements or a double course in which only the top layer is exposed. Shanks are prone to cupping, a rolling of the shake towards the center, and checking, which is cracking or splitting.

Stucco

Stucco is very similar to plaster on an interior wall. Stucco, like vinyl, is a durable siding. It is composed of water, sand and cement. Today some stucco has an acrylic finish. In a traditional stucco application, wire mesh is attached to the sheathing and studs of the house. Two or three coats of various stucco mixtures are then applied over the wire mesh. Finally, the top coat of a stucco siding is applied with a smooth or textured finish.

Veneers

Veneers are usually brick or stone. Veneers are applied one ply thick either as a whole house veneer or as an accent veneer. Veneers are applied from the ground up and are attached to the wall sheathing with brick ties. The brick ties expand and contract as the frame does to help keep the veneer from cracking. There is also an L-shaped metal flashing that runs underneath the brick and up the wall to keep water from the foundation. Veneers allow moisture to escape through their weep holes underneath the bottom course of the siding. Mortar less brick veneers are made of high strength tongue and groove concrete. Mortar less brick can be installed about 35% faster than conventional masonry. This type of siding is an excellent example of rain screening because water cannot penetrate the veneer.

Vinyl

Vinyl panels are made of polyvinyl chloride and resemble wood. The act much the same way as aluminum but don't dent. If vinyl is scratched, it doesn't need to be painted because vinyl doesn't rust and the color of the vinyl permeates the entire thickness of the panels. Vinyl siding comes in various lengths and widths. The average width of vinyl panels is 6 1/2 inches to 10 inches.

Standard vinyl siding has three components: a nail hem at the top of the panel where the slots are located, the face which is the exposed area of the panel visible when installation is complete, and the butt lock, which is located on the bottom of the panel and locks into the previously installed panel. J- Channels and other accessories can be functional or aesthetic or both. These accents can cover seams, enclose eaves or overhands, and provide and accent to the siding. Today's vinyl siding comes with life-time warranties. Often these warranties are transferable if you sell your home.

Wood Plank Siding

Planks for this type of siding can be cut perfectly rectangular, tapered, or with special milled cuts. The special milled cuts are: V-groove, channel, rabbeted bevel, shiplap, and drop. In addition to providing somewhat of a texture, special milled cuts also fit together in such a way as to protect joints from water infiltration.

Plywood Siding

Plywood consists of 2 materials glued and veneered. The veneer is a slice or cut of wood of constant thickness. Plywood siding is more water resistant than indoor plywood.

Vinyl is made of polyvinyl chloride. It is widely used in construction today. It resembles wood and comes in various styles and colors. One of the advantages of vinyl is that the color of the vinyl permeates the thickness of the panel, making scratches almost unnoticeable. Vinyl responds well in a wide variety of temperatures and climates. Unlike aluminum, damaged panels can be replaced quite quickly. Unlike woods, vinyl has a relatively high ignition temperature of 736 degrees F. Cedar will burn 2 1/2 times faster and hardboard will burn 3 times faster than vinyl. This slower burn rate can give occupants more time to escape in case of a fire.

Stucco is a combination of sand cement and water. It is waterproof and weatherproof. Though it is waterproof and weatherproof, it is also permeable to water vapor. It lets moisture escape from the walls.

Woods, such as cedar, redwood, and cypress are most often used as siding. Some woods are very attractive to animals or birds, like woodpeckers, whose pecking will make holes or otherwise damage siding. It is important to know about the area you live in before choosing a particular type of wood.

Cedar is a large coniferous tree, its surface is soft and its grain is intricate. Cedar produces natural tannin that is thought to be a natural insect repellent. These tannins can cause spots, especially after rain storms. The spotting will stop after about 3 years, once the wood is used to the weather conditions.

Redwood is similar to cedar except in its color.

Aluminum is similar to vinyl but is very susceptible to dents, for example, when hit by a ball or leaned on. It is relatively low maintenance in the earlier years. It will need repainting when you touch it and a chalky residue appears on your finger. When it does need repainting, it must be carefully prepared using a primer specifically selected for that aluminum. Once in a while a manufacturer will discontinue a pattern. It is a good idea to purchase several replacement panels when you make the initial siding purchase.

Brick is now more affordable due to the newer mortar less applications available. Mortar less brick is made of concrete.

Plywood; common plywood veneers include southern yellow pine, double glass fir and western red cedar. Plywood siding can be either smooth or roughhewn. One preferred plywood siding is T1-11, which is grooved to resemble lumber. Plywood siding applied horizontally is susceptible to water penetration. Two possible remedies for this are flashing behind the plywood or creating scarfed joints.

Wood Shakes and Shingles

These should not be installed closed to the ground where moisture might wick up behind them. If there is soil buildup around the bottom of the wood siding, it should be removed. Shakes and shingles will fade over time, and may fade unevenly depending on landscaping or nearness to other homes that might cause partial shade. Shakes and shingles can be painted or stained to help preserve them. Depending on the climate, painting may have to be done every 5-7 years and staining may have to be done every 3 years.

Wood Planking

Wood planking will have to be repainted. The time period between paintings is dependent on the climate.

Composition Board or hardboard must have a good deal of TLC, especially in wet climates. Composition board must be repainted more often than wood siding because it doesn't hold paint as well. If left exposed too long, the board will absorb moisture, expand and bow out. Unlike solid wood, which will shrink after it has expanded, hardboard will not. It may actually disintegrate. Make sure sprinklers and leaky downspouts don't wet the hardboard. You should always maintain 6-8 inches of clearance between the ground and the lowest board. Inspect the joints, the nails and the end of the planks. Caulk around cracked joints. Make sure nails haven't broken the surface finish or water will seep in. Choosing a wood that is appropriate to your area is important to consider before you make your decision.

Some birds, like woodpeckers, have been known to punch away at the sides of homes. Should birds make holes in the wood, they must be filled or replaced.

Brick and Stone veneers may develop spalling. That means that the brick or stone or mortar may fall out or crumble. This is especially likely to occur where wall meets wall or at the bottom of the wall. One way to slow spalling is to clear any debris from underneath the lowest course of the veneer. Under this bottom course are weep holes that allow moisture to escape from behind the veneer. Another way to help prevent spalling is keeping vines off siding. As vines grow and spread on siding they actually do two things...they hold onto the mortar making it weak and they trap moisture next to the house. If cracks or spalling occurs it should be patched or replaced as soon as possible. Mortar less brick will not have the problems that brick and mortar siding does.

Stucco should be watched for cracks. All loose materials should be scraped from the cracks before caulking. Only use a paint-able caulk.

Vinyl is easy to maintain. From time to time vinyl will have to be washed to eliminate dirt, dust, grass stains, mold or mildew. For heavier stains, vinyl siding can be cleaned with a soft cloth, or soft bristled toothbrush (if the surface is textured). Some of the more common cleaners that can be used on the vinyl include: Fantastic, Murphy's Oil Soap, Lestoil, Windex, and Soft Scrub.

Since vinyl and its accessories will melt when exposed to significant fire or flame, owners of vinyl siding should take care to keep grills and combustible materials, such as mulch and dry leaves, away from the siding.

Aluminum is easily maintained in eh first few years. After that, the color may fade, paint, blister, or crack. Aluminum should be watched for dents, which should either be repainted or the panel replaced. Aluminum may need to be cleaned to removed dirt, grass, or mildew. Pressure washing aluminum is possible but should first be done with plain water or low pressure. If low pressure doesn't seem to be making the area clean, do a higher power test wash on an area that is less visible. The test wash is important because some pressure washers create enough pressure to break a 2 x 4. It is best to use biodegradable detergent and hose it off with a light spray.

Plywood siding can expand and contract at different rates than the framing it is attached to. This expanding and contracting at different rates can cause nails to pull out; joints to pull apart and siding may fall off. Keep the surface finishes fresh or plywood siding will deteriorate, absorb moisture and warp. Once the warping starts the grooves in the plywood will split, allowing even more water to penetrate until the siding actually pushes away from the under ply.