Vinyl Shaking Siding Home Depot Alternatives

Vinyl shake siding is a terrific option if you enjoy the appearance of cedar wood shake siding but would prefer a more cost-effective and maintenance-free substitute.

Thanks to technological developments, vinyl shake siding is now produced by manufacturers that nearly resembles real wood in appearance. At the same time, it is strong, long-lasting, and needs little upkeep.

There are many places to purchase vinyl cedar shake siding, and there are several different manufacturers making the product. In this article, we will take a look at Home Depot's offerings, prices, and product reviews. Plus, we will take a look at a few alternatives to the big box retailer.

Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding Benefits

It can be customized. Shake is available in almost any pattern and color option, so any vinyl shake project may be made to order. Whatever your preferred color or texture, there is probably a vinyl shake for you.

It is durable. You don't want your home's exterior to deteriorate or cause maintenance issues over time. Vinyl shake siding can withstand almost all weather conditions, and you won't need to perform time-consuming maintenance procedures like painting or sanding. 

It is easy to install. Installing vinyl shake siding is not more challenging than installing natural shake siding. Many homeowners can even install their own shakes.

Home Depot's Product Lines

Vinyl cedar shake siding is available from Home Depot in a variety of (mostly) neutral colors. They carry Novik and Ply Gem.

Novik is made from a moisture-proof vinyl that prevents rotting. It has a "fast fit" feature that makes installation straightforward, and it is backed by a manufacturer's warranty. 

Home Depot customers rate Novik siding at a 3.9. Here's what happy siding customers are saying about the product:

"This product was super easy to install. Goes up like siding. We are mid 60's and did it ourselves! The color is different than home depot's picture, so I would suggest contacting Novik for a color sample. We purchased both Novik stack stone in the Ash, and Novik rough cut cedar shake products. The finished product turned out beautifully...many compliments. Really changed our dated 90's home to current with a small investment. We did have an issue in shipping, the order didn't come in as promised but with a call to home depot customers service, it was quickly resolved and were received in 5 days. Delivery was great, and free shipping to our home. The overall product, price, and look is outstanding. Novik company was extremely helpful and excellent to work with too." -Wayne

"Exactly as advertised and looks great also very easy installation." -Alvin

 "More difficult to install than other brands. Took more planning. The finished install has been worth it. My wife loves the look and it updated our home. We will do more of our home in this style in the spring." -Bronco2021

On the other side of the spectrum, one of the biggest complaints seems to be with the color of the product in person vs. on the site. 

"The color I received looks nothing like what's online." -Pamela

Ply Gem offers a premium vinyl cedar shake siding option that has the look of rough-sawn cedar but doesn't require the same level of maintenance. The manufacturer offers a limited lifetime warranty, and customers rate it 3.6.

Positive reviews mention the aesthetics and quality of the siding.

 "Excellent product, great quality and amazing looks. Couple years ago I built a detached garage and decided to go with Nantucket gray color and I was impressed of how pretty and classy looked, so last year I decided to do my whole house myself instead of painting the cedar wood siding. So far I have finished more than half (1800 sq ft ranch house) it is extremely physical work and the biggest task is removing the old cedar wood, but it pays off the quality and the cedar design that will last for a long long time." -Redgetv

"Very good quality." -Tiffany

Those unhappy with the product mention color issues and the product being out of stock.

 "While we love this siding, and we were prepared to purchase it, we discovered that the company doesn't make the J-channel in this color. They offered another color, but we would have to buy it blind and just hope it matched. We also had to buy an entire box of J-channel when we only needed 4 pieces. I was really disappointed because I really liked sample that we got."-eel0321

"Not very much of a shaded or variegated pattern to it. Looks rather "fake"." -Henry

Cost 

Home Depot charges between $3.37 and $4.32 per square foot for materials, but installation costs are not included in this price.

Alternatives to Home Depot

If you want to look elsewhere for your vinyl shake siding, you have several options available to you — including ordering product from Amazon. Here are three popular alternatives to consider:

Lowes

Home Depot-like Novik vinyl cedar shake products are also available at Lowe's. They do, however, also sell Georgia-Pacific, which offers a larger selection of color choices.

At Lowe's, vinyl cedar shake siding under the Novik brand typically costs $3.55 per square foot. Georgia-more Pacific's expensive options are about $7 per square foot.

CertainTeed

You can choose an "aged" look that keeps its appeal year after year with CertainTeed's vinyl cedar shake that incorporates their own Ageless Cedar design. Whether you desire shingles with a freshly-cut appearance or those that appear to have been carved from driftwood, CertainTeed has a design style for you.

Your cost for CertainTeed shake siding will range from $4.50 to $9.00 per square foot, depending on the features you select.

Foundry

Foundry is renowned for its adaptability because it provides a huge selection of specialty colors and unique designs. They provide 40 common colors, and their vinyl molds are made from real cedar for a more genuine and natural appearance.

Depending on where you buy it, the price of Foundry vinyl cedar shake varies slightly, but you can anticipate paying between $6 and $7 per square foot.