How to Choose the Right Siding for Your Tiny House

Reset A− A+ In this post I’m going to show you how to pick the right siding for your tiny house because when most people think about tiny houses they focus almost entirely on the interior finish of the house.

It’s easy to think of all the ways you would decorate your tiny house. I had many plans for the inside of our home before we even put up the first wall. In spite of that, I believe that the exterior of your tiny home is as important as what you put indoors. Now I’m really glad we put so much thought into how our siding would look. I’ll explain why below..

Click below to read more about our house and other siding solutions.

Choosing the Right Siding for your Tiny House

Exterior siding is about both aesthetics and function. Do you want something modern, traditional, or rustic? Will it be on a foundation or will it travel on a trailer? There are many possible options to consider.

• Cedar shingles. This classic material will give your house an adorable cottage look. Naturally resistant to rot and insect damage, cedar is a hardy material that stands the test of time.
• Metal. A more industrial feel can be achieved with corrugated metal. Done properly this can be maintenance free as long as you like the look of weathered metal.
• Clapboard. This style is an iconic look for many tiny homes. It is a good balance between labor and cost.
• Board and batten. This traditional country style is made using vertical boards where the joints are covered by smaller battens. Some builders replicate this technique by siding the home with stained plywood and covering the seams with 1x2s.
• Reclaimed materials. Another possibility is to look at reclaimed wood or other materials to side your house. Barn wood is a common alternative. Also, imagine a tiny house covered in old license plates!

Matt and I chose to replicate board and batten out of plywood for our tiny home. We selected this because we wanted our house to fit in with other buildings in our part of the Appalachian Mountains and several homes visible from the road all around us are finished in this style.

It was also important to us that the house blend with elements already on our land, like our barn. We chose a dark brown stain, which mimicked the weathered barn wood, and a similar gray metal roof. We also selected the colors; brown, gray, and green, to reflect the colors of the mountains around us.

The exterior of your tiny home is the first thing people will see. Many of the houses we look at online are solely outdoor shots. What do you want your tiny house to look like? What image should it reflect?  

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Laura LaVoie

Contributor and Tiny House Owner at 120SquareFeet.com

Laura M. LaVoie is a professional writer living in the mountains of North Carolina in a 120 Square Foot house with her partner and their hairless cat, Piglet. Laura graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Anthropology. She has been published in magazines and anthologies on the subjects of mythology and culture. She spent nearly 15 years in the temporary staffing industry before deciding to become a full time writer. Laura works closely with the Zulu Orphan Alliance volunteering her time and the skills she's learned building her own small house to build a shelter for orphans and other vulnerable children living near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Laura also enjoys simple living, brewing and drinking craft beer, and popular culture.

Latest posts by Laura LaVoie (see all)

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