9 Best Modern Metal Siding Options for Your Home

modern metal siding options

If you consider upgrading your home and turning it into a more aesthetically pleasing and attractive facility, replacing the cladding system is one of the essential things you should do. Manufacturers offer various cladding systems, from traditional wood to contemporary metal panels or vinyl sidings. However, architects prefer metal sidings for current designs. Thus, we want to introduce you to the best modern metal siding options for your beloved home.

Modern Metal Siding Options in Terms of Material

Current construction contractors and suppliers provide modern metal siding options with different materials. Here are the best ones you should consider using in your next project.

  • ACM Panels
  • Aluminum Siding or Cladding
  • Steel Siding
  • Galvanized Steel Cladding Panels
  • Vinyl Siding
  • Copper Cladding Systems
  • CORTEN Steel Siding
  • Zinc Cladding
  • Corrugated Siding
modern metal siding

Advantages of Modern Metal Siding Options

Each of these modern metal siding options has its unique advantages and characteristics. They can all be practical for your home cladding system. However, all of these options have some primary and mutual benefits that you should know, making them perfect for any building design.

  • Metal sidings are low-maintenance construction materials.
  • All of the modern metal siding systems repel insects.
  • Modern metal sidings are durable and can withstand the harshest weather conditions.
  • Most of the metal sidings, including aluminum composite panels, are anti-corrosion.
  • Modern metal claddings are energy-efficient materials. They will decrease your energy costs during all seasons.
  • ACM panels are perfect sound-insulating solutions.
  • With modern metal siding options, you can have limitless design ideas for your home. Aluminum sidings, composite panels, steel cladding panels, and other systems come with various colors and patterns to fulfill your design requirements.
  • Metal panels are recyclable materials, and you can use cladding systems that are made with old and recycled metal sidings. Manufacturers utilize various ACP recycling methods to create new and beautiful sidings for your home.
  • Fire-rated metal cladding systems will protect your building against fire. This characteristic of modern metal siding options makes them the preferred construction material in industrial cities and countries.
modern aluminum siding

Design Ideas with Modern Metal Sidings for Your Home

Now that you know what the best metal siding options are for you, it is time to help decide which design or style you would like to use for your home. Although architects can design whatever style you desire, there are some beautiful design ideas we want to suggest to help you in your next project.

Here is the list of design ideas we recommend for your house with modern metal siding options:

  1. Stacked Style
  2. Standing Seams
  3. Mixed Material Cladding
  4. Accented Areas
  5. Industrial Design with Modern Material Siding
  6. Continual Board-and-Batten with Metal Cladding Panels
  7. Horizontal Metal Paneling
  8. Pops of Colors and Patterns

Stacked Style with Modern Metal Siding Options

Suppose your home is broken up into vertical sections by the wrap-around porch and the roofing system overhang to cover it. In that case, you should use modern metal siding systems by breaking them up into vertical sections as well.

With this design idea, you can complete the look and appearance of your home facade by getting a lot of depth that mixes perfectly with your windows.

Standing Seam Design

One of the most traditional forms of metal sidings is using corrugated metal panels to cover the facade. Modern architects utilize this designing method with flat-seam panels and standing seam metal sidings.

With a standing seam design, you will get a more weathertight exterior, and it will offer a sleek and modern look with vertical lines.

Mixed Material Cladding

Architects can design a home for you featuring different materials in various facility parts. Even traditional cladding systems can be mixed with modern metal siding options for creating a unique appearance.

In this design idea, you can use different materials and colors horizontally or vertically, which will offer an exciting appearance for your home’s exterior.

Accented Areas of Home Facade with Modern Metal Siding Options

You can use modern metal siding as accents on different sections of your home facade. With this, you will add a modern appearance and stunning visual effects to your house.

Industrial Design with Modern Metal Sidings

Industrial design is one of the trendiest home styles nowadays. You can create homes with industrial design with all of the metal siding options. However, the best material for industrial style is the aluminum composite panel.

This design idea combines well with the oversized glass windows and can add some contrast to the wood trim giving your home’s design depth and details.

Continual Board-and-Batten

Another practical design idea for your home’s facade with modern metal sidings is board-and-batten. With this method, you can create contrasting angles which will offer a unique appearance.

Horizontal Metal Paneling

If you want to provide more dramatic lines on your building facade, horizontal metal paneling is the best option for you. The horizontally installed metal cladding panels will help your home’s exterior highlight and attract more attention. Moreover, you can add ACM panels with wood patterns to add warmth to your design.

Pops of Colors and Patterns

The last design idea with modern metal siding options is to use pops of colors and patterns. Having some body-colored cladding panels can help you add some interiors to your home’s exterior.

How to Recycle Aluminum Siding?

Aluminum Cladding System with Aluminum Siding

Aluminum siding usage is experiencing decrement as an exterior metal cladding system because other building facade materials such as ACM panels and ACP materials have become more popular choices among builders and contractors. However, this metal cladding is still one of the most valuable and common building materials and forms of siding found today. Since the day of creation, aluminum siding has provided various advantages over other materials, which goes back to the 1940s. This metal cladding was affordable, and it was installed on many homes through the 1970s. Aluminum claddings are generally durable and can last for a long without requiring complex maintenance. However, after years of service, a homeowner may consider replacing them or selling them to buy new products. In this case, it is better to recycle aluminum sidings.

What is Aluminum Siding?

Aluminum siding claddings are made from aluminum coil stocks that are coated with chemical substances to protect the metal surface and then painted for further protection and aesthetics. After coating, ACP companies and manufacturers bake the aluminum siding for better durability while applying enamel to create beautiful textures.

One of the earliest architectural applications of aluminum panel claddings came in the 1920s when it was utilized for producing ornamental spandrel panels for famous buildings such as the Empire State Buildings in NYC. By the 1940s, this metal cladding system was being produced for residential buildings and became popular due to its various advantages over other cladding systems at the time.

However, the popularity of the aluminum siding cladding system remained steady until the energy crisis that occurred in the 1970s. Since the production process of aluminum claddings requires a great deal of energy and a considerable amount of raw materials, building materials manufacturers started developing other practical metal claddings such as aluminum composite panels. These specific factors affected the usage of these metal sidings. However, one of the best ways to produce and create new aluminum claddings is to recycle aluminum sidings and use them for modern aluminum composite panels.

aluminum siding recycling process
Recycle Aluminum Siding to Create more Modern Metal Cladding Materials

Advantages of Aluminum Claddings and Panels

Although aluminum siding or claddings are used less than aluminum composite panels, these metal building facades possess some unique attributes that may be advantageous over other building materials in some situations. Manufacturers recycle aluminum sidings to produce modern sidings with better advantages. Here are some of the essential benefits and advantages of aluminum sidings to consider:

  • Aluminum sidings are lightweight building materials.
  • Aluminum cladding panels are highly durable, and if maintained properly, they can last for 40 years.
  • ACP companies and manufacturers can apply any paint finish to the metal sidings.
  • Aluminum sidings do not rust.
  • ACM panels are fireproof since they contain a fire-resistant core.
  • Aluminum claddings are also water-proof.
  • Manufacturers can recycle aluminum siding easily.
  • The protective coating applied to the siding surface can mimic the look of natural materials such as wood. (Perfect for homeowners who prefer to have a more traditional-looking building facade.
  • Since aluminum sidings and claddings do not contain organic materials, they will not rot or serve as a source of food for insects.

Recycle Aluminum Siding and Claddings Easily

For remodeling, a home or an office building with a DIY process or a pro contractor, discarding the scrap materials from the wasted parts of the job can turn into an expensive and distracting side project. Removing, replacing, or painting aluminum siding or metal cladding provides no joy in the disposal and cleanup. Metal sidings are among the few building materials that are in high demand even when ripped, twisted, or crushed. Old Aluminum siding is the most outstanding example of a waste product enduring value.

Homeowners can recycle aluminum siding at ACP company and manufacturers to get a rewarding strategy for the disposal of torn-down cladding. Manufacturers utilize various methods to recycle aluminum siding.

Bringing in old and damaged aluminum sidings is easy. To have a more efficient recycling process, it is better to check for non-ferrous or ferrous metal. Homeowners can detect ferrous by using a simple magnet. If they pull down a gutter with the cladding material, simply check if a magnet will cling or stick to it. After detecting the best sidings for recycling, bring them to ACP manufacturers for further process. The process manufacturers utilize to recycle aluminum siding is as follows:

  • Crushing Old Aluminum Siding
  • Grinding the Crushed Aluminum Panels
  • Utilizing Circulating Water Cooling System
  • Sieving Aluminum Panels and Sidings
  • Separating the Particles by Electrostatic Method

Best Metal Cladding Systems for Building Facades

acm panels

The building cladding system is a non-load-bearing layer attached to the exteriors of a home to protect the facility from the external threads of weather while providing an element of aesthetic appeal. Traditional building facades were made from wood and bricks, which were not so efficient and long-lasting. Thus, building material suppliers and manufacturers started offering metal cladding materials that are durable and beautiful. Metal wall claddings come in a range of options, including Aluminum, Zinc, Copper, and Steel. These building facades feature vertical and horizontal panels and overlapping tiles. This article introduces the best metal cladding systems that any architect or homeowner should consider using and adding hardwearing hardware to the facility for their next project.

Aluminum Cladding System

Aluminum is a lightweight yet robust metal that manufacturers utilize for producing various types of metal cladding systems. Since aluminum is a soft metal, it features high formability. Two of the famous metal cladding systems made from this substance are ACM panels and aluminum sidings. ACM or aluminum composite material comprises three thin layers: two aluminum plates and one fire-retardant core. The durability of metal cladding systems depends on their thicknesses, which is why building material suppliers provide different grades of aluminum sidings.

Aluminum composite panels and sidings are among the most waterproof metal cladding systems that protect the building from moisture issues such as corroding and rusting, making them the perfect material for coastal areas. Aluminum cladding is considered low-maintenance material requiring minimal cleaning and can be repainted easily. There are aluminum siding available that have wood pattern finishes with a soft color palette and thin horizontal paneling, perfect for people who want to have classic-looking homes. The ACM panels installation process is relatively straightforward, resulting in lower labor costs. Although this metal is an abundant resource, it is not renewable. However, ACM panels are entirely recyclable, making them environmentally friendly materials. Due to the vast array of benefits of ACM panels and aluminum sidings, architects constantly use these metal cladding systems for their projects.

Zinc Metal Cladding Systems

Zinc is a highly versatile metal cladding system becoming more popular among architects who create contemporary and modern building designs. Like aluminum sidings, zinc is a soft and malleable substance, providing a flexible and more straightforward construction process. These metal cladding systems are highly durable and low maintenance. Zinc cladding is also resistant to oxidization due to its natural behavior of generating a protective layer known as patina. The average service time and life span of zinc are about 60 to 80 years.

Zinc metal cladding systems are sustainable choices that are non-toxic and recyclable. It is necessary to remark that it takes less energy and effort to produce zinc claddings than other metal facades. Some building material suppliers provide pre-weathered zinc, which is treated to mimic and age visually patina. The pre-weathered material is perfect for locations where the patina does not naturally form. Additionally, there are various finishes for zinc cladding systems. Another essential characteristic of this metal cladding is that it is fire-resistant.

Copper Building Facade

Copper is a timeless metal material that generates an attractive patina and character with age, making it perfect for modern and traditional building facades. This metal’s warm bronze tone creates an iridescent brownish color through natural weathering before generating a green color.

This metal cladding system is lightweight and durable, like ACM panels, essential for the significant building construction process. Additionally, copper building facades feature a very long lifecycle and require no maintenance and treatment without having tears and wear.

Copper is naturally a warm and beautiful metal that complements wood, stone, concrete, glass, and other cladding systems. These metal cladding systems are combined with zinc and timber to provide better durability and aesthetics.

CORTEN Steel Metal Cladding Systems

CORTEN steel, which is weather-resistant steel (copper-chromium alloy steel), is more resistant to atmospheric weathering than all-metal cladding systems. The chemical composition of CORTEN steel reacts to pollutants that exist in the air and generates a protective oxide film. The protective film regenerates itself over time, making the cladding system a long-lasting material. Most weathering steel metal claddings have a reddish-brownish layer and gain darker hues over time.

Despite the rustic look of CORTEN, this metal has twice the tensile strength of standard steel, making it perfect for structural and building cladding material.

Corrugated Steel Facade

The corrugated steel facade is a lightweight, durable, and robust building material that weathers perfectly. It features a wave-like pattern appearance that has become a recognizable and timeless element in contemporary and traditional architecture. The noticeable feature of this metal cladding system is that it can add depth and textures to a building facade and is available in various colors.