Eye On Housing
According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and NAHB analysis, vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior wall material used in homes started in 2014 (29 percent), followed by stucco and brick or brick veneer (23 percent each), and fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard) (18 percent). The principal exterior wall material for all of the single-family homes started last year, wood or wood products accounted for 5 percent and only 2 percent for stone, rock or other rock materials.
The Census Bureau’s SOC data are available by the nine census divisions. Vinyl siding was the most widely used primary exterior material in five out of the nine census divisions. In the Middle Atlantic and New England, 76 percent and 72 percent of the new homes started in 2014 used vinyl siding. In the East and North West Central divisions, vinyl accounted for more than 50 percent, while in the South Atlantic it was used in 36 percent of all new single family homes started last year.
Stucco was widely used as the primary exterior wall material in the Mountain and Pacific divisions in 2014: 55 percent and 52 percent, respectively, of the new single family homes started in those areas used it. Also, 40 percent of the homes started in the Pacific used fiber cement siding as the principal exterior wall material. Brick or brick veneer was the top choice in the East and West South Central divisions, where at least 59 percent of the new single family homes started last year used it as the primary exterior material.
The amount of states up in the northern and eastern areas that use siding is quite substantial compared to the rest of the nation. For me, I would probably go with siding too as it’s one of the more versatile materials along with it being almost maintenance free. I’m sure that with more time, the percentages of those using vinyl will only go up once they see how it compares to the other siding options.