It would be hard to imagine modern manufactured homes today without the siding that comes with them. They’re a crucial aspect of the manufactured home that offer more than just style. Without siding, your home would be exposed to the elements.
There are some things you should know about your mobile home’s siding. This includes what purpose it serves, the types of siding that are out there, and how to repair or replace it if you need to one day.
Mobile Home Siding: What Is It?
In the most literal sense, the siding is the material that covers the side of your mobile home. However, there’s more to it than that.
What you see as the siding is the most exterior-facing part of your manufactured home. Under it, you may find layers of insulation that help for temperature regulation, OSB wood panels, and weather-resistant house wrap, which we’ll discuss more later.
The siding is incredibly important for your home’s protection while offering a sense of style. Your siding even protects against weather damage to your home. It can also offer extra protection against high winds, depending on the type of siding your home has.
Your siding has energy efficiency benefits for your mobile home, too, and sometimes is equipped with insulating material. This means that it’s easier to control the temperature of your home. You can keep the warm air inside during the winter and cooler air inside during the summer.
The Main Types of Siding
There are three main types of mobile home siding that you should know about:
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is, by far, the most common type of siding for manufactured homes on the market today. It’s so popular because of its durability and longevity. Not only that, but it’s affordable, too. If you don’t count labor and installation, you can find affordable vinyl siding for $4 – $5 per square foot.
Vinyl siding also has many variations on style. If you visit your local hardware store, you’ll find vinyl siding in many shapes and colors. You can even find it in faux wood styles that give your manufactured home a cabin-like feel!
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement siding may look like vinyl siding thanks to their horizontal planks. But, they’re made of different materials. Fiber cement siding is made from a plastic and cement mixture. This provides more weight and durability.
Because of its extra strength, fiber cement siding is at least twice the cost of vinyl siding. However, if you’re replacing your siding, the extra durability may be worth the cost.
Aluminum Siding
Aluminum siding is not used on new manufactured homes built today. Rather, it’s far more common on mobile homes built before the HUD code was introduced in 1976.
In fact, aluminum siding was one of the very first types of siding used for mobile homes. One reason it’s not used as often today is because it can be more prone to dents and other cosmetic damage.
Other Types of Manufactured Home Siding
While they’re less common, you may see other kinds of manufactured home siding from time to time.
Wood siding: many manufactured homeowners prefer wood siding for its natural, rustic look. But, one main drawback of wood siding is that it requires more ongoing maintenance. This is because wood siding is more prone to decay.
Stone siding: some types of siding take on a cobblestone appearance. This can be made of either real stone, or faux stone made out of plastic. This is similar to faux stone skirting that’s also popular with manufactured homes.
Repairing Siding
You may come across damage or cosmetic blemishes on your siding from time to time. There are a few different causes for this.
Extreme weather, such as hail or high winds, may cause dents on your siding. Or, older siding may be more prone to damage from bumps and natural wear and tear. For example, you may accidentally bump your siding with your lawnmower and create a dent, if it’s old enough.
How you repair your mobile home siding fully depends on what kind of siding you have. If you have vinyl siding, there are a few different ways to go about repairs.
Firstly, you can replace the area of siding that’s damaged. For vinyl siding specifically, this can be an involved process. Vinyl siding pieces interlock with the pieces above them, so you may need to remove several sections of siding before you replace the damaged piece of siding.
Alternatively, you may be able to patch or paint over any scuffs or scratches in your siding. If you have the original paint that matches your siding, this can be an easy fix in a pinch. In this case, it’s important to ensure you’ve washed the surface of your siding before you paint over it.
There’s one other thing you should consider when it comes to repairing your mobile home’s siding. Your home may have a manufacturer’s warranty for the siding. This could be from when the home was built, or when the siding was last replaced. Check to make sure that any repairs needed to your siding don’t already fall under warranty. If they do, you may be able to save some money on your repair.
Replacing Siding
If your mobile home siding is getting up there in age, you might consider having it fully replaced.
More often than not, you’ll want to hire a professional to replace the siding of your manufactured home. This is because a siding project can be more intensive than the average DIY project.
A professional can also walk you through the different types of siding that they offer.
When you’re considering a siding replacement project, keep the following in mind:
Budget: a local professional will be able to provide you with a price quote for a siding project. You’ll want to ensure that you can budget for a siding project that gives you quality siding for your home.
Material: A professional may suggest a few different types of material for you to choose from. These can have various benefits based on your local weather, your budget, and color.
Timing: the time of year can have a massive impact on when you complete your siding project. You should avoid having your siding done during the winter months if you live in a colder area.
Return on Investment: new siding on a manufactured home can boost the resale value once it’s time to sell. Consider whether your siding project will increase your home’s value based on the above factors. If you spend more than you budget for on your siding, it may cancel out any increased value from selling your home.
If you’d like to hire a professional to complete a siding project, check out sites like Angi and Thumbtack to find a contractor near you. If you live in a manufactured home community, check with your park manager to see if they have a recommended vendor for mobile home siding.
Looking for other ways to remodel your manufactured home? You can check out this comprehensive guide on mobile home roofing. If you’re looking to sell your manufactured home after you’ve upgraded your siding, you can start your listing today with MHVillage!
