What You Should Consider When Choosing a Dark Siding Color

Your exterior siding can make or break the curb appeal of your home. As such, there are many things to consider when choosing your siding color. Increasingly, more homeowners are leaning toward dark shades for their siding. Design trends are steering away from neutral colors into either pure white or dramatic black. 

If you’re interested in dark-colored siding, there are a few things of which to be aware. Kroll Construction explains what you need to consider. 

Pros and Cons of Dark Siding Colors

Dark-colored siding offers numerous advantages, especially when it comes to aesthetics. If you live in a traditional home, a bold, dark color can easily complement light-colored trim. The contrast between the two is appealing. This also helps draw attention to an element you want to highlight in your home’s exterior, such as window frames.

However, dark siding colors also have their drawbacks. They tend to absorb sunlight more than lighter surfaces, which can be a detriment to your home’s energy efficiency. In addition, dark siding panels are prone to fading. Most exterior finishes “chalk” eventually, but excessive chalking can hurt the aesthetic appeal of your home. If you choose black or any dark shade of a particular color for your siding, make sure your exterior wall has sufficient insulation. You may also consider siding panels with an insulating layer underneath.

Siding Materials to Consider

When it comes to dark colors, the siding material you choose plays an important role. Here are some things to consider:

• Vinyl – If you want a true black color, vinyl may not be the best choice. While there are some fairly dark shades of vinyl, you won’t find a true black color because of the lack of market demand. Several manufacturers also warranty their vinyl siding offerings against “excessive color fade.” Painting your existing vinyl siding is possible, but paints have to be kept to a light-reflecting value (LRV) of 55 or greater. 
• Composite – Composite siding, meanwhile, may be painted with any color without special precaution as the product is not prone to excessive movement due to heat. As such, you can paint your composite with any top-quality exterior paint of your choosing, including dark colors. 
• Fiber Cement – Fiber cement siding can be factory-painted or primed and ready for painting on site. James Hardie® standard factory colors aren’t that dark, but they do not place a limit on what colors you choose nor warranty their product for third-party paints. 

Looking for a siding contractor for your project? Get in touch with Kroll Construction. Our home improvement pros also offer roofing and window services. Call us today at (888) 338-6340 or fill out our contact form to set an appointment. We proudly serve homeowners in Detroit.