Siding Replacement in Sumner, WA

Pierce County assessor records date 31% of Sumner’s 2,369 single-family homes to before 1950. That one fact shapes most siding jobs here. A house that old likely still has its original wood lap siding, possibly with lead paint under the newer coats, and taking it off calls for more care than re-siding a newer home. Below we walk through what is on Sumner houses now, how vinyl, insulated composite and metal siding compare for local conditions, and the signs your siding is ready to go, whether you are pricing vinyl siding in Sumner or a premium upgrade.

What’s on Sumner homes now

The Census and the county assessor count Sumner differently. Census data covers all 4,630 housing units and puts the median year built at 1989, with 34% of homes built in 2000 or later. The assessor’s single-family records skew older, with a median year built of 1978. Here is what each era usually means for the siding on the house today:

• Before 1950 (31% of single-family homes): original wood lap siding.
• 1950 to 1979 (21%): cedar, T1-11 or asbestos-cement shingles. Asbestos-cement may contain asbestos and should be tested before removal.
• 1980 to 1999 (20%): composite and hardboard lap siding. About 11% of single-family homes were built between 1985 and 1996, the era of LP siding, which has a known history of moisture failure.
• 2000 or later (28%): fiber cement or builder-grade vinyl now reaching its first repaint or replacement. Ridge View Estates, a 32-home neighborhood with a median build year of 2009, falls in this group.

Assessor records list vinyl on only 7% of single-family homes, so most Sumner houses have never been re-sided with it. Census data puts the housing mix at 57% detached houses, 21% attached homes and 5% mobile homes.

Choosing siding for Sumner’s conditions

We usually recommend three siding types for Sumner homes, plus stone accents, and settle on the right one with you at the free in-home consultation. None of the three is wood, so none of them will rot or need repainting the way cedar does through a wet South Sound winter.

Vinyl siding is the most versatile and least expensive of the three. Sumner home values sit about 2% below the Pierce County median, at roughly $520,000, and owners in that range often pick vinyl as a durable, cost-effective choice. It also keeps cost in check on bigger jobs: the median single-family home here is 1,666 square feet, and 31% have two or more stories, which means more wall to cover. Vinyl comes in a wide range of colors and textures, including shake, scalloped and board-and-batten looks, it resists pests, and it needs little upkeep.

The Evergreen Shield Siding System is the insulated upgrade. Census data shows 56% of Sumner homes heat with electricity, and where heating costs more, an insulated wall pays back more. If you plan to stay in the house for the long term, it is the option we steer you toward.

Metal siding suits owners who want a crisp, contemporary exterior and a hard-wearing surface.

Stacked stone and stone veneer are accents, not whole-house siding. A stone base course, entry surround or column wrap adds curb appeal and a durable surface near the ground, and it pairs with any of the three siding types above.

At the consultation we listen to what you want for the house, walk the walls with you and recommend the most cost-effective way to get there.

Evergreen Shield Siding System in Sumner

The Evergreen Shield Siding System is our exclusive insulated composite siding, designed for the Pacific Northwest climate. Two of its features matter most for Sumner homes.

The first is water resistance. The composite is built to stand up to long wet seasons, humidity, mold and mildew, which is the daily test for any siding on a house in this part of the county.

The second is insulation. An insulating graphite membrane gives the panels thermal resistance of R-2.0, compared with R-0.61 for standard vinyl siding. With more than half of Sumner homes on electric heat, that extra insulation in the walls has more room to pay back than it would in a home heated with gas.

We go over whether it is the right fit for your house, next to vinyl and metal, during the free in-home consultation.

Signs your siding needs replacing

Sumner gets heavier rain than the central Sound, and moss is common on roofs in the area. On siding, that moisture shows up first in a few places:

• Swollen or soft hardboard at the bottom edges. On the 11% of homes built from 1985 to 1996, in the LP siding era, look for boards that have swelled, flaked or gone soft at the drip edge and around nail heads.
• Moss, rot or split boards on shaded walls. Older wood siding holds water on north walls and other spots where the sun rarely reaches.
• Cracks, breaks or holes. Gaps in old siding let insects in, and once inside the walls they can eat away at the wood framing.
• Paint that won’t stay put. If paint on wood siding keeps peeling soon after a repaint, the boards may be ready for replacement rather than another coat.

Get a free siding consultation in Sumner

Schedule a free in-home consultation and we will look at your walls, talk through vinyl, the Evergreen Shield Siding System and metal, and recommend what fits your home and budget. Call our Tacoma office at 253-777-0866. We offer a lifetime warranty. For roofing, windows and decks, see our Sumner home exterior services.