The Truth About Vinyl Siding vs. Brick

For years the debate of vinyl siding versus brick as the superior external cladding has been hotly contested. While brick appeals to people because of its traditional looks and durability, vinyl has an edge because of the wide range of looks it can accomplish and still provide excellent durability and at a much more attractive price point. With all of the profile and color options available, vinyl will be sure to please even the most discerning of homeowners. Here are three reasons to help you make the decision of vinyl versus brick.

 

Cost Effective

Vinyl is cost effective. From the price of the material itself to the actual install, vinyl costs nearly 400% less than brick does. While both have very little long-term maintenance costs, vinyl will give you all the same benefits of brick but at a much more cost effective rate.  Plus, since vinyl siding weighs considerably less than brick, it will cost a lot less to ship it to the job site which will make both contractors and homeowners happier in the end.

Aesthetic Selection

Vinyl comes with a wide variety of profiles available to the home owner. While brick is widely recognized for its appeal, it tends to lean towards the more traditional look for houses. Design is often limited to just a few looks and nothing more, whereas vinyl can go everywhere from Colonial to modern styles. With a wide variety of trims and colors, vinyl siding can be customized to suit a variety of architectural styles including Queen Anne and Craftsman. With enough planning vinyl can be suited to match every personal taste and need. 

Environmental Impact 

Vinyl creates a substantially lesser environmental impact than brick. From manufacturing to waste, the footprint that vinyl leaves on the earth is much less than that of brick. Per BEES software analysis, vinyl siding shows not only to make less of an impact than brick in areas like total embodied energy, it also shows to only consist of 1.9% of the total waste on a construction site, versus the 12.5% of brick. Not only that but the production of brick and mortar is responsible for generating almost 10 times the dioxin generated by the production of vinyl siding.