Are you thinking of upgrading your home with vinyl log siding? It’s more affordable than wooden logs and gives the exterior an attractive rustic look.

If you are ready to replace your old siding, contact your local siding pros for FREE ESTIMATES!

Vinyl Log Siding Prices

Log siding is significantly cheaper than other alternatives like fiber cement.

Depending on the quality of the materials and the manufacturer, fiber cement siding could cost four times more than its vinyl log siding counterpart.

For example, you can get 24 pieces of shiplap vinyl log siding for between approximately $143 to $190. On the other hand, 24 pieces of shiplap fiber cement siding cost between $420 and $760.

When it comes to affordable cladding options, vinyl log siding panels win by a large margin.

Vinyl Log Siding Brands

If you’ve decided vinyl log siding is the ideal cladding for your home, you should know what to expect from the top brands.

Brand	Price Per Square Foot
ABTCO Vinyl Siding- Adirondack Log Siding	$2.00-$6.00
Kaycan – Montebello Insulated Log Siding	$3.40-$4.25

ABTCO Vinyl Siding − Adirondack Log Siding

ABTCO Vinyl Siding provides top-grade building products, from siding and rain ware to accessories, trims, and finishes.

The company’s Adirondack vinyl log siding boasts 0.046-inch-thick panels with an innovative lock system to ensure peak longevity.

This vinyl log siding has a cedar-style finish that gives the panels that genuine wood look.

ABTCO uses real cedar in the imprinting process to achieve an authentic wood grain texture, enhancing the product’s visual appeal.

The gorgeous patterns look natural, and the vinyl log siding is available in four colors: one ashy gray shade and three beige tones.

The company has developed its Chromalock technology to create an acrylic layer over the vinyl base. This fusion process allows the vinyl log siding to resist the sun’s harsh glare for decades.

Did you know? Water accumulation can be a problem with vinyl log siding, but ABTCO’s Vapor Vent management system offers a solution. It removes moisture from the cladding and underlayment, protecting the home’s structural integrity.

ABTCO backs this vinyl log siding with a limited lifetime warranty and will replace the vinyl log siding panels if they arrive with manufacturing defects.

Vinyl log siding prices vary between $2 and $6 per square foot. The additional materials and installation will increase the total project cost.

Kaycan − Montebello Insulated Log Siding

Kaycan is an industry leader that prides itself on its wide range of vinyl products.

The company specializes in creating stunning visual replicas of natural wood.

Although Kaycan vinyl log siding comes in various styles and shapes, Montebello log siding is known for its authentic wood finish.

Kaycan’s vinyl log siding panels fare well in hot and cold weather, making Montebello siding suitable for different climates.

Additionally, this vinyl log siding is resistant to impact and heat, and the manufacturing process guarantees minimal distortion in extreme weather conditions.

Kaycan makes its vinyl log sidings from recyclable or repurposable materials and has been recognized by LEED, a well-respected environmental protection organization.

Montebello vinyl log siding panels are seven inches thick and come in four color options. The darkest is a warm beige, while the lightest is a soft grey.

The company provides a limited lifetime warranty for its vinyl log siding, so the product should arrive without craftsmanship or material defects.

Should the product be defective, Kaycan will repair or replace the vinyl log siding.

The warranty only extends to the original customer.

Kaycan’s Montebello siding costs between $3.40 and $4.25 per square foot. This estimate excludes labor, installation, and additional materials.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Fake Log Vinyl Siding?

Here are the top pros and cons that you should consider before installing vinyl siding that replicates the look of real wood logs.

The Pros

Let’s look at the most attractive features of vinyl log siding.

Color

The vinyl log siding panels feature baked-in color, so homeowners save time and money that would have been needed to paint and clad other materials.

Moreover, the vinyl log siding baked-in color is homogenous, ensuring that the interior matches the exterior perfectly.

As a result, you can’t mechanically strip, scratch off, or abrade the siding’s color.

Natural log panels which are manually painted show wear and tear over time, and the paint begins to peel. However, with vinyl panels, you won’t have to repaint the siding every few years.

The baked paint also bolsters the material’s durability, an invaluable quality for any home improvement project.

Minimal Upkeep

Vinyl log siding features a slick surface that prevents dirt, dust, cobwebs, and other debris from sticking to the material. All homeowners need to do is use a garden hose or pressure washer, and the mess is gone.

Since the paint won’t fade, maintaining the vinyl log siding ‘s gorgeous appearance is straightforward.

Clean the vinyl log siding every few years to help it retain its rustic appearance.

Durable

Manufacturers use a combination of stabilizers, polyvinyl chloride, anti-weather protection, and additives to ensure the vinyl log siding is sturdy and resilient.

Additionally, the production process makes the panels strong enough to resist weather damage.

You can determine the vinyl log siding’s durability based on the product’s warranty. Vinyl log brands typically back their siding with a 50-year warranty. In some cases, they’ll even offer lifetime warranties.

Although top-grade vinyl log siding can last for decades, always read the warranty carefully to see how extensive the coverage is.

Furthermore, steer clear of retailers or contractors offering insufficient coverage period.

Did you know? Manufacturers incorporate vinyl soffits and facia into the siding to prevent several issues like peeling paint and rotting wood.

Easy to Install

Unlike natural wood siding, vinyl logs are simple to install. Standard tools like a utility knife can cut through the panels easily.

The vinyl log siding installation process requires no painting, sanding, or priming.

By contrast, you’ll need powerful tools to cut through natural wood logs. After cutting the material, you must paint, prime, and smooth the wood before placing it on the wall. This time-consuming task increases labor costs.

Less Susceptible to Mold and Pest Damage

Another reason vinyl log siding overshadows traditional options is that it doesn’t suffer from pest infestations.

Termites and other pests thrive in natural wood, which is a non-issue with plastic materials.

Although you can treat natural wood to combat insects and mold, the treatment eventually loses its power, increasing the risk of structural damage. Once this happens, costly repairs are usually the only solution.

Note that several products used to combat mold aren’t suitable for pressure-treated wood. Thus, if you’ve chosen pressure-treated logs, you’ll need to learn which mold treatment yields the best results.

Vinyl siding logs are the way to go if you want to prevent insects and mold from degrading the wood frame’s interior.

But improper installation can lead to severe issues. Misplaced panels create gaps that allow pests to sneak in and destroy the wood underneath the siding.

The Cons

Despite its qualities, vinyl log siding has some drawbacks.

Property Value

Installing vinyl log siding is a quick and inexpensive way to improve a home’s visual appeal. However, this decision could lower the home’s value, which is especially detrimental if you live in a historically significant building.

Although these logs restore the home’s brand-new look, they may flatten the exterior.

The panels feature identical molding and trim, making the house appear two-dimensional. On the other hand, authentic wood siding adds to the home’s rustic and classy look.

Furthermore, potential homebuyers may not appreciate vinyl siding and could make a lower offer.

Worst case scenario, they won’t consider the property at all. Instead, they’ll look for homes with natural wood siding.

Water Might Reach the Insulation Material

The main reason we bolster the exterior vinyl log siding with cladding is to keep moisture out of the home.

Standard siding materials like wood allow the walls to breathe; though some water may seep through, it will exit through the pores.

But the same doesn’t apply to vinyl log siding. The material sits on a non-breathable styrene board, which increases the risk of moisture becoming trapped inside the wall cavities.

How does moisture reach the insulation material if vinyl siding is waterproof?

Improper installation usually leads to damaged insulating materials and misaligned planks. Perhaps the gaps between the panels’ edges aren’t caulked. Or the nails used to affix them could have punctured the insulation wrap.

Moisture underneath the siding is a repair nightmare. It eats away at the home’s wooden frame, inviting termites and other pests. Before long, mold begins to spread.

Did you know? Vinyl is made from a special synthetic polymer developed in the 1950s as an alternative to aluminum.

Color May Fade

Although the siding’s paint is baked in, it’s not immune to discoloration. However, the level of discoloration depends on the vinyl log siding’s color and sun exposure.

For example, lighter vinyl log siding colors fade less than darker tones.

Similarly, vinyl log siding exposed to direct sunlight year-round might lose its color.

Sun exposure can also decrease the vinyl log siding’s service life.

So, if you live in a hot and humid area, you should consider installing natural logs or using lighter vinyl log siding options.

Plastic materials constantly expand and contract in areas with high temperatures during the day and extremely low temperatures during the night. After approximately 15 years, the logs may become weaker.

Repair

While vinyl log siding is durable, it’s still susceptible to cracks and other damage.

Although you can patch many vinyl products, repairing damaged vinyl log sidings is impossible.

If you’ve accidentally grazed a panel with a lawnmower, you’ll have to replace it.

Fortunately, replacing a damaged vinyl log siding panel is straightforward, so long as you find a perfect color match.

Manufacturing Vinyl Log Siding Isn’t Environmentally Friendly

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employees in vinyl log siding factories to follow strict protocols to remain within the recommended exposure limits.

More research is needed to determine whether installing vinyl siding can cause health complications for home occupants.

Repurposing or recycling PVC is time-consuming, complicated, and costly. Many recycling facilities don’t accept items with PVC, so the vinyl log siding is sent to the landfill, where it’s burned.

Biodegrade and incinerated plastic is one of the main contributors to global pollution.

Log Vinyl Siding VS. Real Wood Siding

Natural wood siding is simple to install because it’s compatible with various surfaces. It easily goes over ductwork, plumbing, and wiring.

Wood logs can last between 25-75 years with regular maintenance. Since the siding’s available in multiple patterns and textures, it gives the home a rustic three-dimensional look.

However, maintaining natural wood’s charm requires a lot of work.

Homeowners must perform routine upkeep every few years, including caulking, painting, and staining.

Moreover, they must inspect the wood to detect moisture, insect, and rodent damage before it becomes a problem.

With vinyl log siding, however, the process is much simpler. A quick wash every few years is sufficient to preserve the vinyl log siding panels’ charm.

Frequent temperature, humidity, and moisture changes can also damage natural wood siding.

The wooden panels might crack, allowing insects and other pests to invade the wall cavity. Unless the cracks are sealed immediately, mold and mildew will degrade the wood.

Although vinyl log siding is more affordable than wood, it lasts approximately 30 years. But it excels in other areas.

Because it’s made of plastic materials, vinyl log siding isn’t susceptible to rot and pest damage.

Keep in mind that while it requires minimal upkeep, vinyl log siding can lead to other maintenance problems.

Manufacturers claim top-of-the-line vinyl log siding can serve a home for 25 to 30 years, but poor installation and the local climate could bring the number down to 15.

In addition, dark vinyl log siding can begin to show its age in sunny climates.

Repainting the vinyl log siding panels won’t work because the paint will probably crack and peel soon afterward.

Like their real wood counterparts, vinyl siding logs are susceptible to temperature changes.

Frequent contraction and expansion could break or split the vinyl log siding planks. And, if you inspect your home after a large hail storm, you might notice a hole or two in the vinyl log siding.

Since you can’t patch vinyl siding, you’ll have to replace the damaged vinyl siding logs, possibly straining the household’s finances.

Finally, even a stray rock flying toward the home can cause damage to the vinyl log siding.

Wood logs are a better choice for those who want to boost their home’s value. But if you’re on a tight budget and want to emulate the warmth of cedar wood, vinyl log siding will do the trick.

Did you know? The wind resistance benchmark for vinyl siding is 110 miles per hour, though some models can withstand greater pressure. So, they’re a good solution for homes in hurricane-prone areas.

Is Vinyl Log Siding Right for You?

Vinyl log siding is durable, affordable, and visually appealing.

While some consider it inferior to traditional wood siding, it’s flexible and can stay in great shape in areas with continental climates.

However, remember that top-grade materials and professional installation are necessary for the vinyl log siding to remain damage-free.