Gathering accurate siding measurements is an important part of home renovation. With HOVER’s home siding estimator, you’ll be well on your way to understanding the precise amount of siding needed for any siding job. This will help estimate siding materials needed and an accurate siding cost estimator. Follow step-by-step instructions below to easily estimate siding for your house. If you find this guide helpful, you may also enjoy our guide on roof measurements.
Rectangular wall measurements
Estimating the square footage for a rectangular portion of your wall is the easiest measurement you will take. Measure the height and width of the wall. Don’t worry about any small obstructions like doors or windows as you will want some extra siding material to account for any gaps. Then, multiply the height by the width to get the total square footage. If you have a garage door or other large obstruction, you’ll need to measure the square footage and subtract it from the square footage of the wall.
Triangular wall measurements
The initial process for triangular measurements is the same. Obtain the height at the peak of the triangle and measure the width. Multiplying the two together and then divide them by two to get the overall square footage for the triangular portion of your wall.
Measuring other shapes
You may encounter some surfaces of the wall with different shapes. In this case, try breaking the surface down into parts composed of rectangles and triangles. If this can’t be done, you can either get a rough estimate using the height and width or do a Google search to find the square footage formula of that particular shape.
Siding Materials
There are a variety of factors that will determine if the type of siding is good for your house or not. However, for all siding options, siding is measured in “Squares” when estimating siding materials. A ‘square’ is a unit that covers 100 square feet. Add up all of your square footage measurements to get the total and divide by 100 to determine the number of siding “squares” you will need to purchase. Using the total square footage, you can get total cost estimates for each material. Here are a few popular materials you can choose from:
VINYL
Vinyl siding is a great choice for most homes. It’s low-cost, durable, looks beautiful and the time needed to install it is minimal. So, this is an excellent option for homeowners working with a budget. The cost of vinyl siding is as low as $2 per square foot.
WOOD
Wood is beautiful but comes at a higher price and requires periodic maintenance. Wood siding costs can range up to $10 per square foot, not to mention additional costs for staining. This is a great option for homeowners on a larger budget.
STUCCO
Stucco is one of the highest cost options at upwards of $30 per square foot, but if well maintained it will last a lifetime. Extra care should be taken when applying Stucco to avoid cracks. The durability is great for homeowners who plan to stay in their home for a long time.