Unique Red Brick Houses with Siding
Red brick houses exude a classical, luxurious aesthetic that has captivated homeowners for decades. The rich texture and saturated hue provide visual interest, while the masonry material offers durability to stand the test of time. However, some homeowners find that exclusively utilizing brick for home exteriors can feel one-dimensional. The opportunity to integrate complementary materials like siding opens up exciting possibilities.
Strategically applying siding transforms traditional red brick houses into unique, modern gems. Blending the two materials creates dimension through contrasting textures. It also allows homeowners to experiment with an expanded color palette. The combined strengths improve insulation and weatherproofing. Overall, tastefully mixing brick and siding creates curb appeal that feels both novel and timeless.
Benefits of Red Brick Houses with Siding
What draws homeowners to clad part of their red brick houses with siding? Several advantages emerge from thoughtfully blending these materials.
Timeless Curb Appeal
A red brick house serves as a classic, elegant canvas. By creatively integrating siding, you can put a modern twist on traditional architecture. The visual interest piques the curiosity of passersby rather than blending into the background.
Blend Classic and Contemporary Styles
The masonry brickwork nods to stately Victorian, Tudor, and Colonial-style homes. Meanwhile, crisp lines of vinyl, fiber cement, or cedar siding introduce contemporary flair. Thoughtfully combining brick and siding marries old and new in harmonious style.
Enhanced Visual Interest
Exclusively utilizing brick on home exteriors can feel flat or monotonous. Strategically applying contrasting siding materials adds dimension and depth. The interplay between textures energizes the facade with intriguing light and shadow.
Added Dimension and Texture
Playing with different finishes transforms traditional red brick houses into multi-dimensional gems. For instance, smooth vinyl siding plays off the grainy brick facade. Homeowners can highlight specific architectural details or completely switch up materials between floors.
Increased Weather Resistance
While brick offers innate durability, effectively sealing joints protects the integrity of the brickwork over time. Layering siding over top further fortifies the structure against extreme weather, preventing moisture ingress and insulation loss.
Improved Insulation
In cold climates, red brick naturally boosts insulation compared to other building materials. Supplementing with siding, especially vinyl or fiber cement, provides an additional barrier to enhance energy efficiency. Homeowners save on heating and cooling costs.
Combined Strengths of Materials
Brick and siding each tout unique advantages as exterior sheathing materials. Blending them allows homeowners to capitalize on the strengths of both products. Brick offers durability, luxury aesthetics, and insulation. Meanwhile, siding introduces modern styling, weatherproofing, and design flexibility.
Choosing Siding for Red Brick Homes
With endless options on the market, selecting complementary siding can feel overwhelming initially. Focus on choosing products suitable for your climate that pair attractively with red brickwork.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl reigns as the most commonly selected replacement siding in North America. The affordable, low-maintenance material comes in numerous profiles, thicknesses, and colors. Look for mid-range products from reputable brands like James Hardie, Alside, and CertainTeed.
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement offers incredible durability and longevity, resisting rot, fires, and pests. Brands like James Hardie and Allura manufacture molded panels that closely resemble wood siding. The high-density material requires occasional repainting.
Wood Siding
Natural wood siding introduces organic warmth and texture contrast. Cedar and redwood offer inherent resistance to decay and insects thanks to natural oils. Keep up with routine staining or painting to maintain the original color and prevent UV damage.
Composite Siding
Composite or engineered wood siding fuses wood fibers, polymers, and other materials for low-maintenance performance. Brands like LP SmartSide boast warranties of up to 50 years without cracking, peeling, or delaminating. yearly upkeep involves cleaning and spot painting.
Considering Color and Style
Choosing siding colors and profiles complementary to red brickwork requires thoughtfulness. For a cohesive aesthetic, match the dimensions of the brick mortar joints in the panel style.Cooler hues like green, blue, or purple pop against warm red brick, while shades of gray and brown blend more seamlessly.
Matching Mortar Joints
Study the dimensions of the horizontal and vertical mortar joints lining your home's brickwork. Match these proportions when selecting accompanying siding to maintain visual cohesion. For instance, a brick house with 3/8-inch mortar joints calls for a siding style with reveals of similar widths.
Complementing Trim Details
Don't overlook opportunities to introduce thoughtful trim details. For example, wide window casings, corner boards, and fascia trim painted in a contrasting bright white attractively frame red brick with gray sidingcombos. Trim helps each material stand out while unifying the scheme.
Design Ideas for Red Brick with Siding
From refreshing partial facades to completely re-envisioning exteriors, numerous design approaches integrate siding into red brick houses. Consider the following creative concepts:
Contrasting Siding Colors
Playing with vibrantly contrasting siding colors energizes traditional red brick houses. For example, consider a rich navy blue that makes the red brickwork sing. Alternatively, dark green shades add freshness without clashing.
Coordinating Siding Colors
For more subtle makeovers, consider siding in similar reddish-brown hues. Adding texture and dimension while keeping the color scheme cohesive. Warm neutral beige or tan colors also blend harmoniously. Soft grays work nicely with muted or weathered red brick.
Vertical Siding Accents
Strategically apply vertical siding on focal areas to modernize Victorian-era homes. For instance, try cedar shakes or board and batten flanking front gables or framing bay window bump-outs. Contrasting vertical grain disrupts extensive horizontal brick.
Horizontal Siding Bands
Horizontal siding neatly introduces color blocking to highlight specific home levels. For example, clad upper stories with contrasting blue fiber cement lap siding while keeping traditional red brickwork on the first floor. This technique plays with proportions, draws the eye upwards, and segments boxy facades.
Wrap Corners with Siding
Use crisp white or black siding to wrap outside corners, contrasting elegantly with the red brick walls. Continue the siding along adjacent walls, framing the brick facade. The corner detail serves as an eye-catching focal point while adding protection.
Try Siding on Upper Floors
Switching up materials between floors feels fresh and modern. For instance, keep traditional red brick on the first level while cladding upper floors with low-maintenance gray vinyl siding. This technique breaks up bulky three-story facades into tidy horizontal zones.
Highlight Architectural Details
Use siding inserts to showcase special architectural elements against the red brick backdrop. For example, highlight a stately front entryway with contrasting white shiplap siding. Alternatively, draw attention to a Juliet balcony or arched window using fiber cement trim.
Cost to Add Siding to Brick Houses
If priming your home for a siding installation seems daunting, rest assured that strategic partial upgrades provide immense curb appeal perks without breaking the bank. Focus on cladding eye-catching focal points first.