Trending Black Siding Home Design Ideas And How To Recreate Them

Choosing the right black siding for your house is like finding the perfect little black dress: it’s all about the fit. From sleek and simple to bold and eye-catching, making a smart siding material choice makes all the difference in how well your siding vision will turn out and how long it will last. Let's look at some of the top performers to consider. 

 

ThermaWood Hem-Fir stained black with contrasting entrance color

 

Black Siding Options: An In Inspiring Style Guide

Traditional Black Siding

Shou Sugi Ban

Shou Sugi Ban is a black house exterior siding idea that has gained popularity lately. Charring wood to make it black is an ancient Japanese technique. Shou Sugi Ban siding is a unique and beautiful way to add character to your home.

The Shou Sugi Ban method is traditionally done on cedar. It can be done on other softwoods, but the effect will differ widely depending on the wood type. 

One upside: When correctly and regularly maintained, Shou Sugi Ban wood can last decades. 

The downside: The maintenance time and labor costs are high. Shou Sugi Ban requires frequent sealing to protect the charred finish from flaking off over time.  

In addition, it can be more expensive and more difficult to install. Charred wood and the dust from it can come off during handling and get indoors, in the air, and tracked to other areas. Think about a charred log from a fireplace: it leaves soot and pieces behind when it is moved. Charred wood can also fade over time from wear and be difficult to repair.

 

---

"While shou sugi ban originated in Japan in the 18th century primarily as way to treat cedar siding to make it weatherproof, the technique—which involves charring a wood surface to render it a deep charcoal-black—has caught on recently as a treatment for contemporary exteriors and indoor furnishings alike."

- "Use This Incredible Technique to Waterproof Furniture" - Architectural Digest

Shou Sugi Ban siding colors can vary but usually have light and dark areas, and a charred texture. Admirers of the technique expect this, but it can be messy and high maintenance. 

 

 

  

Thermally Modified Siding: Mataverde ThermaWood Hem-Fir

 

ThermaWood Hem-Fir in both natural with an oil finish and stained in black for contrast

For those who want black siding in natural wood without the mess, ThermaWood Hem-Fir is a smart alternative. This heat-treated Hemlock is paintable and stainable, but without the added cost.

Benefits of ThermaWood Hem-Fir:

• Thermally Modified Wood Siding can be painted or stained. ThermaWood Hem-Fir can be finished with oil-based paints and stains in a variety of colors, including black.  Oil-based finishes work best.    

• Thermal modification uses an innovative process with high heat and pressure inside a vacuum kiln, making it more durable than kiln-dried wood and less brittle than traditionally thermally modified wood.

• The process also increases resistance to insect damage and moisture damage.

• The stability and durability of the wood increases compared to non-modified wood. This will avoid warping, splitting, and checking.

• ThermaWood Hem-Fir is an environmentally friendly, sustainably harvested option using real wood, no chemicals, or additives, and does not require wood burning.

• Thermally Modified Hem-Fir compares positively with many of the strengths found in hardwoods.

• If you live in a wildfire-prone or other high fire risk zone, fire retardant treated ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir is available.  
•  

For all the reasons listed above, Thermawood Hem-Fir is regarded as a beautiful, strong, long-lasting siding material that saves you time and money over its lifetime. 

RELATED: See The ThermaWood Hem-Fir Siding Project Photo Gallery

---

Is ThermaWood Hem-Fir right for you? Request a Siding Sample now.

---

 

Modern Black Siding Ideas

Modern siding can be achieved with real wood siding like ThermaWood Hem-Fir. But it can also be achieved with a low maintenance wood-look siding that offers finished well-suited to modern architecture. 

 

Metropolis Black Lumen Décor as an accent on a modern residence

 

Pura NFC Siding by Trespa

Pura NFC Siding is particularly suited to dark siding designs. Pura Slate Ebony Wood Décor or Lumen Decors in  Metropolitan Black and New York Grey provide a very low-maintenance, classic look, are extremely fade resistant, and can be used in a variety of home styles.

Trespa puts their Pura NFC material through tough lab testing to prove its promised quality. Testing covers everything from resistance to everyday scratching all the way to hurricane-force winds. This ensures your siding will be vibrant and rich in color, keep its gloss finish, and not dull for decades.

• Pura Wood Decors have deep, consistent, realistic colors and wood grain patterns. That authentic wood-look finish takes your black siding project up a notch, adding luxurious aesthetics.

• Pura Lumen Decors are matte masterpieces offering an elegant, light-diffusing matte finish.

 

Pura Lumen in Metropolitan Black has a light diffusing matte finish 

 

The advantages of black or gray siding from Pura NFC are:

• A high performance HPL (High Pressure Laminate) siding material
• The surface is cured with an electron beam in a proprietary process. This creates a closed cell surface that is very colorfast and repels embedded dirt (a major factor in "dingy" siding over time). 
• Extremely low maintenance with no finishing or refinishing required. Just clean as needed, with regular soap and water.
• Resists insect damage, rot, mold, and decay extremely well.
• Superior resistance to dulling, scratches, denting, and breakage.
• Incredible resistance to warping and cracking in high heat or extreme cold.
• Can be installed horizontally with traditional installation. Or design vertically or horizontally when installed with quality rainscreen installation, such as Climate-Shield for Pura NFC.
• Requires little to no repairs over time. But if damage does occur, new planks will likely match existing ones even years later, since they offer a 10-year limited warranty on fading.

RELATED: See the Pura NFC Siding Picture Gallery

 

Pura NFC New York Grey Lumen Décor by Trespa

 RELATED: See all the Pura NFC colors here

 

Ready to see your Pura NFC options up close? Request a sample today.

 

Black House Siding Ideas: Exterior Design Inspiration

Not ready to commit to all-black siding? Just like the little black dress, accessorize!

If you aren't sure you want an entire black exterior but love the look, you have options. Try sections of contrasting black accents or black window and house trim instead

 

Black Siding Accents

• Use black as an accent in your siding to highlight details like soffits or around an entrance. 

• For a bolder look, contrast black siding with another wood color, with stone, or with brick. Using a two-tone or mixed material approach is an excellent way to create interest and take advantage of the black siding trend without the full commitment. 

Slate Ebony Wood Décor on an addition creates a modern upgrade on a traditional home

 

Black House Trim and Windows

This technique works with traditional and modern architectural styles. Consider using black trim around your doorways and windows, regardless of your siding color choice. Adding black makes a bold statement, enhancing the overall appeal. 

 

Romantic Walnut Wood Décor on a traditional home with black window frames and house trim

 

 

A more modern take with Pura wood décor with black trim and wide window and door frames

 

ThermaWood Hem-Fir exterior with natural wood and contrasting black siding accents, plus black trim and stained ThermaWood Hem-Fir rooftop deck

 

Ready for pricing? Request a no obligation quote now. 

 

 

Are There Problems With Black Siding?

Like many home improvement decisions, you may be weighing the pros and cons: 

Black Siding Advantages

Designing with black siding brings a variety of benefits to a building's aesthetic. A sleek and modern appearance adds a touch of sophistication and style, which can elevate the overall design of your home.

Black siding also has the ability to create a dramatic contrast against other colors, enhancing the visual impact of a structure. 

The right siding material will last for decades and elevate your curb appeal with little upkeep. 

 

Slate Ebony Wood Décor on an outbuilding

 

Black Siding Concerns

Not all black siding material is created equal. You may have concerns about heat absorption and color fading.

And it's true, some black siding can get too hot and fade too quickly. In fact, this is why vinyl siding manufacturers avoid using black colors. The heat can cause the vinyl siding to warp and the sun's rays can damage it.

Have no fear, the black siding options we've discussed so far are proven to perform admirably under these conditions.

Does black siding fade?

Black Siding is Amazing, Faded siding is depressing.

When it comes to matte siding especially, a big worry for homeowners is colorfastness. Many black siding materials will fade and "ugly out" faster than lighter colors. On areas with more or less sun exposure, it can even become "patchy."

Solutions:

• ThermaWood Hem-Fir, when left natural, can be protected from fading to a weathered silver-gray with an oil-based UV protectant as needed.

• If painted or stained, ThermaWood can be refinished as needed to keep the color fresh. 

• Pura NFC siding is proven to be extremely colorfast, more than most other wood-look siding materials. The darker decors will stay deep and rich for years in high UV or extreme weathers.
  
  

Does black siding absorb heat?

There isn't much that can be done to prevent dark colored siding from absorbing heat. But, you can use this to your advantage.

Solution:

Rainscreen aren't just for rain.  When designed properly, they can help mightily in hot weather, too. This is a healthy way to protect and increase the lifespan of your siding project.

• By installing the siding with a back ventilated rainscreen system, you can allow the heat from the siding to escape by ventilating it through the rainscreen gap behind it. This can even help increase the energy efficiency of the interior. 

• A quality rainscreen is also designed to prevent moisture from becoming trapped behind your siding. A big advantage is that it prevents rot and mold problems from starting against your building envelope. 

 

As you can see, with excellent siding material options to choose from you can recreate the trending black siding designs you want featured on your home, your way.

Feel free to contact us for more information, with questions, for siding samples, or to price your project. We’re here to help get you started.