A Buyer's Guide To Vertical Siding: What It Is And How It Can Improve Your Curb Appeal

Depending on the material, replacing the siding on your home costs between $11,679 and $21,250. When you sell, you may see an ROI of 89% to 95%. But if you choose vertical siding for your remodel project, you give your home an appeal that sets it apart from the rest of the neighborhood. 

This buyer's guide explains all you need to know about vertical siding so you can decide if it's the right choice for your home's architectural style.

What is vertical siding?

Most people think of board-and-batten siding when they hear "vertical." But technically, you can install any siding profile vertically. 

Types of siding installed vertically

Board and batten is the traditional style of vertical siding. However, panel, lap, and tongue-and-groove may also be installed at this angle.

Board & batten siding

Authentic board-and-batten siding is created by covering a home with wide boards and sealing the gaps with a batten (narrow strip of wood). Traditionally, board-and-batten siding was how early homebuilders deviated from the log house. "As we got away from the log idea and began covering a framed structure with boards, there was a gap that needed covering. The batten came about to cover the gap, not because it looked good," says Lee Calisti, AIA, architect and strategic construction advisor with Real Estate Bees and  

More recently, board-and-batten siding has become popular with the trending modern farmhouse style. To accommodate homeowners who don't want to be tied to their homes, you can now purchase siding made of other low-maintenance materials that look like board-and-batten. 

Tonge-and-groove siding

According to Calisti, as sawmills evolved, sawyers were able to perform fancier cuts in their lumber–hence tongue and groove. Since boards cut with tongue and groove edges create natural seals, this type of siding eliminated the need for the batten. This style is installed horizontally and vertically. Authentic tongue-and-groove siding is made of wood, but manufacturers offer it in other materials.

Shiplap siding

Photo courtesy of Pro Superior Construction

Shiplap siding came from the Vikings, who used this profile to waterproof their ships' hulls. The rabbeted shiplap joints prevent water from penetrating the wood, whether installed horizontally or vertically. However, you can now buy shiplap in other materials.

Panel siding

According to Calisti, the 1960s brought a new style of siding. "Someone thought we could make vertical siding cheaper by cutting a groove in plywood," he says. This new faux version was dubbed T1-11 after the process used in making it. 

"T1-11's origin came from the American people wanting nostalgia but sacrificing authenticity," says Calisti. "It was a bad idea. It rots, needs painting, and has edge finishing challenges." 

Though T1-11 is rarely used in quality homes, the look has prevailed, and you can now buy grooved panel siding in rot-resistant materials like fiber cement and engineered wood.

How can vertical siding improve my curb appeal?

When it comes to visual effects, vertical siding can do wonders. But before making any design decision, Calisti asks, "What material would represent the scene the best?" Besides protecting the structure, siding should "support some other theme or cause," he says. For example, it makes sense to choose log siding for a home in the woods. 

Make the home appear taller

Calisti says that vertical siding "accentuates the verticality of the structure." The owners of this split-level home installed vertical board-and-batten siding on the second story. This strategic placement forces the observer to look up, which makes the house appear taller–a benefit to the smallest home in the neighborhood, for example.

Pair with brick

This homeowner installed board and batten on the upper story to bring dimension to what would otherwise appear to be a sprawling ranch home. Painting it a neutral color ensured it complemented the brick siding and fit with the surrounding landscape.

Tone down a sleek modern design

For the sleek, contemporary home with smooth finishes and metal trim, natural-looking vertical siding brings warmth to the exterior.

Enhance the garden cottage

When a garden cottage is rocking the green roof, you want a siding that keeps it in the zone. This board-and-batten siding complements the natural vibe, provides rustic charm, and draws passing eyes to admire the rooftop vegetation.

Vertical siding as an accent

Using vertical siding as an accent in the gables lifts the home, making it appear taller than it truly is. Other areas to consider for accents are entryways, the garage surround, and the surrounding dormers. John Kinyon, owner/operator of Custom Exteriors, LLC in Colorado, says to take this opportunity to add a pop of color to a home already sided in neutral tones. "It really makes your home stand out," he says. 

Vertical siding materials

Board and batten, the original vertical siding, was historically made of wood. However, manufacturers have formulated materials that resist rot, insects, and fire over time. What could be better, right? 

So, you can get vertical siding in almost any material. It just might not look like the original when you get up close and personal. For instance, metal board-and-batten is not metal panels with metal battens fixed over the gaps. It's a solid panel folded to appear to have battens. In addition to vertical wood siding, here is a list of alternative materials.

• Aluminum siding emerged in the 1930s as a rot-resistant alternative to wood that never needed painting. Since then, other types of metal siding have come on the scene. You can now purchase aluminum, steel, and Galvalume siding.
• After aluminum siding, manufacturers created vinyl siding. The next best thing to peanut butter, this polyvinyl chloride (PVC) product is rot and insect-resistant and, most importantly, affordable. It is currently the most popular choice for homeowners.
• Engineered wood is also sought as a new and improved wood product. This type of siding is made of wood strands treated with waxes, resins, and zinc borate, then bonded together and coated with a water-resistant overlay. It is more resistant to moisture and insects than natural wood.
• Fiber cement siding is a mixture of Portland cement, water, sand, and cellulose fibers. It is textured to resemble natural wood. Insects and pests won't eat it, and it's resistant to rot and fire.
• Finally, composite wood was developed as a way to improve the characteristics of wood and use our surplus plastic waste. It includes wood fiber (sawdust) and recycled plastic. 

Is vertical siding expensive?

The average cost to side a home with vertical siding is $5,615 to $19,543, depending on multiple factors.

"Panel siding or board-and-batten siding is more expensive than traditional lap siding in most circumstances," says Kinyon. However, "the costs are higher on the material end, whereas labor stays pretty consistent," he adds. Also, consider that costs vary depending on the style, home size, and location. Here are the cost ranges for some popular types of vertical siding.

Cost of vertical siding by material

Pros and cons of vertical siding

Before spending money on vertical siding, you should learn about this particular orientation's advantages and disadvantages.

Popular brands of vertical siding

When you hire a siding professional to install your new siding, they will have suppliers that provide the materials. But if you want to shop for brands for a DIY installation, here are a few top siding brands that offer vertical siding profiles.

LP Building Solutions

LP SmartSide siding is an engineered wood product. Its panels come in the shiplap and board-and-batten style and are textured to resemble pebbled stucco or cedar. LP's panel siding comes primed and ready to paint or coated with LP's ExpertFinish, which has 16 color options, depending on the texture.

James Hardie

A front-runner in the fiber cement industry, James Hardie offers vertical siding products in the paneled shiplap and board-and-batten style. You can choose between a smooth, stucco, or gently lined texture primed for painting.  

Kaycan

For an affordable vertical vinyl siding option, check out Kaycan by Saint-Gobain. Available in board-and-batten or grooved panels, Kaycan products offer distinct shadow lines, and low gloss woodgrain finishes for an authentic appearance.

Is vertical siding right for your home?

Whether you choose vertical or horizontal siding for your home depends on its style, setting, and personal taste. Consult a siding specialist or architect for professional advice on selecting your siding style.

Frequently asked questions

Is it easier to maintain vertical siding?

If you live in a particularly dusty area of the country, like near farms, forests, or a dirt road, dust settles on the grooves or lap edges of horizontal siding, making cleaning more challenging.

Does vertical siding make a house look taller?

It can. Depending on the home's design, adding vertical lines can give the house the appearance of height.

Are there downsides to vertical siding?

As far as how it protects your home, no. But, according to John Kinyon, owner/operator of Custom Exteriors, LLC, siding panels may not come as long as the wall is tall for some homes, which requires them to be pieced. This results in a horizontal seam, which can detract from the aesthetics of the siding.