Vinyl is the Most Common Siding On New Homes

The most common exterior wall material was vinyl on homes started in 2012.  Vinyl siding was used on 32 percent of the new homes started in 2012, followed by brick for 25 percent of homes. Stucco was the principal exterior wall material for at least 20 percent of the homes started according to the data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC)

The SOC specifically collects data on whether the principal exterior wall material in a new home is vinyl siding (including vinyl-covered aluminum), brick or brick veneer, stucco, fiber cement siding (such as hardiplank or hardiboard), wood or wood products, stone, rock or other stone materials, and concrete block (not including stucco).

The Census Bureau’s SOC data is available by the nine census divisions. Vinyl siding was the most widely used primary exterior material in 6 out of 9 census division. In the Middle Atlantic and New England region, more than one-third of the new homes started used vinyl siding.  The East and North West Central accounted for at least 62 percent while South Atlantic and East South Central accounted for 43 and 22 percent respectively.