Using the Right Siding for a Ranch Home

Background of the Ranch Home

Ranch-style home designs are known for low and wide single-story profiles, large picture windows, sliding glass doors and attached front garages. These close-to-the-ground homes were first built in the U.S. in the 1920s, but they didn't gain widespread popularity until the post-World War II era into the 1970s. As suburbia spread, the ranch-style house became one of America's favorites.

The popularity of ranch-style homes waned in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but it’s making a comeback as younger homebuyers rediscover the ranch’s charm—much like they did with bungalows.

Why Engineered Wood is Driving the Ranch Renaissance

Award-winning custom homebuilder Mike Schwartz once used fiber cement siding for ranch home renovations, but he wasn't satisfied with the quality or aesthetic. "Fiber cement is much thinner than engineered wood," says Schwartz. "When you look down the wall, fiber cement has a wavy look."

Schwartz recently bought a ranch house in Puyallup, Wash., to remodel and eventually live in. Choosing LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding prefinished with ColorStrand™, Schwartz now recommends the prefinished product to his customers. “They do a great job of prefinishing it in the plant, and the outcome is always beautiful,” he says.

Additionally, many ranch remodelers prefer engineered wood siding to conventional wood because it eliminates the time required to discard warped and split pieces, cutting down on installation time so owners can enjoy their homes sooner. 

A New Siding Option for the Ranch-Style Home

LP® SmartSide® Smooth Trim & Siding is a new siding option that is versatile enough to complement both a traditional or modern aesthetic, including the ranch-style home. Here's why:

• The smooth siding texture works well with accentuating the ranch-style home’s wide-open layout.

• Combining smooth siding with the ranch’s defining characteristics like large picture windows modernizes the architectural style.

• Smooth siding creates an interesting focal point on the ranch-style home’s traditional design, particularly around eye-catching areas like the attached front garage.

Get Inspired

Thinking about sprucing up your ranch-style home? Check out some inspirational ideas here to get the creative thoughts flowing on a variety of exterior home design styles.