Compare siding materials for Naperville homes. Vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement, and LP SmartSide reviewed for DuPage County weather performance.
Siding in Naperville has to handle freeze and thaw, summer humidity, hail and strong sun on the south and west walls. Three materials do that well: insulated vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement and LP SmartSide engineered wood. Which one suits your house depends mostly on the house itself, so this guide starts there.
Naperville homes at a glance
Naperville grew outward in rings. The Historic District around North Central College has homes more than a century old, the middle of town filled in during the 1970s and 1980s, and the south side toward 95th Street and beyond was built from the 1990s on.
Many Naperville subdivisions have a homeowners association with an approved color and material list. We ask for the HOA rules at the estimate and can supply the samples and spec sheets the board wants to see.
Which siding suits which Naperville home
In the Historic District and the streets around North Central College, we recommend James Hardie lap siding in a narrow exposure, with real corner boards and window casings. It reads as painted wood from the street, which is what these houses were built with, and it will not need scraping and repainting every few years. Vinyl tends to flatten the trim details that give an older house its character.
In the 1970s and 1980s subdivisions such as Cress Creek and Brookdale, the cedar or hardboard that is on the house now is the problem, so anything that ends the paint cycle is an upgrade. Hardie is the closest match to the original wood look. Insulated vinyl in a wide plank or a board-and-batten profile is the lower-cost route.
In south Naperville, in neighborhoods like Ashbury, White Eagle and Tall Grass, the common job is replacing builder vinyl on three sides while the brick front stays. Hardie in a color chosen to sit well with the brick makes the house look custom. A heavier insulated vinyl is the right choice if you liked the low upkeep of vinyl and only want it to look and hold up better.
A typical siding job in Naperville
The usual Naperville project is a 1990s two-story with brick on the front and faded vinyl on the sides and back. Homeowners move to James Hardie in a deeper color with white or cream trim, and the HOA approves it from the sample board and spec sheet we provide. In the Historic District the answer is different: narrow-exposure lap with full trim, and design review first.
The three materials compared
Insulated vinyl
The least expensive of the three and the easiest to live with. It never needs paint, it washes with a hose, and the foam backing makes it stiffer and quieter than the thin vinyl builders use. Its limits: it can crack in a hard hail storm, it can warp near a grill or strong reflected sunlight, and darker colors fade faster.
James Hardie fiber cement
Our most-installed siding. It is cement-based, so it does not melt, rot or attract woodpeckers and insects, and the HZ5 line is made for climates with freezing winters. ColorPlus factory finish arrives already painted. It costs more than vinyl and is heavier to install, and after many years the finish can be repainted like any painted surface.
LP SmartSide
Engineered wood strands treated against moisture and insects, with a deep wood grain. It is lighter than fiber cement and takes impact well. Cut edges must be sealed and it needs repainting on a longer cycle, so installation quality matters.
What matters more than the brand
Most siding failures we tear off were installation failures: no weather barrier, no flashing above windows, nails driven too tight, siding run into the roof or the ground. A mid-priced material installed properly will outlast a premium one installed badly. Ask any contractor what goes on the wall before the siding does.
Permits in Naperville
Permit rules are set by the City of Naperville. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. Homes in a designated historic district may also need design review for exterior changes. See our Naperville page for this service, or the same guide for Bolingbrook, or the same guide for Plainfield.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Naperville.