When you think about vinyl siding, a certain style of siding comes to mind. Most people imagine horizontal lap siding made from vinyl. This is a very traditional type of vinyl siding that consists of slightly angled, smooth siding panels that overlap one another slightly. Lap siding does look nice on a lot of homes, and there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is not the only style of vinyl siding that exists. If you're about to have your siding installed on your home, you may want to consider these other styles too.  

Dutch Lap Siding

If you like vinyl lap siding but would like something with just a little more detail, then Dutch lap siding might be a good choice. This siding has a long indent in each piece. This adds interest to the profile and causes light to bounce off the siding in more interesting ways. A home with Dutch lap siding will look more heavily textured than one with lap siding, but the look is still fairly traditional.

Beaded Siding

Like Dutch lap siding, beaded siding has an indent running the length of each piece. However, in beaded siding, this indent is a true, square-edged notch rather than a gentle slope. Beaded siding is seen as more upscale than other styles, which is a relic from days gone by when siding was made by hand—beaded siding was the hardest style to make. The indent, or bead, causes the siding to cast a shadow on itself, which gives it a calming, cool look.

Log Siding

As the name suggests, log siding is vinyl siding made to look like wood. Each piece bends outward into a log-like shape. The outside of your home, when sided with log siding, will have a texture similar to that of a real log cabin. But you don't have to do any of the scraping, painting, or sealing you would do with a real log cabin.

Shake Siding

Instead of opting for wood shakes, you might want to opt for vinyl shakes. They have a similar, rough, and rustic look, but with far less maintenance. You can also find vinyl shakes in a range of colors. The color extends all of the way through the vinyl, so it never chips away or requires painting. 

Vinyl siding comes in many different styles. Discuss these options with your siding contractor, and make sure you look at plenty of samples.