Maintaining the appearance of your Kansas City commercial building is important, especially if you receive visitors, or have tenants. You want to make a good first impression with aesthetic appeal, while protecting your property from the elements. Today you have more siding choices than ever to add some style to your commercial building. Here are some ideas to help you choose the best siding for your Kansas City commercial building.

The Types of Materials

There is a long list of materials to help improve the appearance and insulation for your commercial property. Each offers its own look, cost, and benefits. You want to choose your materials based on a list of criteria including the look, cost, durability, and level of maintenance required.

Here are the pros and cons of the materials available:

Aluminum Exterior Cladding

Pros

• Weather-resistant
• Long-lasting finish
• Wide range of colors available

Cons

• Can scratch with force so not good for areas where it can be dented such as loading docks

Vinyl Exterior Cladding

Pros

• Requires little maintenance
• Weather-resistant
• Protects against parasites and mildew
• Easy installation
• Easy maintenance

Cons

• Not so eco-friendly as it is made with nonrenewable natural gas
• If you need fire resistance, you need to choose additional materials

Fiber Cement Exterior

Pros

• Superior resistance to mold and pests
• High wind resistance
• Easy installation
• Fire resistant

Cons

• If not, well-maintained it won’t last as long

Wood Fiber Siding

Pros

• Affordable
• Good weather resistance

Cons

• More time-consuming installation
• Less upscale in appearance

Exterior Brick Cladding

Pros

• Elegant appearance
• High weather resistance
• High performing firewall
• Longest lasting (up to 100 years)
• Low maintenance
• Resistant to pests and mildew

Cons

• Heavyweight makes it difficult to install
• Requires costly masonry work
• High price tag overall

Natural Stone Cladding

Pros

• Unique, upscale look
• High weather resistance
• High performing firewall
• Long-lasting
• Minimal maintenance
• Pest and mildew resistant

Cons

• Heavyweight makes it difficult to install
• Requires masonry work
• Expensive

Wood exterior cladding

Pros

• Eco friendly
• Produces a minimal amount of CO2
• Wide variety of colors, styles, and strengths
• Rustic or elegant style
• Lifespan of 25 to 55 years with proper maintenance

Cons

• Not as weather-resistant as most sidings
• Extremely high maintenance
• Not effective as a firewall
• Vulnerable to pests and mildew

Acrylic exterior cladding

Pros

• High insulation
• Reasonable durable and long-lasting and durable

Cons

• Not as durable as other choices

A professional contractor can help you make the right choice for your needs.

Budget

This is an obvious concern. You have to look at two aspects of cost:

1. How much you can afford upfront
2. How much you want to spend down the road

Although you might think you’re saving money going with a budget-friendly siding, if it isn’t going to last long and requires maintenance, it isn’t really saving you money in the long run.

Aesthetics

If your building is strictly “functional” such as a manufacturing plant or warehouse you can save on looks. Investing in durable, low maintenance and high insulation factors make the most sense. However, if your building is on a main road where it has to fit in with the area, or has a lot of tenants and/or visitors, the look becomes just as important as the functional factors.

If you need professional advice on the right siding for your Kansas City commercial building, speak to the experts at Empire Construction today.