Metal siding cost

Metal siding costs $900 to $2,800 a square installed, typically around $1,500. On a 2,000 square foot house that is $18,000 to $56,000. Steel sits at the upper end, aluminum in the middle, and the finish system matters more to the price than the metal does.

It has moved from agricultural buildings to houses over the last fifteen years, and the reasons are real: it does not burn, it does not rot, and a good coating carries a forty-year warranty.

What it costs

Where the price actually comes from

The coating. A polyester paint finish is cheap and chalks and fades in ten to fifteen years. A PVDF fluoropolymer finish costs meaningfully more and holds color for thirty to forty years with a warranty to match. On a house you plan to keep, this is the line item that decides whether the siding still looks good in year twenty.

Fasteners. Exposed-fastener panels are cheapest and fastest, and every screw is a penetration with a rubber washer that will eventually need replacing. Concealed fastener systems cost 15 to 30% more and have nothing to degrade on the face.

Gauge. 26 gauge steel is standard for residential; 24 gauge is thicker, flatter and dents less. Thin panels oil-can, which is the visible waviness in flat metal, and it is the most common complaint.

Fabrication. Long panel runs mean fewer seams and often a roll former on site, which is efficient on a large house and expensive on a small one.

Aluminum or steel

Steel is harder, dents less, and is the better choice almost everywhere inland. It will rust if the coating and the cut edges are compromised, which is why cut edges matter and why coastal installations need care.

Aluminum does not rust, which makes it the sensible choice within a few miles of salt water. It is much softer and it dents from hail, ladders and stray footballs.

Zinc and copper are architectural metals that develop a patina and last a century. They cost three to five times steel and are chosen for appearance.

The things people worry about, answered

Noise in rain. Metal siding on a wall, over sheathing and insulation, is not noticeably louder than any other cladding. Metal roofing over an open deck is where that reputation came from.

Lightning. Metal cladding does not attract lightning. If struck, a grounded metal skin is arguably safer than a combustible one.

Heat. A light-colored metal wall reflects more solar heat than dark vinyl. Cladding contributes very little to cooling load either way; the insulation behind it does the work.

Dents. Real on aluminum, much less so on 24 gauge steel. Hail is the honest risk and in hail country it is worth asking about impact ratings.

Frequently asked questions

How long does metal siding last?

Forty to sixty years for the panel, with the coating being what ages. A PVDF finish carries a thirty to forty year warranty against fade and chalk; a polyester finish carries ten to fifteen.

Is it fireproof?

Non-combustible, which is not the same thing but is what fire-prone counties in the west increasingly require. Where wildfire code applies, metal and fiber cement are usually the two options left.

Can it go over existing siding?

It should not. Metal needs a flat plane and a drainage path, and over old siding it gets neither. Strip it and replace the house wrap.

Does it dent easily?

Aluminum yes, steel much less. A dent in metal siding is also repairable by replacing one panel, which is easier than matching twenty-year-old vinyl.

Is it noisy in the wind?

Correctly fastened, no. Panels that ripple or ping in wind are underfastened or were installed without allowance for thermal movement, and both are installation faults rather than properties of the material.