Lap siding is a classic style that offers homes a traditional, time-honored appeal – and it comes in materials other than wood or vinyl. With several options available and promising an ROI of 89% to 95%, lap siding is an excellent choice for homeowners looking to replace their siding.
If you're shopping for new siding options, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about lap siding so you can decide if it's the right choice for your home.
What is lap siding?
Lap siding is the most popular siding style for U.S. homes. It gets its name from the installation. Horizontal planks are installed from the bottom up so the edges overlap by a couple of inches. Lap siding is also called clapboard or bevel siding because when made of real wood, the planks are wedge-shaped to make overlapping easier.
What are the different styles of lap siding?
Lap siding comes in several styles. If you want something slightly different from your neighbor's, take a look to see how each one can improve the curb appeal of your home's exterior.
Traditional lap
Traditionally, lap siding consisted of beveled wooden boards–smooth-planed or rough-sawn–installed horizontally and overlapping. However, with new materials dominating the market, lap siding may not look like its traditional counterpart. Depending on the manufacturer, materials like vinyl or metal may be fashioned into panels shaped to resemble horizontal planks.
Beaded lap
Beaded lap siding is the same as traditional lap, with one exception. It has a groove, or "bead," milled into the front bottom edge of each horizontal plank, giving it visual interest.
Rabbeted bevel lap
When made of wood, you may have rabbeted bevel siding. Though the profile is cut slightly differently, the appearance is the same. To create a rabbeted bevel, a sawyer cuts a rectangular groove into the back of the lower edge of the plank that fits snugly over the top of the plank below it, increasing its weather resistance. Unlike the furry garden pest named Peter, rabbet is a woodworker's term for this type of groove. Rabbeted bevel siding is also called Dolly Varden.
Dutch lap
Dutch lap is a faux lap siding. While it resembles traditional lap siding, the top half of the horizontal plank is sawn with a concave surface. This profile gives the appearance of lapping without actually doing so.
Shiplap
Shiplap is a plank siding typically made of wood but is available in fiber cement, metal, and engineered wood, like LP SmartSide. Each wood shiplap plank has grooves (rabbets) cut along the edges, facing opposite directions, enabling them to fit together. This style provides more water resistance. Shiplap siding comes in its traditional style as well as beveled and nickel gap. It's also used on the exterior and interior of homes.
Pros and cons of lap siding
Lap siding is the most popular siding style used on American homes. But before opting for this timeless look, let's look at its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- + Comes in several styles to choose from
- + Is available in numerous materials
- + Improves curb appeal
- + Holds up in extreme climates
- + Lasts for decades
Cons
- - Wood lap siding is susceptible to rot, insects, and fire
- - Wood siding requires more frequent maintenance and painting
- - Plank installation takes more time than panel siding
What is lap siding made of?
Historically, lap siding was made of wood. Cedar lap siding resists moisture and insects and ages to a beautiful patina. But other woods aren't as resilient. Fortunately, 21st-century homeowners have more options. Manufacturers now create exterior siding products from materials resistant to insects, moisture, and fire, unlike wood, and you don't have to paint it. Refer to this graphic to see how the different materials stack up against each other.
What does lap siding cost?
The average cost to side a home with lap siding is $4,972 to $22,942, depending on the material.
Lap siding costs depend on several factors, like the material and size of your home. Natural wood siding has a wide price range, depending on the species. For instance, redwood siding costs more than pine, and metal siding costs more than vinyl.
Other cost factors include the size and complexity of your home's design. When an installer must cut around chimneys, dormers, or other architectural elements, the installation process takes longer, increasing labor costs. Here is a breakdown of the cost of installing 1,500 square feet of lap siding by material.
Material | Cost per 1,500 square feet |
Vinyl | $6,753 to $12,287 |
Fiber cement | $4,972 to $9,047 |
Natural wood | $9,766 to $17,768 |
Engineered wood | $5,759 to $10,478 |
Aluminum | $8,374 to $15,236 |
Steel | $12,609 to $22,942 |
Places to install lap siding
Lap siding isn't confined to the outdoors. Some homeowners also like to use it as an accent inside their homes. Here are a couple of design ideas to help you visualize where you might choose to install lap siding.
An accent wall
Install lap siding, particularly shiplap, inside the home to create an accent wall. It adds visual interest and texture and creates a focal point in any room. Try it surrounding the fireplace, behind the bed, or above built-in cabinets.
Pair with another siding
Pairing one siding style with another accentuates certain design elements on the home. For instance, this homeowner combined lap siding with stone veneer for a rich, warm curb appeal.
Surrounding a door
To accentuate a particular home feature, surround it with something different from the rest of its siding. This home features lap siding surrounding the front door to help it appear wider than it is and stand out from the rest of the house, which is covered in board-and-batten.
Popular brands of lap siding
When you hire a siding professional, they supply the materials. But if you're DIYing this home improvement project, you may want to shop for a particular product or material. For instance, fiber cement lap siding is a best-selling product sought after in some areas of North America. Or, you may want a faux wood product with a cedar texture to resist termites. Whatever you're looking for, here are a few top siding brands that offer lap siding.
CertainTeed
CertainTeed's vinyl siding has a traditional look, but it's made of high-quality vinyl designed to withstand harsh weather. This high-performance material comes in a variety of colors and styles.
James Hardie
James Hardie® is an industry-leading manufacturer of fiber cement siding, frequently referred to as Hardie Board. Its products suit any climate and have a 30-year product warranty and a 15-year color warranty. They come with a traditional lap or a beaded lap profile with either a smooth or wood-grain texture. They also come primed for painting or in various colors and are a low-maintenance alternative to wood.
PlyGem
PlyGem offers traditional lap and Dutch lap siding made of aluminum with an authentic wood texture. Its attractive premium siding requires minimal maintenance and is 100% recyclable. It's also available in various colors to complement any home style.
Can I install my lap siding?
SKILL | COST | ESTIMATED TIME |
This project is for a mid-level DIYer who can lift planks overhead and properly install waterproof sheathing, flashing, and trim. | $3.31 to $11.85 per square foot for engineered or natural wood products | A professional installation could take roughly 32 hours for 1,500 square feet. |
Siding cannot protect your home from the elements if installed incorrectly. For this reason, we recommend that DIYers have some level of skill before proceeding. For instance, you'll need to be able to do the following:
Maintain correct tolerances between the siding material and other elements like shingles, molding, and trim.
Cut and fit the material around features like dormers and chimneys.
Install flashing, caulking, and underlayment.
Finally, materials like fiber cement and metal siding require material-specific experience and specialty tools.
Is lap siding right for your home?
Siding is an essential building material that protects your home from the elements and dictates style and curb appeal. But with so many options to choose from, you may need help choosing the right one for your home. A professional siding installer has the knowledge and experience to help you make that decision. Whether replacing existing siding or choosing something for a new construction, connect with a contractor in your area for solid siding advice.
Frequently asked questions
Not really. But dust does like to settle on the lap edges of the siding, making it necessary to hose off more frequently.
Technically, lap siding and clapboard siding are the same–just different names. However, shiplap and Dutch lap are not true "laps," as the planks don't lap over one another.
Yes. You can buy lap siding in different widths. Manufacturers typically offer it from 4 to 9 inches wide. But if you have your own wood lap siding milled, you can specify any width you want.
Carol J Alexander is a home remodeling industry expert for Fixr.com. For more than 15 years as a journalist and content marketer, her in-depth research, interviewing skills, and technical insight have ensured she provides the most accurate and current information on a given topic. Before joining the Fixr team, her personal clients included leaders in the building materials market like Behr Paint Company, CertainTeed, and Chicago Faucet, and national publications like This Old House and Real Homes.