Siding protects the exterior of your home while giving it a finished appearance and instant curb appeal. Many sidings, however, both require a lot of maintenance and eventually replacement in order to keep protecting your home the way it was meant to.

Vinyl siding is one alternative to the more high-maintenance siding types. It doesn’t require the same kind of care or regular painting that some sidings need, and it comes in a range of attractive styles and colors. One such siding style that’s available with vinyl is Dutch lap siding. This horizontal lap siding has been around for more than a century, and while it’s most commonly seen in wood, vinyl’s unique manufacturing style means that it’s ideally suited to this type of attractive siding as well.


Horizontal Dutch Lap Vinyl Siding

Dutch lap siding is one of the most common siding styles in use today. It grew to its height of popularity in the 1880s and has maintained its popularity in the siding market ever since. While there are numerous styles of siding available, most installers and homeowners are probably most familiar with the dutch lap style. 

At a casual glance from the street, most siding types look a great deal alike. With the exception of shingled siding, if you see long planks from a distance, you may miss some of the details that distinguish one from the other without getting closer or viewing them side by side.

The difference lies in the way that the planks are shaped. Clapboard siding is given a bevel on the edges, while novelty siding will frequently be more decorative, having an ogee or another fancy edge.

Dutch lap siding has a slightly concave face with a notch, which creates a bump out on the surface, casting a shadow over the course below. Most dutch lap siding is plain, but the face can be milled with different decorative features, such as wood grain texture.

This style of siding is popular because it’s also fairly economical. It costs less to produce than the bevels and ogees of other siding types and is quick and easy to install. So, many times when you look at a home and see a type of plank-style siding, what you’re looking at is likely to be dutch lap siding. 


Dutch Lap Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is frequently produced as a dutch lap. The way that vinyl is made and attached to the home works particularly well with this style of siding. 

As vinyl is frequently installed two courses at a time, the molding of the siding lends itself to having a reveal and shadow. At the same time, the clean edge of traditional horizontal lap siding is easy to produce with vinyl, so you get a nice clean line between the bottom edge of one course of siding and the shadow it produces on the lower level. 

Like all vinyl siding, dutch lap vinyl is durable and easy to care for. The color goes all the way through the planks, so it won’t scratch, scrape or peel off. This is a bonus for people that like the look of horizontal lap siding, as attempting to scrape and paint evenly beneath the reveal can be a challenge. 

Vinyl siding is impervious to moisture, insects and freeze/thaw conditions, so it works well in a variety of climates. And no matter how many years it’s exposed to rainy conditions, vinyl siding will not rot. The same can’t be said about any type of wood siding, including the popular dutch lap style.

Vinyl is also very easy to install, particularly as a dutch lap siding. It’s lightweight and easy to move, cut, and manipulate, so no matter how long the planks are, how high up you’re installing them or how many people are assisting in the job, it’s not a difficult or time-consuming endeavor. This can help keep costs down, making dutch lap vinyl siding even more economical than its wood predecessors. 


Using Dutch Lap Vinyl Siding

Like all vinyl siding styles, dutch lap vinyl siding comes in a wide range of colors, can be paired with several trims and, in general, does well on nearly every architectural style. Dutch lap is considered a traditional siding style, however, which means that it tends to work best on some specific architectures. 

These include architectural styles that were popular around the time that this style of siding was first introduced, such as Colonials, Gambrels, Greek Revival, and Victorians. Other types of architecture that made great use of this siding style were some of the Craftsman homes that emerged several years later, such as the bungalow and the four-square. More recently, you can also find this type of siding on many Ranch-style homes as well. 

This classic style of siding works well on nearly any architecture, so if you’re hoping to get the benefits of cladding your home in vinyl, and want to give your home a classic, attractive siding style at the same time, vinyl dutch lap siding makes an excellent choice. Whether your home is a Ranch or a Colonial, new or being renovated, vinyl can give you the low maintenance style you’re looking for. 


Get an Update on Traditional Siding

Dutch lap siding is one of the most popular and common siding styles around. It’s been in constant use for more than 100 years and shows no signs of going out of style any time soon. 

Vinyl gives dutch lap siding updated durability and ease of installation, improving on this already popular and economical siding option. With vinyl dutch lap siding, you won’t need to worry about maintaining your siding once it’s installed, you can simply enjoy it. 

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avatar for Matt Greenfield

Matt Greenfield

Matt Greenfield is an experienced writer specializing in home improvement topics. He has a passion for educating and empowering homeowners to make informed decisions about their properties. Matt's writing focuses on a range of topics, including windows, flooring, HVAC, and construction materials. With a background in construction and home renovation, Matt is well-versed in the latest trends and techniques in the industry. His articles offer practical advice and expert insights that help readers tackle their home improvement projects with confidence. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or a seasoned professional, Matt's writing is sure to provide valuable guidance and inspiration.

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