In this guide

Wood Siding Cost per Square Foot

There are many types of wood siding with different associated prices. Wood species vary in costs, such as the style of the boards or shingles. Wood siding costs range from $1 to $30 a square foot for materials. Installation adds another $1 to $5 a square foot, depending on the material, style, and how difficult it is to cut and work with. This gives wood siding a cost range of $2 to $35 a square foot.

Wood Siding Cost by Type

Many wood species can be used as siding. There are also some wood-based products, such as plywood and engineered siding, that can be used. Each has unique characteristics and costs.

T-111 Plywood Siding Prices

T-111 plywood siding is the least expensive at $1 to $2 a square foot. These are large sheets of unfinished plywood that have been grooved. The grooves are designed to install vertically. This gives the panels a cottage appearance or beadboard look. The siding is not extremely durable or long-lasting and must be painted or stained to hide imperfections and increase longevity. It is typically used in small sections or on outbuildings rather than as a full house cladding.

Pine Siding Cost

Pine is one of the most common types of wood siding, ranging from $1 to $5 a square foot. Pine is a softwood that is easy to cut and install, so installation costs are usually low. However, pine does not perform well long-term and must be painted or stained for protection. It is susceptible to insect activity and moisture. It also frequently has flaws in the wood that need paint.

Fir Siding Cost

Fir is another softwood, costing between $2 and $6 a square foot. Fir is less commonly used than other woods, but it has fewer knots than pine. It also comes in much longer board lengths than pine. It can be stained more easily and used for more applications. Fir is easy to cut and work with, so its installation costs are usually fairly low.

Cedar Siding Cost

Cedar is the most popular wood siding, ranging from $3 to $30 a square foot, depending on the type. Cedar has a beautiful red tone that works well with stains. It is easy to work with and is naturally insect and moisture-resistant, so it is less likely to rot than other wood sidings. Cedar is very expensive to paint because it tends to bleed, so it is most commonly stained.

Engineered Wood Siding Cost

Engineered wood siding, including hardboard and composite siding, costs $4 to $12 a square foot on average. Engineered wood siding means that the wood has been modified. That can mean using wood pulp with glues to create hardboard, or it can mean layering the wood with different materials to increase strength, durability, and longevity. All composite and engineered wood sidings can be different, so pay attention to the brand and what it offers, rather than relying on a general description. Most engineered wood siding is available prefinished or painted. This means that it typically costs less to install than other wood products.

Redwood Siding Cost

Redwood is very similar to cedar, although slightly higher in starting costs at $4 to $20 a square foot. Redwood is popular for its rich red color and straight even grain. Like cedar, redwood is resistant to rot, insect activity, and moisture. It can also bleed, which makes painting difficult and expensive. For that reason, it is most commonly stained rather than painted. Redwood costs are mostly tied to the location: costs on the East Coast are higher than the West Coast.

Teak Siding Cost

Teak siding is a very durable and long-lasting material, costing $5 to $12 a square foot. Teak is a tropical hardwood containing oil and silica. This makes teak naturally resistant to nearly everything - rot, moisture, sunlight, warping, cracking, and splitting. It is hard, durable, and lasts longer than many softwoods. It is more expensive because of limited availability. It is also more difficult to work with because it is so hard to cut and shape. Installation costs are usually more expensive.

Cypress Siding Cost

Cypress siding is an incredibly durable and long-lasting wood, ranging from $5 to $12 a square foot on average. Cypress is resistant to fungus, insect activity, and rot. It is also moisture-resistant and resists cracking and splitting. It is one of the longest-lasting wood sidings, with some cypress-clad homes lasting more than 100 years. It is very common to find reclaimed siding made of cypress. Cypress is very hard to work with, so installation costs are often much higher than other woods. It can be one of the most expensive woods to install with its initial price and high installation cost.

Ipe Siding Cost

Ipe siding is one of the more expensive tropical hardwoods at $8 to $18 a square foot. Ipe is unusual for most homes but is a beautiful and durable option for modern styles. The wood has a rich, distinctive color and grain, which usually show. This wood is highly durable and resists many issues other wood may develop. However, it is difficult to cut and work with. Most installers charge an additional fee with this siding.

Wood Siding Prices by Style

Wood siding can be cut and shaped in many ways. This can create subtle or dramatic differences between installation styles. Each type has a different look, with some also having different costs.

Wood Dutch Lap Siding Cost

Dutch lap siding is one of the most common and popular styles, costing between $1 and $8 a square foot on average. This is horizontal lap siding, meaning each board overlaps the one below. A Dutch lap is different because of the slight concave at each course’s top before the overlap. This creates a shadow on the siding that has a distinctive appearance. Dutch lap is readily available in many wood species. It is also easy to install, which makes it a popular choice with contractors.

Wood Sheet Siding Cost

Sheet siding prices range from $1 to $18 a square foot, depending on the wood type. Plywood or T-111 is the most common sheet siding. This has vertical grooves running through the siding for a cottage look. It is commonly used in small areas and outbuildings. You can also find sheet siding in higher-end materials, such as ipe. These are often used in contemporary homes, where a smooth panel or sheet of siding have a minimalist appearance. They can be used over the entire home, but this becomes expensive, so they are often combined with other materials like glass or metal.

Wood Clapboard Siding Cost

Clapboard siding is one of the oldest types of horizontal siding, with costs between $3 and $12 a square foot on average. Clapboard is also a type of lap siding, with each board overlapping the one below. The difference with this type of siding is how each plank is made. The wood is wider at the bottom than at the top, so each plank is slightly wedge-shaped. This creates a fairly flat installation with a plain appearance. It is common to use this siding on historic homes and cottages.

Wood Bevel Siding Cost

The bevel is a subtype of clapboard siding and ranges from $4 to $12 a square foot. The bevel is different because of a slight beveling of each course’s bottom edge. The bevel forms a 45-degree angle at the edge, where it overlaps the course below. It is a subtle distinction and gives more interest to the siding than the standard clapboard. The rest of the bevel plank is the same as clapboard, wider at the bottom than at the top. It is common to see this siding on many historic homes.

Wood Board and Batten Siding Cost

Vertical board and batten siding costs between $4 and $12 a square foot on average. This is the oldest type of wood siding used in the U.S. It is made of two pieces - a large board installed vertically top to bottom on the home and a batten. The batten is a thin strip of furring fastened over the joins between the boards. This creates a more air and watertight installation. Because it is two different pieces, it costs more to install than other types.

Tongue and Groove Wood Siding Cost

Expect to pay $5 to $15 a square foot for tongue and groove wood siding. This siding can be installed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Each plank is milled with a groove along one long edge and a corresponding tongue on the other edge. The planks are designed to fit together tightly, forming a durable and air and watertight installation. The planks can be milled to be smooth or rustic in appearance. This versatility means that you can use this siding on nearly any style of home.

Channel Rustic Wood Siding Cost

Channel rustic is a drop channel siding and costs between $5 and $15 a square foot. Drop channel sidings can be installed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, like tongue and groove. One side is milled down to be much thinner than the other. The other end has a groove cut into it. The thin end fits into the groove but continues on to create a drop or a channel. This casts a shadow and adds interest and texture.

Wood Shingle Siding Cost

Wood shingles range from $5 to $15 a square foot. Shingles are long pieces of wood that are thicker on one end than on the other. They are meant to overlap, with the thick end installing over the thin end of the course below. While the actual shingle may be 12 inches or more, you only see roughly 5 to 7 inches at the bottom. Shingles can be uniform in shape and size or slightly irregular for a more rustic look. Some shingles can also be decorative and have a half-round or scalloped bottom.

Wood Shake Siding Cost

Wood shakes are similar to wood shingles but have a cost of $6 to $17 a square foot. Where shingles can be uniform and fairly even in size and thickness, shakes are usually hand split. They have a more rustic and uneven appearance. Shakes tend to be larger than shingles and often have a larger reveal of 8 inches or more. They are commonly made out of cedar, which resists rot without painting. Wood shakes take more time to install than shingles due to their uneven nature.

Shiplap Wood Siding Cost

Shiplap is one of the tightest milled types of siding, costing between $7 and $18 a square foot. Shiplap siding is milled so that each end is thinner than the middle. The difference is that each end is milled thinner on opposite sides. This allows the boards to overlap one another behind each course of siding. The appearance is of a very tightly, smooth installation. With the overlaps hidden at the back, it makes the siding very watertight. It also makes for the cleanest looking siding installation, which has gained popularity. It can be installed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Log Wood Siding Cost

Log siding gives any home the look of a log cabin for between $8 and $20 a square foot. There are many types of log siding. The split log is most common. This is a log that has been split in half, with the flat sides facing in. This gives the thickest, most realistic log cabin appearance. You can also find quarter logs, which are thinner and only give the rounded exterior. These are less expensive and easier to install than the split log. Any log siding is much lower in maintenance and costs.

Wood Siding Prices by Wood Grade

The term “grades” describes the wood’s appearance. Many associations have joined to govern wood grades. These associations include the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) (a Canadian group), West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB), and National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). Grading systems are used for marketing wood and pricing it:

Low-Grade Wood

Low-grade wood is around $1 to $3 a square foot. This wood is usually filled with knots and is frequently known as “knotty grade.” Knotty grades of wood are called: Select Tight Knots (STK), Select Knotty, 2&Better, and 3&Better. Knotty grades of wood need paint to hide the knots and defects. Many of these woods are considered green, which means that they are more likely to swell, shrink, or crack over time. Most pine siding sold falls into the knotty grade category.

Mid-Grade Wood

Mid-grade wood siding typically costs between $2 and $12 a square foot. These types of siding are often referred to as “select grades” and sometimes called Superior and Prime. These have also been aged and kiln-dried, making them stable and less prone to shrinking, swelling, cracking, and splitting. Many people who paint their homes choose this grade. It looks good with paint or stain and comes in nearly all types and styles. This is a good choice if you want a good-character wood without knots.

Premium-Grade Wood

Premium grades of wood range from $3 to $30 a square foot. They are considered to be virtually defect-free. They are made from the heartwood, but some trees may offer premium sapwood. Premium grades of wood include specifications like Clear Heart, Heart, and Clear. If you want to stain your wood siding, consider purchasing premium-grade wood to show the wood’s beauty and appearance after staining. This siding is usually kiln dried and aged for stability and longevity.

Wood Siding Cost by Brand

If you want standard wood siding, you most likely are not looking for a name brand. Most wood sidings are simply sold by the wood’s type or species. However, if you want an engineered or treated wood, search by the brand to get the right characteristics. Each of the following companies has a different process or type of wood and different price points to consider.

Maibec Siding Prices

Maibec white cedar shingle siding costs between $6 and $12 a square foot on average. This is a uniform, ready to install, fully finished cedar shingle. While most types of cedar sold for siding are red cedar, Maibec specializes in producing white cedar shingles. They have a lighter color without the red undertones of other cedar shingles. Maibec finishes them in many paint colors and stains. This gives a long-lasting finish without worrying about the cedar bleed.

TruWood Siding Cost

TruWood engineered siding ranges from $7 to $12 a square foot on average. They make a full line of siding, shingles, and trim. Their products have been treated with zinc borate to prevent insect activity and prolong the appearance. Their material is lightweight, easy to install, and more durable than most standard wood sidings. Their siding is made from residual wood shavings, which helps make it a greener siding option. Their products come in a wide range of colors and finishes to match any home.

Resysta Siding Cost

Resysta siding and wall cladding costs between $7.50 and $9 a square foot on average. Their engineered wood siding is made to look and feel like real wood while being more durable and longer-lasting. They also ensure that their siding is fully recyclable, unlike materials that contain plastics. They have a full line of contemporary and traditional siding styles. This includes several profiles in a range of natural colors. They also have some more colorful options for a unique look.

Thermory Siding Cost

Thermory thermally modified wood siding prices are around $8 to $18 a square foot. This puts them on par for ipe in cost, durability, and appearance. Thermory is a heat-treated wood modified to be more durable and longer-lasting. This does not change the wood’s appearance so that you can get a beautiful finish that does not split, crack, or rot. Their siding has a contemporary appearance with a smooth finish and deep color. It comes in several sizes and profiles so that you can create many looks.

Kebony Siding Cost

Kebony modified wood siding costs between $12 and $15 a square foot on average. Kebony is made of softwoods with a natural, non-toxic bio infusion. This makes the wood resistant to rot, mold, and insect activity. Kebony wood is meant to be installed unpainted or stained. It naturally weathers in patina to a silvery gray color. Their materials come in several shades and profiles and work well in various installations, from rustic to contemporary.

Moisture Barrier Under Wood Siding

Moisture can penetrate even professionally installed wood siding, so include a moisture barrier to protect your home’s exterior beneath the wood siding. The most common forms of moisture barrier are house wrap, plywood sheathing, and felt paper. House wrap, such as Tyvek or R-Wrap, offers the greatest moisture protection and is the most common. A roll of Tyvek or R-Wrap that measures 9’ x 150’ averages $165 per roll. Plywood sheathing is another option for a moisture barrier, but since plywood is made from wood, it is still susceptible to water and insects. A sheet of plywood sheathing averages $26 for a 4’ x 8’ piece. Classic tar paper is another low-cost option that has proven effective at creating a moisture barrier. A roll of tar paper averages $75 for 250’.

Labor Cost to Install Wood Siding

Labor costs for wood siding ranges from $1 to $5 a square foot, depending on the wood and style. Softwoods, T-111, and most lap sidings tend to be the easiest and least expensive to install. Hardwoods like teak, ipe, cypress, and more complicated installations, such as shiplap and shake, cost the most to install because they are difficult and time-consuming.

Most siding is installed by siding professionals. Not all siding installers work with all materials or have experience installing all styles. If you want something difficult to work with, such as ipe in a shiplap installation, find an installer who has worked with this material and style before.

The labor portion is between $1,500 and $7,500 for a 1,500 sq.ft. siding installation, depending on the siding. For a mid-grade cedar siding installation in Dutch lap, expect the labor to make up around $3,000 to $4,000 out of the total $13,500.

Cost to Replace Wood Siding

If you already have wood siding and want to replace it, you have additional costs. Removing and disposing of current wood siding adds $1,000 to $2,000. Hardwoods and intricate installations cost more to remove than softwoods and standard lap installations.

Total costs for replacing the siding on 1,500 sq.ft. are between $14,500 and $15,500 for a mid-grade cedar installation.

Wood Siding Maintenance

You may need maintenance over time, depending on the wood. Wood varies in maintenance, with softwoods like pine and T-111 requiring more maintenance than others.

If you paint your wood siding, prepare to repaint it every 5 years on average. This costs around $5,170 for 1,500 sq.ft. If you choose to paint cedar or redwood, your costs could be higher because a special primer is needed to prevent the sap from bleeding through.

All wood siding should be inspected annually. Look for missing caulk, wood rot, and insect activity. Most wood can be cleaned with pressure washing.

If you notice signs of softening or rot, replace these areas as soon as possible to keep the problem from spreading.

Wood Siding Repair Cost

Wood siding is subject to wood rot and insect activity, so it is common to make repairs over the years. If you have isolated areas that need repair, most siding installers charge between $100 and $150 per section. If you have several areas or large sections that need repair, the installers usually charge $50 to $70 an hour.

Repairs involve removing the affected sections of the siding and replacing them.

Wood Siding Over Brick

If you currently have a masonry brick home, meaning that your home is built of brick rather than sided with brick, you can install wood siding over it. Generally, the brick is sheathed in plywood first and wrapped for a watertight installation. Costs for siding over brick are fairly comparable to siding over a stick-built home. For 1,500 sq.ft., the average cost is around $14,000 for a mid-grade cedar installation.

Wood Siding Over Concrete Block

If your home is made of concrete block or ICF, you can also install wood siding right over this. The concrete may need a plywood sheath like with brick, but it often does not. The blocks are usually wrapped, and furring strips are installed to make the siding easier to install. Costs for a 1,500 sq.ft. installation are similar to that of siding over brick, about $14,000 for a mid-grade cedar installation.

Pine vs Cedar Siding

Two of the most common types of wood siding are pine and cedar. Both are types of softwood, but the similarities end there. Pine is a low-grade wood that usually contains many knots. It costs between $1 and $5 a square foot on average and requires painting after installation.

Cedar can be low, mid-grade, or premium grade. It is naturally rot-resistant, fungus-resistant, and insect-resistant, while pine is not. Therefore, cedar tends to last much longer than pine. Cedar is more expensive to paint because the sap bleeds through the paint and often requires a primer. It costs between $3 and $30 a square foot on average, depending on the grade.

Wood vs Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding was first created in the 1950s as an alternative to wood siding. While wood must be repainted every few years, vinyl is considered lower maintenance because the color goes through. While wood is a natural material with variation in durability, vinyl is plastic. Wood decomposes naturally, but vinyl does not break and is difficult to recycle. Vinyl lasts about 20 years on average. Some woods like pine also last that long, but other woods like cypress can last over 100 years.

Vinyl costs about $9,000 for a 1,500 sq.ft. installation, compared to the average cost of $13,500 for wood, making vinyl a more affordable option.

Engineered Wood Siding vs Fiber Cement

Two materials that many people like to use as an alternative to natural wood siding are engineered wood and fiber cement. Both are lower maintenance and longer-lasting options than some traditional wood siding. Both also contain some amount of wood pulp. But while engineered wood siding uses waxes, resins, and glues, fiber cement uses sand, silica, and Portland cement. This makes the fiber cement harder, denser, and more durable than the engineered wood siding. It also means that fiber cement is more difficult to install than engineered wood siding, which is lighter.

Both materials can last up to 50 years and have similar costs. A 1,500 sq.ft. installation of either costs $15,000 on average.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Old Siding Removal

Removing old siding typically costs between $1,000 and $2,000 on average. The variation is due to the type, amount, and species of wood. Hardwoods tend to cost more to remove and work with than softwoods. Because wood can be reused or easily disposed of, there are few disposal charges.

Wall Repairs

To repair a section of wall of wood siding, expect to pay $100 to $150 per area of repair. If you have a large area or widespread issues, your siding installer charges by the hour at a rate of $50 to $70 an hour. A repair usually involves removing the affected section and replacing it.

Painting Wood Siding Cost

Some types of wood siding can be purchased already painted, but many are sold unfinished. You can apply a stain or paint at the time of installation. However, every 4-7 years, the wood siding must be stained or painted. Most painters charge $49 per hour to prime or stain your home’s exterior.

Charred Wood Siding Cost

Shou sugi ban is the Japanese process of burning wood to preserve it. The charred wood has a blackened finish that seals the surface of the wood, so it is impervious to moisture and insect activity. The process can be done during the installation, or you can purchase the boards prepared. The prepared boards have a cost of around $8 to $12 a square foot on average.