What Is The Cheapest Vinyl Siding?

Due to its versatility, minimal maintenance, and affordability, vinyl has become the most popular siding option in the U.S.

The technology has seen significant advancements in the last five years; even the cheapest vinyl siding comes with a wide range of benefits.

If you’re looking for a low-cost yet high-quality vinyl siding solution, there are many options on the market these days.

You don’t even have to search high and low to find it, as all the best vinyl siding brands offer inexpensive options.

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How to Recognize Cheap Vinyl Siding

Before we get into which brands to look for, their advantages and disadvantages, and their low-price points, let’s see what you can expect from the average low cost vinyl siding.

Unsurprisingly, the vinyl siding panel’s thickness offers the first clue on how to distinguish cheap from high-grade options.

When you’re trying to save as much as possible on vinyl siding installation, you can choose between these three options in terms of thickness:

Economy Grade – 0.038 inches
Builder’s Grade – 0.040 inches
Light Residential Grade – 0.042 inches

The other important category is the composition of materials. Most high-end vinyl options are made from virgin PVC and may even contain acrylic that improves the quality.

On the other hand, cheap vinyl siding is made from recycled PVC or even regrind, consisting of presupposed and melted plastic.

Other features of inexpensive vinyl are purely visual, as less costly options tend to fade faster and look less natural, especially when made to look like wood siding.

Best Budget Vinyl Siding Brands

No residential siding company will advertise as cheap, and most of them offer an entire range in terms of quality and price.

That’s why we’ve focused mainly on the leading names in the industry, as they are more likely to offer better quality even for their low-end vinyl siding options.

1. CertainTeed Vinyl Siding

If you’re adamant about quality and affordability, CertainTeed vinyl siding might be your best bet. A simple online search will put CertainTeed at the top of the list of vinyl siding manufacturers, typically paying more.

However, we’ll put their premium lines aside and focus on the cheaper options. Out of nine CertainTeed vinyl siding lines, three fall into the affordable category.

Encore, Board and Batten, and Restoration lines range from $0.95 to $1.45 per square foot without installation or any additional materials and cost. That’s hugely different from their premium Monogram line, which goes up to $3.5 per square foot.

These vinyl siding lines are light residential or builder grade when it comes to thickness. They also come in different sizes and colors, and can be either horizontal or vertical.

CertainTeed Vinyl Siding Pros

By choosing CertainTeed as your brand, you will also have access to many different vinyl siding accessories and vinyl panel color options.

Also, CertainTeed is a well-established brand that offers excellent customer support. Once installed, you won’t have to worry about repainting the siding, as they maintain their color pretty well.

Encore, one of the cheaper CertainTeed lines, features a natural wood grain look and excellent wind-resistant properties.

Finally, one of the main reasons to choose CertainTeed is their lifetime warranty which can be transferred if you decide to sell your home.

CertainTeed Vinyl Siding Cons

One of the most prominent downsides of CertainTeed vinyl siding is that even the cheapest solutions might be over the budget for most people looking for an affordable solution. Also, cheaper CertainTeed lines are not available with insulation.

Did you know? Vinyl siding was first introduced in the 1950s and was designed to be an affordable alternative to aluminum siding. It is also three times less expensive than cedar clapboard siding.

2. Alside Vinyl Siding

It’s impossible to talk about the most affordable vinyl siding without mentioning Alside. It’s one of the biggest brands in the U.S., but they operate successfully worldwide.

The company has 14 lines, which means the prices vary as well. The Conquest and Coventry are among the cheapest vinyl siding from Alside, ranging from $0.62 to $0.90 per square foot.

Alside’s Conquest series comes in 16 different colors, though they are primarily several shades of cream, grey, blue, and white. The Alside vinyl siding is available in clapboard and Dutch lap profiles and features a 0.40-inch thickness.

The Coventry series is slightly thicker, with 0.42 inches attached with rolled top nail hem for better rigidity. Also, this Alside vinyl siding line comes in 20 color options and five different profiles.

Alside Vinyl Siding Pros

One of the biggest advantages of Alside over other siding brands is that it’s widely available across the U.S. The availability of this brand means that you’re more likely to find a supplier in your proximity.

All types of Alside vinyl siding, including Conquest and Coventry, come with a lifetime transferable warranty. These warranties are limited in scope, so it’s essential to get all the facts right should you ever need to file a claim.

Alside Vinyl Siding Cons

As is the case with many other cheap vinyl siding options, the Alside low-end lines are not the ideal choice if you live in a geographical environment with harsh winters, hurricanes, and even scorching summers. This type of vinyl siding is best suited for homes in areas with moderate climates.

Also, with Alside cheap vinyl siding, it’s essential to ensure the installation process goes smoothly as that can significantly impact the longevity of the siding.

3. Royal Building Products Vinyl Siding

If your primary goal is to buy low-cost siding with virtually no maintenance required, the Royal Building Products or RBP might be the right choice. The company has been in business for over 50 years, and they specialize in designing authentic-looking vinyl siding.

RBP offers competitive pricing in general, but their Crest line, in particular, caters to customers who don’t want to break the bank when installing vinyl siding.

For the RBP Crest series, homeowners need to set aside $0.80 to $0.90 per square, depending on their siding profile. The color palette includes 14 colors, most of them falling into the “traditional” category of shades of cream and gray, but there’s also the Colorscapes, RBP’s proprietary colors.

strong>Pro Tip: Many homeowners love vinyl siding because it’s incredibly low-maintenance. Still, it’s a good idea to rinse the siding with a garden hose from time to time. This minimal effort will ensure the texture and finish remain great-looking year-round.

Royal Building Products Vinyl Siding Pros

The RBP vinyl siding is well-known for its low-gloss cedar woodgrain look resembling natural wood. It makes Crest a fantastic solution for those who want to get the authenticity of wood without paying the price that follows.

This vinyl siding line also has an excellent wind rating, as it can withstand hurricane-force winds up to 140mph.

Also, the Crest series is made using recycled materials, making it an environmentally-friendly choice. Lastly, RBP vinyl siding comes with a double lifetime warranty, which is one of the best in the industry.

Royal Building Products Vinyl Siding Cons

One of the few downsides of the RBP vinyl siding is that it’s relatively prone to chipping and flaking. This problem can be minimized with a little bit of maintenance.

Still, compared to other vinyl siding lines from this manufacturer, Crest is more vulnerable to these issues.

4. Georgia Pacific Vinyl Siding

Some types of siding require constant maintenance and effort, but that’s not the case with Georgia Pacific vinyl siding. Even the less pricy option from this brand allows the homeowners the joy of gorgeous siding without the bother of constant repairs and repainting.

Georgia Pacific’s most affordable series is called Vision Pro. It is available in several different styles, including the double 4-inch Dutch slap and double 5-inch Dutch slap.

In total, the Vision Pro line comes in 14 colors, 10 of which are the standard option, and 4 are dark colors. The panels are 0.40 inches thick but quite sturdy and long-lasting.

Price-wise, the Vision Pro siding from Georgia Pacific ranges from $0.85 to 0.95 per square foot, not including the cost of installation.

Georgia Pacific Vinyl Siding Pros

You’re getting fully pest-resistant protection by purchasing Georgia Pacific vinyl siding for your home. Furthermore, this siding offers top weather-resistant properties confirmed by reliable quality control agencies.

As it is the industry standard among high-quality brands, Vision Pro siding comes with a lifetime transferable warranty, even for the cheapest lines.

Georgia Pacific Vinyl Siding Cons

While vinyl siding doesn’t require any repainting, it doesn’t always mean that colors remain fresh and unchanged over the years.

Unfortunately, the Georgia Pacific Vision Pro line can fade after some time, which is something numerous homeowners have complained about. It’s also possible that at the 12-15 year mark, the siding may begin to dent more easily when hit.

Did you know? Vinyl siding is fire-retardant, which is the opposite of what many believe. If you’re hesitant about choosing vinyl siding because you’re worried about it burning easily, rest assured that it’s not the case.

Because vinyl siding is made from PVC or polyvinyl chloride, your home would need to be exposed to extremely hot temperatures for the siding to catch fire.

5. Mastic Ply Gem Vinyl Siding

This vinyl siding is also known as Mastic siding, a brand owned by Ply Gem. The company has been a trailblazer in the industry and has over 75 years of innovation behind it. Today, almost 80% of their vinyl products are made from recycled materials.

This makes Ply Gem not only a more sustainable choice but more affordable. Their vinyl siding comes with Energy Star certification, meaning that this is the siding to consider if you want to keep those energy bills low.

The cheapest vinyl siding line from Ply Gem is Eclipse, which the brand considers their economical choice. Like most types of vinyl siding, it’s durable and extremely low maintenance.

This siding features 0.40-inch think paneling, available in two profiles, double 4-inch, and 4.5-inch Dutch lap.

The color range is pretty standard, with 13 different options, mostly hues of white, grey, sand, and cream. Eclipse vinyl siding from Ply Gem costs approximately $0.85 to $1.10 per square foot.

Ply Gem Vinyl Siding Pros

The Eclipse line features an excellent wind velocity rating of up to 150mph. The products have been tested by third-party agencies, guaranteeing quality.

The Ply Gem Eclipse line is also relatively easy to install as it comes with an advanced panel locking system designed by the brand. Again, Ply Gem is an eco-friendly choice with a limited lifetime warranty that gives you the peace of mind you need.

Ply Gem Vinyl Siding Cons

The lack of choice for panel profiles and colors might be the most significant disadvantage of the Ply Gem Eclipse siding.

Homeowners might be somewhat disappointed not to get precisely the vinyl siding they had in mind.

Combined with pretty thin panels, not being able to browse through a plethora of various shades of blue or grey can be a deterrent to potential buyers.

How Do You Know When to Replace Siding?

The most obvious indicators are sagging or severely dented siding that hasn’t been changed in decades.

Another cause for installing brand new, yet budget vinyl siding is when you’re planning to sell your home and want to improve the curb appeal.

You can use our House Siding Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of replacing siding on your house.

Is Vinyl Siding Biodegradable?

The answer is no – vinyl siding is not biodegradable. However, since it can be recycled, it is considered a sustainable solution, unlike cement, for example.

Also, as the manufacturing of vinyl siding doesn’t promote deforestation, it’s another reason some homewares prefer it to wood siding.

Should You Always Choose the Cheapest Vinyl Siding?

A resounding “no” is the correct answer. However, every homeowner can choose what is best for their property. Indeed, you might run into extremely cheap vinyl siding solutions from brands with questionable reputations.

A much more prudent option is to research high-quality manufacturers and search for the most affordable vinyl siding in their assortment.

A Cheap Yet Durable Vinyl Siding for Your Home

We’ve featured five excellent vinyl siding brands and highlighted their most affordable lines.

If we consider that the average home size in the U.S. is 2,500 square feet and that the cheap vinyl siding’s average price is around $0.90, that means in materials alone, that will cost $2,250.

Keep in mind that installation materials, labor, and siding transport are all charged separately.

Also, remember that even the cheapest vinyl siding should have a transferable lifetime warranty and at least 10 different color options.

Vinyl Siding Brand	Low-Range Prices Per Square Foot
CertainTeed	$0.95 – $1.45
Alside	$0.62 – $0.90
Royal Building Products	$0.80 – 0.90
Georgia Pacific	$0.85 – $0.95
PlyGem Mastic	$0.85 – $1.10