Compare siding materials for Wheaton homes. Vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement, and LP SmartSide reviewed for DuPage County weather performance.
Siding in Wheaton 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.
Wheaton homes at a glance
Wheaton is the DuPage County seat, with older homes around downtown and Wheaton College, a wide band of 1950s and 1960s ranches and split-levels, and newer subdivisions on the south side near Danada.
Mature trees shade many Wheaton lots, which keeps north walls damp. Shaded wood and older hardboard siding is where we find the most rot at the bottom courses.
Which siding suits which Wheaton home
Around downtown and Wheaton 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 ranches and split-levels built through the 1950s and 1960s, insulated vinyl is often the best value. The houses are modest in size, the walls have little insulation, and the foam-backed panel adds stiffness and some warmth. If the budget allows, Hardie on the front wall with vinyl on the other three is a sensible split.
On the south side, in the 1970s and 1980s subdivisions near Danada, 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.
A typical siding job in Wheaton
Wheaton siding work is often partial. A brick or stone house needs its gables, dormers and a rear addition redone, or a 1960s split-level needs the upper level resided. Hardie suits both because it can be matched to almost any trim color. Under mature trees, we pay particular attention to the north wall and the courses nearest the ground.
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 Wheaton
Permit rules are set by the City of Wheaton. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. See our Wheaton page for this service, or the same guide for Naperville, or the same guide for Downers Grove.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Wheaton.