How much siding do I need for my house?

Measure each exterior wall (length x height), sum them, then subtract the area of every window, door, and large opening to get the net wall area. Add a waste factor of 5-15% depending on the material and complexity of the elevations, then convert to the unit the material is sold in. Vinyl, HardiePlank, and most lap sidings are sold by the "square" (100 sq ft). Brick is sold by the piece (~7 modular bricks per sq ft). Stucco is sold by the bag (~80 sq ft per bag per coat). This calculator does all the conversions automatically for nine common siding materials in one pass.

Vinyl vs HardiePlank: which is better?

Vinyl is the cheapest at ~$200-300 per square installed (material only), is the fastest to install (4 crew-hours per 100 sq ft), and lasts 20-40 years with no painting. HardiePlank (fiber cement) costs $300-450 per square but is fire-resistant, will not warp or melt, holds paint for 15+ years between coats, and carries a 50-year warranty. Choose vinyl for the cheapest reliable option on rentals, garages, or modest budgets; choose HardiePlank for primary residences in fire-prone areas, hot climates, or whenever resale value justifies the premium. The calculator lets you flip between materials instantly so you can compare apples-to-apples for your house.

How long does brick veneer last?

Brick veneer routinely lasts 100+ years with essentially zero maintenance beyond occasional mortar repointing every 25-50 years. It is fireproof, pest-proof, hail-proof, and immune to UV degradation. The trade-off is up-front cost ($4-10 per sq ft material, plus $8-15 per sq ft labor for the mason) and load: a single 1500 sq ft elevation in brick veneer adds 5-6 tons of weight, which the foundation must be designed to carry. For new construction, brick is one of the lowest-lifetime-cost cladding choices once you amortize over its century-long service life.

How do I repair a stucco crack?

Hairline cracks under 1/16" can be sealed with elastomeric paint or a flexible acrylic patching compound — clean the area, apply a thin bead, feather it flat, and topcoat. Cracks wider than 1/8" usually indicate movement and need to be opened up with a grinder, packed with stucco patch mix, allowed to cure, and finished to match the existing texture (sand-float, dash, lace, or smooth). For long horizontal cracks or any crack that follows a stair-step pattern through mortar joints behind, investigate for foundation movement before patching — covering structural cracks cosmetically only delays the repair. The calculator can estimate how many bags of stucco mix you need for a recoat once you know the affected square footage.

When should I replace my siding?

Replace siding when any of these warning signs appear: warping, buckling, or large cracks across multiple panels; soft, rotting wood underneath when you press a screwdriver into seams; rising heating and cooling bills (failed siding leaks air and moisture into the wall cavity); peeling paint that returns within 1-2 years of a fresh coat; or visible fungus, mildew, or insect tunnels on the sheathing once a section is removed. Cosmetic fading alone is usually not a reason to replace — paint or wash first. Most vinyl reaches end-of-life around 25-40 years; HardiePlank around 40-50 years; cedar 20-40 years with regular staining; brick essentially never.

What waste factor should I use for siding?

Use 5% for plain vinyl on a simple rectangular house with few gables. Use 10% for HardiePlank, engineered wood, and most lap sidings on typical homes with a few corners and dormers. Use 12-15% for cedar shake, board & batten, intricate gables, multiple architectural details, or short walls with many cuts (where a 16-ft plank produces a 3-ft scrap that cannot be used elsewhere). Brick can sometimes get away with 3-5% waste because broken bricks can still be used for closures. Stucco waste is folded into the bag count by the ~80 sq ft per bag coverage rate, but bumping the waste factor 5-10% covers spillage and mix-water loss.

How many bags of stucco do I need per 100 sq ft?

A typical bag of stucco base or finish mix covers ~80 sq ft at the correct coat thickness. Traditional 3-coat stucco (scratch + brown + finish) over metal lath therefore consumes about 3.75 bags per 100 sq ft of wall, not counting the lath, paper, accessories, and pigmented finish coat. One-coat synthetic stucco systems use far less (~1 bag per 100 sq ft) but cost much more per bag. The calculator returns the total bag count for a single coat at 80 sq ft per bag; multiply by 3 if you are pricing the full traditional system.

Cedar shake vs cedar shingle — what is the difference?

Both are split or sawn cedar pieces installed in overlapping courses. Shakes are thicker (1/2" - 3/4") with a hand-split rough face and a more rustic, irregular look. Shingles are thinner (3/8" - 1/2"), sawn smooth on both sides, and produce a tighter, more uniform exterior. Shakes typically last longer (30-40 years vs 20-30 years for shingles) because of their thickness, but they cost more per square. Both are sold by the bundle, with ~4 bundles covering one square (100 sq ft) at standard 5"-7" exposure. The calculator handles both under the "Cedar Shake" preset because the bundles-per-square coverage is identical.

Can I mix two siding materials on one house?

Yes — combining materials is one of the easiest ways to add architectural interest without a custom budget. Common combinations: stone veneer water-table on the lower 3 ft with HardiePlank above; board & batten on the gables with horizontal lap on the field walls; cedar shake accent on the front porch gable with vinyl everywhere else. Calculate each material separately by running the calculator twice (once with the wall sections for material A, once for material B), then total the cost. Pay attention to transition flashing where the two materials meet — improper detailing here causes most mixed-material moisture failures.

How much does it cost to side a 2000 sq ft house?

For a typical 2000 sq ft of wall area (after cutouts), material-only ranges run: vinyl $4,000-6,000; engineered wood $5,000-7,000; HardiePlank $6,000-9,000; cedar lap $7,000-12,000; brick veneer $8,000-20,000; stucco $10,000-20,000; cedar shake $8,000-14,000; stone veneer $20,000-50,000. Add $4,000-8,000 for installation labor on vinyl, $6,000-12,000 for fiber cement, and $15,000-40,000 for brick or stone done by a licensed mason. The calculator lets you swap materials instantly to model each scenario for your own elevations.

What is the best siding for cold climates?

Fiber cement (HardiePlank) and insulated vinyl perform best in freeze-thaw climates. Both shed water aggressively, do not crack from ice expansion the way stucco can, and tolerate the thermal cycling without warping (the way some uninsulated vinyl will). Insulated vinyl with a foam backer also adds R-2 to R-3 of continuous insulation across the wall, which significantly improves the building envelope. Avoid traditional stucco in cold climates with deep freeze-thaw cycles unless you use a EIFS or rainscreen system. Cedar holds up well but requires regular staining to prevent moisture damage. Brick is excellent but requires the foundation and lintels to be designed for the weight.

What are the best weather windows to install siding?

Vinyl can be installed in almost any weather above 32 F — just expand the nail gap a hair to allow for thermal contraction. Fiber cement requires temperatures above 40 F and dry conditions because the joints must be primed and caulked. Cedar should be stained or sealed within 14 days of installation, so plan for a dry stretch. Stucco needs 40-90 F and at least 48 hours of dry weather after each coat for proper curing. Brick veneer requires temperatures above 40 F for mortar to cure correctly; below that, masons use heated enclosures or wait for spring. Most siding contractors prefer late spring through early fall for the most predictable conditions across all materials.

Siding Material Calculator

Universal house cladding estimator for vinyl, fiber cement (HardiePlank), engineered wood, cedar shake, board & batten, brick veneer, stucco, and stone veneer. Get squares, pieces, bricks, or bags with low/high cost in one click.

Siding Types

9 Materials

Live Math

Auto-Calc

Cutouts & Trim

Per-Wall

Install Time

Crew-Hours

Quick Presets

Project Inputs

Siding Type

Lowest cost, fastest install, 20-40 yr lifespan.

Walls

Cutouts (windows, doors, openings)

Typical: door = 21 sq ft (3' x 7'), window = 15 sq ft (3' x 5').

Waste Factor (%)

Recommended for Vinyl: 5% (typical range 5-15%).

Trim Package

Corner boardsJ-channel (openings)Frieze (top)Watertable (bottom)

Material Needed

13.0

squares · Vinyl

Net Wall Area

1238 sq ft

+ Waste

1300 sq ft

Squares

13.00

Install Time

52.0 hr

Wall Cross-Section

Gross Wall Area1400 sq ft

Cutout Deduction- 162 sq ft

Net Wall Area1238 sq ft

Trim Linear Ft225 ft

Fasteners1,560 ea

Material Cost Range

Low

$2600

High

$3900

Price benchmark: $200-$300 / square. Install labor typically adds $200-400 per square in most US markets and varies regionally.

Choosing the Right Siding Material for Your Home

Siding is the single largest aesthetic and protective element of any house, covering roughly 1,500-3,000 square feet on a typical single-family home and accounting for anywhere from 5% to 25% of the total exterior renovation budget depending on the material you pick. Get the material decision right and you buy decades of low maintenance, lower energy bills, and stronger resale value; get it wrong and you fight rot, warping, fading, and call-back warranty work for the entire ownership period. There is no single “best” siding — there is only the right material for your climate, budget, architectural style, and tolerance for maintenance.

Vinyl siding is the cheapest and fastest to install. It will not rot, never needs paint, and on a budget rental or modest single-family home it is hard to beat at $200-300 per square. The downside is a plastic appearance up close, a tendency to fade after 15-20 years in direct sun, and the fact that ice and hailstorms can crack a panel that then needs to be unzipped from neighbouring panels to replace. Fiber cement siding (HardiePlank is the dominant brand) costs roughly 50% more, weighs significantly more, and requires power tools with diamond-tipped blades to cut, but it is fireproof, holds paint for 15+ years, and is now the default upgrade pick on most premium production homes in North America.

Engineered wood (LP SmartSide and similar) splits the difference: a real-wood appearance, lighter than fiber cement, easier to cut with a standard miter saw, and priced between the two. It needs primer and topcoat paint within a year of installation. Real wood lap (cedar or pine clapboard), board & batten, and cedar shake all carry premium pricing — $400-700 per square — but produce a character no synthetic product fully matches; they need staining or painting every 5-10 years to reach their full service life. Brick veneer and stucco belong to a separate category: masonry exteriors that essentially never need replacement, cost more up front, but reward owners over the 50-100 year life of the building. Stone veneer is the highest-end accent material, typically used on water tables, columns, or front-elevation accents rather than full coverage.

Whatever material you pick, the math is the same: measure each wall, subtract every opening, add waste, then convert to the unit your supplier sells in. This calculator handles all nine common siding types in a single tool so you can model two or three materials for the same elevation in seconds, compare cost ranges side-by-side, and land on the right answer for your specific project.

Siding Material Comparison Matrix

Quick reference for the nine siding materials supported by this calculator. Costs are US 2026 material-only prices and do not include installation labor.

Material	Unit	Material Cost	Lifespan	Install (hr/100 sf)	Maintenance
Vinyl Siding	Square	$200-300 / sq	20-40 yr	4 hr	Wash 1x / yr
Fiber Cement (HardiePlank)	Piece	$300-450 / sq	40-50 yr	8 hr	Repaint every 15 yr
Engineered Wood (LP SmartSide)	Piece	$250-350 / sq	30+ yr	6 hr	Repaint every 10 yr
Real Wood Lap (Cedar)	Piece	$350-600 / sq	30 yr	8 hr	Stain every 5-7 yr
Board & Batten	Piece	$400-700 / sq	30 yr	9 hr	Stain every 5-7 yr
Cedar Shake / Shingle	Bundle	$400-700 / sq	30-40 yr	10 hr	Treat every 5 yr
Brick Veneer	Brick	$4-10 / sq ft	100+ yr	22 hr	Repoint every 25 yr
Stucco (3-coat)	Bag	$5-10 / sq ft	50+ yr	14 hr	Patch cracks as needed
Stone Veneer (Manufactured)	sq ft	$10-25 / sq ft	75 yr	18 hr	Reseal every 10 yr

How to Calculate Siding Material in 5 Steps

1
Pick a siding type
Use the dropdown to select vinyl, fiber cement, engineered wood, real wood lap, board & batten, cedar shake, brick veneer, stucco, or stone veneer. The calculator auto-loads the right unit and a typical waste factor for that material.
2
Enter each wall
Add one row per exterior wall with its length and height in feet. Use the Add Wall button for multi-sided footprints, garages, additions, or gable ends entered as their rectangular equivalent.
3
Subtract cutouts
Add a cutout row for every window, door, and large opening with the square footage of each and the total count. Standard doors are 21 sq ft; standard windows are 15 sq ft; large picture windows can be 30-40 sq ft.
4
Adjust waste and trim
Confirm the waste % (default already set per material) and check the trim packages you need. The calculator updates trim linear feet, fastener count, and squares immediately as you change inputs.
5
Read the results and order
Use the material count for your supplier order, the cost range for your bid or budget, the trim linear feet for accessory orders, and the install-time estimate to schedule the crew. Always order 10%+ extra for cuts and future repairs.

Common Use Cases

Full vinyl re-side

Estimate squares of vinyl and total project cost for a complete house re-side. For a dedicated vinyl-only workflow with insulated panel options, also see the vinyl siding calculator.

Board & batten accent gable

Compute the board count and batten linear feet for a modern farmhouse gable. For detailed batten-spacing options pair with the board & batten siding calculator.

Cedar clapboard restoration

Order the right number of clapboard pieces for a historic restoration. For exposure-specific lap math and reveal calculations, see the clapboard siding calculator.

Cedar fence finish & stain

Pricing a job that includes both cedar siding and fencing? Estimate the cedar here and then size the stain gallon count separately with our fence stain calculator.

Pro Tips

Always order at least 10% extra over the calculated quantity — and keep at least one bundle, box, or pallet leftover for future repairs after a hailstorm or accident.
Switching siding types changes the entire material outcome — re-run the calculator for each option you are seriously considering and compare side-by-side before signing a supplier order.
Pay attention to weather windows. Vinyl is forgiving in cold, HardiePlank needs 40+ F dry, stucco needs 40-90 F with 48 hr dry, mortar for brick needs 40+ F. Schedule installations to land inside the right window.
Always check manufacturer specifications for exposure, fastener type, and nailing pattern. Industry averages in this tool are excellent starting points but each brand of HardiePlank, vinyl, and shake has slightly different reveal and nailing requirements.
For mixed-material elevations (stone water-table + lap above), calculate each material separately and add the costs. Pay attention to transition flashing — most moisture failures in mixed cladding happen at the seam.
Use the gable wall preset to quickly model a single garage end-wall or accent area — handy for spot estimates when a homeowner wants to know what one wall would cost to change.
For brick and stucco, add 5-10% extra for breakage and waste even though those materials show low default waste factors in most tables — real-world job sites consume more than the data sheet predicts.
Verify the inside dimensions of your supplier carton or bundle before placing the order. Vinyl boxes typically hold 2 squares (200 sq ft), but a few brands ship 1.5 squares per box; ordering in box count avoids surprise short-shipment.

Siding Material Calculator FAQs

Have more questions? Contact us

What Siding Contractors & Homeowners Say

4.9

Based on 3,200 reviews

“I run nine siding crews across the Northeast and this is now the calculator I push out to every estimator on day one. The fact that it handles vinyl, HardiePlank, cedar shake, brick, and stucco in one tool means we stopped maintaining three different spreadsheets. The waste factor recommendations match what we actually pull off the truck, and the trim linear-ft estimate is shockingly close to what we end up cutting on site.”

Mark DeLuca

Owner, DeLuca Exterior Contracting

April 2, 2026

“We bid roughly 40 siding jobs a year and the per-material cost ranges in this calculator are dialed in for 2026 pricing. I use it on the first walk-through to give homeowners a real-time range before we book the formal estimate. The 2-story preset is exactly the house we build most often. Saves probably 20 minutes per lead.”

Priya Sharma

Project Manager, Hillside Builders

March 18, 2026

“Finally a free calculator that gets brick right. Most online tools assume modular brick is 6.5 per sq ft and skip the wall ties entirely. This one nails the 7-per-sq-ft figure with mortar joint, gives me a tie count I can actually buy from the supplier, and the install-time number tracks my crew within an hour. Recommend to every apprentice mason.”

Carlos Mendez

Masonry Foreman, Stonecraft Veneer

February 28, 2026

“Resided our garage in HardiePlank lap last summer and ordered exactly the right pallet using this tool. The 10% waste factor was perfect — I had 4 pieces left at the end, just enough for a future repair. The FAQ section on cold-climate installation taught me about the 40 F minimum temperature for fiber cement, which is exactly why I rescheduled my install one weekend later. Saved me a costly callback.”

Hannah Welsh

DIY Homeowner, Vermont

April 15, 2026

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Dive deeper with our expert guides and tutorials related to Siding Material Calculator

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Siding Material Calculator

Quick Presets

Project Inputs

Material Needed

Wall Cross-Section

Material Cost Range

Choosing the Right Siding Material for Your Home

Siding Material Comparison Matrix

How to Calculate Siding Material in 5 Steps

Common Use Cases

Full vinyl re-side

Board & batten accent gable

Cedar clapboard restoration

Cedar fence finish & stain

Pro Tips

Siding Material Calculator FAQs

What Siding Contractors & Homeowners Say

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Siding Material Calculator

Quick Presets

Project Inputs

Material Needed

Wall Cross-Section

Material Cost Range

Choosing the Right Siding Material for Your Home

Siding Material Comparison Matrix

How to Calculate Siding Material in 5 Steps

Common Use Cases

Full vinyl re-side

Board & batten accent gable

Cedar clapboard restoration

Cedar fence finish & stain

Pro Tips

Siding Material Calculator FAQs

What Siding Contractors & Homeowners Say

Similar Calculators

Board and Batten Layout Calculator

Feet and Inches Calculator

Scale Calculator

Square Footage Calculator

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Often Used Together

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From Other Categories

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Technical Services59 toolsPopular

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