Siding Replacement in Steilacoom, WA

Most houses in Steilacoom still wear the siding they were built with. Pierce County assessor records put the median single-family home at 1974 and show vinyl on just 8% of them, so a large share of town is still covered in original wood and panel siding that has been through decades of wet winters. If you are planning a replacement, two things shape the choice: what your house was built with, and how much water it takes. This page covers both, plus the siding we usually recommend here and what to check on your own walls.

What’s on Steilacoom homes now

Of the 2,926 single-family homes in the assessor’s records, 52% were built between 1950 and 1979. Houses from that period usually went up with cedar, T1-11 plywood panels or asbestos-cement shingles. Asbestos-cement siding may contain asbestos and should be tested before removal, so it helps to know which one you have before work begins.

Another 24% date from 1980 to 1999, the era of composite and hardboard siding, including LP siding with its known history of moisture failure. The 15% built since 2000 likely have fiber cement or builder-grade vinyl reaching a first repaint or replacement. The oldest 9%, built before 1950, likely still have original wood lap siding and possibly lead paint. Steilacoom is the oldest incorporated town in Washington and has a historic district, so those older houses are part of its character.

Masonry is rare. Brick and stucco each cover about 1% of homes. Census data shows 63% of housing units are detached houses and 20% are attached. The assessor rates only 2% of homes in fair or worse condition, which tells you most houses here are well kept; the siding on them is simply getting old.

Choosing siding for Steilacoom’s conditions

The South Sound gets heavier rain than the central Sound, and moss is a familiar sight on local roofs. That favors siding that does not hold water. Vinyl, the Evergreen Shield Siding System and metal are the three types we usually recommend, and none of them is wood, so none of them rots or needs repainting the way cedar does after years of wet winters. How they line up for your house depends on a few local facts:

• Heating with electricity: Census data shows 60% of Steilacoom homes heat with electricity and 36% with gas. Where heating costs more, insulated siding pays back more, which points to the Evergreen Shield Siding System, our insulated composite siding.
• Covering a lot of wall: 42% of single-family homes here have two or more stories, and the median home is 1,756 square feet. On a tall house or a firm budget, vinyl stretches furthest. It is the most versatile and least expensive of the three.
• Matching a higher-value home: The median home value in town is about $655,000, 23% above the Pierce County median. Owners of homes in that range more often choose a premium material, either the Evergreen Shield Siding System or metal siding.
• Adding masonry detail: With brick and stucco so uncommon, stacked stone or stone veneer is a simple way to add masonry character. It is accent cladding, used with any of the three on entries, columns, chimneys and wainscots, and it makes a durable base course along the bottom of the wall.

These are the types we usually recommend, not a closed list. The best option for your house is something we work out together during a free in-home consultation, where you can hold the siding samples up against your own walls.

Evergreen Shield Siding System in Steilacoom

The Evergreen Shield Siding System is our exclusive siding, designed for the Pacific Northwest climate, and two of its features answer the conditions in town. Its composite material is built for water resistance through long wet seasons, humidity, mold and mildew, which is what a Steilacoom winter brings. An insulating graphite membrane gives the panels R-2.0 thermal resistance, compared with R-0.61 for standard vinyl siding. In a town where most homes run on electric heat from the Town of Steilacoom utility, that extra layer of insulation goes on the walls that need it. You can read the full product details on the Evergreen Shield Siding System page, and we can show you the panels at your consultation.

Signs your siding needs replacing

On the cedar and T1-11 that went onto so many mid-century houses here, look for soft or split boards, paint that will not stay on, and plywood panels coming apart at the bottom edge. Green growth and dark staining on shaded walls mean the siding stays damp between rains.

If your house was built from 1985 to 1996, as 18% of Steilacoom homes were, check the lower edge of each panel for swelling, flaking or crumbling at the drip edge. That is how hardboard and LP siding fails once water gets in.

Press on a few boards near the ground and around windows and doors. Soft spots there often mean water has reached the wall behind the siding, and at that point replacement makes more sense than patching.

Get a free siding consultation in Steilacoom

Schedule a free in-home consultation and we will look at your current siding, bring samples, and talk through vinyl, the Evergreen Shield Siding System and metal for your house. Call our Tacoma office at 253-777-0866 or contact us online. Financing is available, along with discounts for seniors, active military, veterans and first responders. For roofing, windows and decks, see our Steilacoom home exterior services.