Wall Cladding

Stucco Siding Cost, Options, Plus Pros and Cons

Stucco siding is a plaster-like cladding, specially blended for exterior weathering. It’s a very popular siding option with over half of new single-family homes sold in the western quadrant of the US. having such an exterior.

via Western Art and Architecture

In fact, according to the U.S. Census data, stucco (and not vinyl) is the #1 siding option in America.

The base of stucco consists of sand, cement, and lime. It may sound plain a bit like “Plain Jane”, and in many regions it may even be applied in its most simple form. But there are so many variations to texturing and coloring of stucco that it may deserve a second look by a discerning homeowner.

Cost

Application of stucco requires solid masonry skill, as cement can harden quickly. It’s usually applied in one of the two installation methods; Both entail the wooden wall sheathing as the first layer, or substrate, followed by a water barrier sheet, which in turn is followed by a metal lath so the cement layer has something to bind to.

Then, there is a scratch coat of cement which makes the top layer(s) easier to apply. The two variations are then a decision point for a homeowner who must decide on whether it’s best to go with a single coat or multiple coats — usually 3 layers. The outermost layer is where the texturing and design are emphasized.

Stucco siding costs between $8.50 and $16.50 per sq. ft. installed. Higher costs per sq. ft. come mainly from additional layers and/or sophisticated design techniques, such as dashing (which we’ll cover below). Cost factors also deal with regional availability of materials and qualified installers.

A typical two-bedroom or three-bedroom sized home with approximately 2,000 sq.ft. of siding will have a price of $17,000 to $33,000 for a standard stucco siding. As there are numerous factors that impact the price, we will help explain that, but first let’s break down the costs.

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2023 Fiber Cement Siding Installation Cost per Square Foot

Fiber Cement as a siding option continues to be quite a popular choice. A review of U.S. Census data for new single-family houses sold in America shows Fiber Cement garners nearly a quarter of all siding materials.

Brick, Wood and Vinyl are on a downward trend while Fiber Cement continues to gain in popularity. Stucco is, perhaps surprisingly, the #1 siding option in America where its popularity in the Western portion of the U.S. is enormous, but so is Fiber Cement in that region. The two materials combined account for a whopping 92% of the overall residential siding market share out west.

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Wood Siding Options and Costs in 2023: Pros & Cons, FAQs

Wood siding has many different options. In this buying guide, we’ll focus on styles such as Bevel, Board-and-Batten, and Split Log siding for homes.

via Real Wood Siding

Note that there is also a more traditional cedar shingles and shakes siding option explained in our consumer guide here.

The many styles and options of wood siding are what other, competing materials such as Vinyl, Fiber Cement, Engineered Wood and other synthetic materials routinely mimic. Wood though, has a natural beauty that is very hard to match, and yet, with that comes the need for ongoing maintenance.

A few decades ago, wood siding used to be the #1 option for residential siding in America, and historically it has ruled over all others. But not anymore.

According to the U.S. Census data, Stucco and Vinyl are at the top, while wood has declined to just 3% of all new-single family homes having such cladding.

Wood still offers much versatility, decent insulation and installation that doesn’t necessarily require as much expertise as some other siding options.

Cost

The labor costs for installing wood siding, particularly bevel and board-and-batten planks, is comparatively low (compared to fiber cement siding). A handyman can do the job, as can a do-it-yourselfer. Like all home improvement projects, a professional contractor will handle installation more efficiently and provide warranties on their service.

Residential grade (architectural) natural wood siding can cost between $9.50 and $16.50 per square foot, depending on the type of siding being installed, project difficulty, and location. Split log would be on the upper portion of this range, board-and-batten on the lower end, with bevel style siding being somewhere in the middle. Lots of factors impact the costs for wood siding which we’ll address below.

A typical two-bedroom house requiring 2,000 square feet of siding will cost between $19,000 and $33,000 for new natural wood siding installed by a professional contractor. That’s for all 3 materials included, which is why the range is so great. If we break down the prices by type of style, it helps understand project costs more acutely.

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