Siding and Exterior MaterialsWood, fiber cement, stucco, stone, brick, metal and more can be used as an exterior siding material. Which makes the most sense for your home? Would it be vinyl lap siding, which is very cost effective but can buckle; or wood lap siding, which is costly and needs refinishing every few years; or a fiber cement material that is low maintenance but not the least costly? And each material evokes something different aesthetically. For example, a Cape Cod home looks better in horizontal wood siding than stucco, while a home Southwestern-style home is certainly better in stucco than horizontal wood siding.