Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding is essentially the same plastic panels for interior decoration, but in a different form. It is made of the same polyvinyl chloride (PVC), so the choice of colors, textures and designs is practically unlimited: the house can be calm blue, cheerful yellow or neutral beige. Sheathed with imitation ship timber or block house.

Advantages of vinyl siding:

  • Low price. One three-meter panel, 20.5 cm wide will cost about 100-120 rubles, 3660 * 232 mm lamellas are a little more expensive – 150-250 rubles / piece.
  • Attractive appearance. Usually, a house is admired from a distance of at least 3 m, and from this point the “cheapness” of plastic will not be noticeable.
  • Long service life. Unexpectedly, but cheap PVC, if all installation requirements are met, will last up to 50 years, because unlike metal or wood, it does not rust or rot.
  • Easy to install. Lightweight panels are easy to lift to the desired height, they are attached with ordinary screws or clamps, and do not require preliminary preparation such as treatment with antiseptics.

Important! When calculating the cost, do not forget about the components – connecting elements, corners, fasteners.

Disadvantages:

  1. Low impact resistance. The cladding will break from an accidental impact of medium force.
  2. Looks cheap up close. After all, you can’t hide its “pedigree” – plastic is plastic.
  3. Makes sounds. If installed incorrectly, the siding will crack and creak due to temperature changes.
  4. Requires additional insulation. This should also be taken into account when drawing up a cost plan.

vinyl siding on a house

Facade plaster

If the terms trowel and spatula are familiar to you, pay attention to facade plaster. The cost of a high-quality decorative dry mix starts from 700 rubles for 25 kg (this is enough to process 12 square meters), but you can also use regular street mix, giving it a texture with a trowel: its cost is half as much.

Advantages of plaster:

  • Environmental friendliness. It is logical to assume that gypsum or cement, even with impurities, is much safer than plastic.
  • Vapor permeability. The walls will “breathe”, which means the risk of mold is reduced to zero.
  • Variability. Choose a texture or create it, paint the composition or ready-made walls in the desired shade.
  • Ease of maintenance. Finished walls are easy to clean from dirt, which means the house will always look neat. If the coating is cracked, you can always “smear” it.

There are no disadvantages to facade plaster as such, but if you have never applied it, the process will seem incredibly difficult. But once you get the hang of it, the work will go!

decorative facade plaster

Wood

When looking for a cheap but environmentally friendly solution for the facade, many people come to wood. Moreover, there is a lot to choose from: rounded block house, laconic false beam, stylish American lining, ship board.

The cost of false beam is about 300 rubles for a 300 * 20 cm board, a block house of the same size – 450-600 rubles.

Advantages of wood façade cladding:

  • Environmental friendliness. You can’t think of a more natural material.
  • Weather resistance. Wooden panels can withstand temperature changes, ultraviolet radiation, precipitation.
  • Relatively light weight. You don’t have to reinforce the foundation.
  • Easy to install. Even a beginner can handle it.

Among the disadvantages – complex pre-treatment. Do you want the cladding to retain its beauty and strength for many years? Treat the boards with protective agents against fungus, rot, insects and fire before installation.

wooden facade of the house

Cement-sand mixture

Cement-sand mixture is one of the leaders in the “cheap and cheerful” rating. Since the mixture does not contain anything other than cement and sand, it costs 2-3 times less than plaster. The same 25 kg will cost about 150 rubles.

Cement-sand mixture is considered a rough material – it is used to roughly prepare the base for further decoration. But if you leave the outer walls of the house simply plastered, you will get the effect of concrete texture – with the right approach, it can be integrated into many modern styles.

The price is not the only advantage of the mixture. It is affordable, fire- and water-resistant, durable, and repairable. But in order for the cement-sand mortar not to be afraid of frost, you will have to spend money on plasticizers or find a ready-made “winter” composition.

Important! Neither cement-sand mortar nor plaster can be applied at sub-zero temperatures. The standard “fork” suitable for work is 5-20C above 0.

concrete plaster for the facade

Thermal panels

We have already looked at vinyl lamellas, but what are thermal panels? In fact, this is a sandwich of external cladding, foil film and insulation (usually foam). That is, the finishing material itself already has a layer of insulation, which allows you to use it independently.

Important! Although the insulation is already “glued” to the panel, it is usually not thick enough (only ~ 5 cm). Therefore, if the winters in the region of residence are colder than -10-15 degrees, an additional layer of insulation will still come in handy.

The price of thermal panels, in comparison with other offers, “bites”: for one tile 61 * 89 cm you will have to pay ~ 900 rubles. But if you calculate the costs of purchasing and installing siding and insulation separately, you can put up with the price.

The advantages include ease of installation, by the way, they can be installed in any weather. The appearance of the finish also does not raise questions – they usually imitate brick, so they look expensive.

facade thermal panels on the house

Facade tiles

An unusual material that is becoming increasingly popular due to its appearance. The tiles usually imitate clinker brick or stone.

The cost of 1 m2 ranges from 450-500 rubles.

Facade tiles are fiberglass impregnated with bitumen and covered with basalt chips. The latter helps to achieve imitation of brick or stonework.

Advantages of facade tiles:

  • Presentable appearance.
  • Resistance to mechanical impacts.
  • High frost resistance (up to -60C).
  • Flexibility (suitable for bending curves).
  • Ease of installation.

There is only one drawback – a base made of wood or OSB is required, there is no other way to fix the tiles to the walls.

what does facade tiles look like

Brick

Brick walls look stylish and expensive, but do not cost as much as you might imagine: the price for 1 brick starts from 10 rubles, so a square meter of covering will cost at least 500.

Yes, it is several times more expensive than plaster, but by laying the outer wall of a building with brick you get:

  • high strength;
  • excellent thermal insulation;
  • incomparable frost resistance;
  • high sound insulation.

But there is one “but” with brick: the total weight of the finish will be very heavy, so not every foundation can withstand it.

brick facade finishing

Slab

Slab is the extreme longitudinal part of a log, rounded on one side. In fact, slab is a waste product of lumber production, so you can buy it for next to nothing. The cost of 1 m3 is about 100 rubles.

The main disadvantage of slab, of course, is its appearance: sloppy, uneven. But what one considers a disadvantage, another perceives as an advantage: for example, you can’t think of a more textured material for creating a hut in a rustic style!

Since slab is wood, it has the same advantages and disadvantages as clapboard or block house. Only it is more difficult to achieve aesthetics with initially uneven planks.

inexpensive way to finish the facade of a house

When choosing a material for finishing the facade, evaluate the cost of the finished wall, and not just the material itself: this is the only way you can plan your expenses in advance and avoid getting into an awkward situation.