Our MH is very long, and it seems to me that the dutch lap, while very popular right now, looks more narrow than the traditional siding once it's installed.

Here is a link that might be useful: car tinting film

Now that Mason has gotten his jollies spamming, I'll try to answer your question.

I would definitely go with traditional siding. Simply because as you say, it won't make your home look so long.

We were going to reside our dw as well. Everyone has their own taste, but for us since our home is small we have been in the thinking of going for the small cottage look,and to that end will be going with vinyl board and batten siding.The vertical lines in our thinking can make a dw look taller.and the batten gives off nice shadow lines. We are going with Certain Teed brand siding.

Thanks for your responses. I too would like to make my DW look more "cottage like"--it's just a real challenge with such a rectangular shape. I have found that landscaping in a cottage garden style has really helped make it look more individual. I like the board and batten siding as well--I'm afraid my MH might look weird since it's so long. But I think we're going to use either board and batten or fishscale shingles on the gable of the porch that we have added and also on the side gables to make it look more like a cute cottage and give it some individuality.

Yes it can be a challenge to say the least. We to have used landscaping to give our home the cottage feel. Good luck with your project !

Pictures please :-) We have been in our 2002 DW in upstate NY for 2 1/2 years. Started with a clean slate outside and after a lot of work, finally had some substantial perennial growth last summer and had a carport installed. I've extended the garden further toward the back on the side where the steps are. I'm going for a small cottage garden. This picture is when we bought the home - Muffin shrubs and zinnias everywhere :-(

I'll post more pics in another thread.

Garden last summer

garden across front last summer

Oh, what an improvement! Your gardening work is beginning to really pay off now.

It's really pretty. Good landscaping helps improve the exterior of a mobile home just as much as any actual changes to the structure. I'm really interested in doing things to the exterior to "soften" up the boxy look at the mobile home. The new siding will help. We've done a lot of landscaping ourselves, adding a picket fence with a cottage garden around the entry. I think putting up different shutters will help as well.

Ingardenguy57,

The more I think about your comment about board and batten siding, the more sense it makes. I've always liked that style, but thought that because my MH is so long, it would make it look longer. But I've been noticing a few houses that have that style of siding and it does seem to make the house look taller, which could only help with my long low MH. If you have already had the siding installed on your home, could you possibly download some pictures of it? It would be great to see it on another MH. All of the "visualizer" tools on the siding websites only seem to have two-story houses to use, which doesn't help a whole lot. Also, is this option more expensive than the horizontal siding? Any info you could give would be appreciated.

wanttoretire, your home is beautiful!!

have you considered HardiPlank? Just did my grand-son's DW last month and wow, what a change (even took off the skirting and ran the Hardy down to the ground/foundation

I've always heard that HardiPlank is really expensive. Is there a big cost difference between that and vinyl siding?

Generally your insurance should be cheaper w/Hardi due to the fire rating.

Click around the site attached .
Might help a little.

I am in no way assoc.w/that site ~Just something I found while "googling"
There's a lot of articles and they don't seem to be selling a particular type.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://sidingmagazine.com/

Sheri_C, Will be starting on our Vinyl Board and Batten siding job Tue. 6-11-13. Will try to get a few pics posted when I can.

ingardenguy57,

Thanks for remembering. I can't wait to see the pictures.

Sheri_ C, Our Borad and Batten siding job is complete. and I will try to get a pic or two posted here this week,IF I can figure out how to do that ?????? All in All the siding worked out as we had hope. Sorry for the delay in posting pics.

Can't wait to see the photos! I wish I could give you some advice on posting the pics, but I'm definitely technologically challenged. We talked to the contractor that does work on our MH--he said he could do board and batten, but it will cost more because it's more labor intensive than the horizontal siding. Apparently, they have to be on a ladder for every piece that is installed so installation takes longer. I guess that makes sense, but I never would have thought that the contractors would charge extra for the amount of time spent on a ladder! I guess they like to charge extra for everything they can think of.

Sheri_C Sorry about not having posted pics yet. I have study how G W says I have to do it. But it will require me joining a photo sharing site such as Photo Bucket. Gee I thought I could just post from my Mac photo files. I will keeping working on it.As for as your contractor saying it is more labor intensive, I would have to disagree with that. Back in my younger days I hung a lot of siding.And watching my contractor install ours, it goes up just as fast.And I must say I am like you, never heard of a contractor charging extra because of ladder time.

Ingardenguy57,
I appreciate your trying to figure out how to post the pics. If it would be easier, I have a "junk mail" email address that you could use and just send them as attachments. I don't mind posting the address since it's not the address I use on a daily basis. It's sskiba13@yahoo.com.

sheri_c , i mailed you three pics of the board and batten siding. if for any reason you don't get them please let me know and I will resend. Thanks

I got them! Your house looks terrific. We have been thinking about going with a gray color, so seeing yours really helps us imagine what it will look like. Looking at your flower beds, you can tell how that siding color will really make your flowers "pop." The wide white window trim is a nice contrast too. I really appreciate your taking the time to send the pics.

Thanks Sheri_C, Thank You, Yes we really like the darker grey color.I thought capping the windows and doing away with the shutters helped as well to give the house a cleaner less cluttered look. Well Good Luck with your project !!!!!!

Here is my modular before and after doing the siding, I wanted to break it up some and give it more character and curb appeal.

Here it is after

I like it.

The color contrast is nice and it really stands out nicely.

Looks like a nice job.