How to Incorporate Exterior Wood Siding Into Your Home Design

Of all the aspects of your home’s exterior, siding is one of the most important. Not only does it help protect your home, but it can also have a major impact on your curb appeal. There are tons of different siding types available to homeowners today, but exterior wood siding is one that’s becoming increasingly popular. 

If you’re considering incorporating wood siding into your home exterior but aren’t quite sure how to pull it off, you’ve come to the right place. We love using exterior wood siding in our designs and are going to show you how you can use it on your home. Keep reading to discover our top tips and see some design examples for inspiration. 

From siding and paint colors to doors and windows, there’s a lot to consider when designing your dream home exterior. Don’t let all the possibilities overwhelm you. Instead, let our team of expert exterior designers handle all the hard work. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services and exterior design pricing. 

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What type of wood is best for exterior siding?

Before we start sharing our tips for incorporating wood siding into your home design, we first want to address a common question we get from clients. That is, “What type of wood is best for exterior siding?” The truth is, there isn’t one specific type of wood siding that’s best. Rather, it depends on a variety of factors, such as your climate, budget, and design preferences. Generally speaking, though, some of our go-tos include wood fiber cement siding, engineered wood siding, Ipe, and cedar. Pine, spruce, and fir are also quite common throughout the U.S. 

Real wood siding is a classic building material homeowners have been using for ages. But, wood fiber cement siding and engineered wood siding have been gaining popularity, largely due to their durability and minimal maintenance. 

Is wood siding expensive?

Another question we get asked frequently is, “Is wood siding expensive?” Wood siding isn’t the most expensive option out there, but it isn’t the cheapest either. It’s more expensive than vinyl, a super common siding option, but less costly than metal siding, which is becoming increasingly popular.  

Now that we’ve briefly touched upon the best types of wood for exterior siding and the cost of this siding material, let’s get to some design examples! 

A distinct divide

To break up the left side of the home above, we added a section of vertical wood siding, which creates a striking contrast with the off-white siding that flanks it. The wood siding used in this design is thermally modified, meaning it’s naturally enhanced with heat and steam for added strength and durability. 

The vertical orientation of the siding helps make the home appear a bit taller, which is something a lot of our clients request. 

Highlight the entrance

This California homeowner told us they wanted a more modern, minimalist exterior and noted “Our big goal is to get rid of the decorative iron and do something else with the arch and have a clean look.” Per their request, we ditched the dated arch and filled the space with wood paneling. The panels stand out against the white stucco but still feel like a cohesive part of the design thanks to the other wood elements used throughout the exterior. 

Second story wood siding

If you want to create visual separation between the levels of your home, consider using different siding types or colors. Above, we rendered most of the siding in a dark blue hue and used TruCedar Steel Siding on the second story. As the name implies, this siding is actually made from steel, but it’s designed to look like real wood. 

Here’s another example of a multi-story home design where we used different siding materials to create visual interest. Because this client’s HOA prohibited them from making any structural changes to the home, they requested that we utilize texture and color to give it a more modern feel.

We suggested adding lap siding on the lower levels of the home and painting some of the existing siding on the upper stories. The top two floors also feature the addition of wood siding, which adds more interest and ties into the wood door, decking, and steps. The wood siding also helps draw the eye up, enhancing the impressive height of the home.

Wood siding accent wall

We love using accent walls to highlight certain areas of a home, such as the entrance. Most of the above home’s exterior is covered in painted brick and stucco, but the walls around the covered porch feature vertical wood siding. Because of the different cladding material, the entrance becomes a lovely focal point.

Wood & brick combo

Natural materials like wood and brick look lovely together — as demonstrated above. The house was originally all brick, and the exterior looked dark and dated. We fixed this by painting some of the brick with a warm neutral hue and replacing the rest with wood. The result is a much more modern, bright, and clean aesthetic.

Wood & stone combo

Wood and brick aren’t the only natural materials that work well together. In this design, we used faux wood and stone to highlight the garage area. Both materials really pop against the dark vertical siding on the house behind the garage, as well as the garage doors.

On the back of the home (below), we used the same combination of wood and stone on the bottom portion of the building. On both sides, we incorporated other wood accents throughout, such as the trusses, decking, steps, and handrails.

Add warmth with wood

This house has a modern, almost industrial feel to it. To keep it from looking too cold or sterile, we incorporated lots of wood elements. We used wood siding around the windows on the second story, as well as the small window on the left side of the first floor. We used the same wood siding on the wall to the left of the front door, and the steps that run along the wall are wood too. The ceiling of the entrance area and the garage door awning feature wood as well. The various wood elements sprinkled throughout this design add tons of warmth and character.

The bottom line on exterior wood siding

Exterior wood siding can seriously elevate your home’s aesthetic and offer a big boost to its curb appeal. You can use it sparingly to highlight a specific area of your home or use it across your entire façade. There are plenty of different types of wood siding too, making this cladding material accessible to homeowners with various budgets and design preferences.

We hope this roundup of our favorite designs featuring exterior wood siding has provided you with plenty of inspiration for your home project. 

Does the thought of overhauling your home exterior have your head spinning? Let us make the entire process easier for you. Just tell us what your design goals are, and we’ll create a fresh look for your property. We’ll also share a shoppable resource list with all our product recommendations and design elements featured in our rendering. Don’t delay any further. Begin your exterior design project today. 

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