View different design ideas for creating a house with black siding exterior. Learn more about the advantages and cons of having this on your home's facade.
People often think that a black house is dark and gloomy or unfriendly. When you think of black siding on a home, do you think of a creepy haunted house with a grumpy and recluse neighbor living inside? Well, with today’s trending black exteriors, nothing could be further from the truth! Black houses are a new and exciting trend that is striking to look at and bring a modern and luxurious look to home exteriors.
When done right, black siding gives a house a dramatic and attention-getting look. Because black homes look so dramatic, they often stand out more than the average home with the run-of-the-mill white or beige siding. Black isn’t a color you often see on the exterior of a house, but it can be fantastic when it’s done right!
Black siding adds drama, and bold dark colors show that you don’t mind being the center of attention in your neighborhood. But because it stands out so much, it is a risky color and must be considered carefully. We recommend the average homeowner choose black siding after careful research and planning to select the best siding material for their needs.
It wouldn’t be done to boost resale values either because it is such a specific look, and not everyone will fall in love with it. Also, there isn’t a huge market demand for black siding yet. If you like the thought of owning a house that is the center of attention in your neighborhood and you are brave enough to try it, the result could be extraordinary!
Here is our guide to black siding for houses, including the different kinds, the best material, whether or not it makes a house hotter, and if it makes a good choice for your home. Read on to find out our take on the pros and cons of black siding and why we ultimately think black siding is a great idea!
The Pros and Cons of Black Houses
Black is a color that means business. Dark colors add drama and depth, and a black house shows that you don’t mind getting noticed. But it’s a color that needs a lot of care, especially when compared to lighter colors like white or tan.
The latest siding design trends seem to be moving away from muted, neutral colors and toward either pure white or rich, dark, saturated colors, or even pure black. A building can look more dramatic with dark or black siding. If you are considering a home with a black exterior, there are some essential points to keep in mind.
The house above is an excellent example of how a modern home in a dark color can still look warm and inviting. The warm lighting brings a gentle ambiance to the contemporary black color, and the greenery looks impressive against the black color of the home.
It’s not as easy as just slapping some black paint on the exterior and hoping for good results. All black exteriors need careful planning and thought. There are many kinds of black siding to choose from, and it can make all the difference in the world, from a stunning masterpiece to a shabby and gloomy home. Is black the best color for the outside of your home? Well, that depends on several things. Our list of pros and cons for black siding will help steer you in the right direction.
The Pros of Black siding
Black homes can look dramatic and modern, and fresh. Anytime a new trend comes up in the home design world, beautiful and glamorous pictures take over the internet, and everyone falls in love. It is hard not to fall in love with the modern dark exteriors, and many homeowners dream of having something one of a kind.
Black siding is a blank canvas
This beautiful black home demonstrates how amazing the black siding looks with brick and other natural materials.
Black is a neutral color, like white and gray, and goes well with many different materials, textures, and colors. A black siding house looks terrific with brick accents or rustic wood finishes. It can be trimmed with a bright accent color to look modern and contemporary or gothic and moody, depending on the home design and other exterior finishes.
Black siding provides a beautiful and neutral backdrop
This black cabin looks stunning, surrounded by green grass and forest trees.
If you love landscape design and a gorgeous yard with curb appeal, then the good news is that green looks fantastic with black. When a black house is in a garden or surrounded by greenery, the greenery will stand out even more than the black exterior. All the shades of leaves, from yellow to green, pop against a black wall or fence. Almost every color of flower or tree also pops against the black exterior.
Black homes are beautiful
This beauty brings modern rustic design to a whole new level. The contemporary black paired with the rustic wood tones is a showstopper!
If you have ever seen a black house, it is hard not to be enamored with the trend. Even if you aren’t interested in living in one of the stunning beauties, you must admit how striking they are. Black works on all home design styles, from modern to traditional, and we have yet to see a black home that we aren’t swooning over.
The Cons of Black siding
While black homes make a stunning and dramatic statement, a few downsides should be considered. Some planning and using premium materials can overcome most of the negatives.
Black siding can be hot
Houses that are black or darker colors will soak up more heat from the sun than light color houses. Dark colors gather up more solar energy than light colors. Darker colors heat faster and can be harder to keep cool.
They are prone to dimensional changes due to temperature. A homeowner may need to consider this thermal expansion or low melting points and choose appropriate materials to prevent problems before committing to the black siding.
Black homes fade more quickly
This black siding house with a bright red front door has faded from black to a dark gray, but it still looks great even in charcoal.
Dark colors fade more quickly in the sun than in a lighter shade. The paint on a dark-colored house will peel and blister more rapidly than on a light-colored house. This is because black paint heats up and cools down more frequently than a light color, which means it stretches and shrinks, causing bubbles and peeling.
This beautiful custom home is striking with the contrast between dark and light paint colors. Another option to lighten up a dark color choice would be to add white trim against the black background.
Most exterior finishes “chalk” a little bit, which protects the product underneath, but black exteriors can show excessive chalking, which isn’t attractive. If you want a dark color for your siding, your choice of cladding is essential to keep your home in tip-top condition.
Black homes show every imperfection
The windows and skylights keep dark siding colors from being too dark and dreary. The reflection from the windows adds sparkle to what would otherwise be a very dark house.
The home pictured above is a true black that keeps from looking too moody with the light-colored stone. The expansive green lawn pops against the dark wood siding option.
Black draws attention to flaws on a surface. If you paint an exterior wall black, any spot, chip, hole, or other imperfections will stand out more. If you plan to paint existing siding, it is vital to prep the surface well.
Dark siding options
Bold black siding might not be popular on every block, yet their dramatic impression is undeniable. However, designing a black home is not easy, and there are a few factors to consider if you want to use dark (or black) siding on your home.
To do an all-black home requires serious preparation and consideration, and your choice of cladding matters. It is essential to choose your material carefully, and there is a wide variety of dark-colored siding available for you to choose from. The most frequent types of black siding are listed below.
Black metal siding
Black metal siding is a stunning choice for trim and accent pieces and is often used on the exterior of modern homes. It comes in large panels that attach to the outside wall. The metal panels are available in various shapes and sizes. Metal siding is easy to install and excellent material for a home because it increases fire resistance, making it a safe choice. It is low maintenance, will not rot or decay, and holds up very well.
The bright yellow paint color of the front door shown above is a pop of color against the dark metal siding. Mixing in bright colors with the neutral black siding is a great way to brighten up a moody home.
The metal panels can be painted any shade of black you prefer, from Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black to Benjamin Moore’s Iron Mountain to any shade in between. Many paint finishes are available, but the most common metal siding finishes are flat or eggshell, which only gives off a minimal sheen.
Black wood siding
Black wood siding can be painted or stained. When the wood siding is painted black, it becomes much more opaque and produces a darker, richer black color. With paint, you get a more vibrant color, but you do lose the natural grain and textures of the wood. There are many paint color choices available in black paint.
When used on wood siding, black wood stains can be extremely dark and opaque. However, some black wood stains are on the lighter side, allowing the wood grain to show through. The black isn’t as deep but still reveals those lovely wood textures.
Wood siding will eventually wear due to the weather and elements, so regular maintenance will be required to keep your home looking in great shape. Treated wood siding, like Perennial Wood or similar brands, will help the wood siding last longer.
Black vinyl siding
If you want an all-black home, black vinyl siding isn’t the best siding option. In fact, a true black vinyl isn’t even available as a choice for your home’s exterior. Some vinyl shades are pretty dark, like a charcoal gray, but they are not made in an actual black colorway.
One manufacturer, Kaycan, makes a shade called Manor, which they describe as a mix between a charcoal gray and a true black. As shown above, the siding looks more black than gray, but that will change as the lighting changes throughout the day.
The fence in this photo is a black PVC board. PVC makes great trim on a home because it is resistant to wear and tear and comes in dark shades. Perennial Wood is a company that makes a treated wood product in black that can also be used for siding.
Several manufacturers advertise vinyl siding offerings with the manufacturer’s warranty against excessive color fade. Painting existing vinyl siding or cellular PVC boards is possible. The paint should have a high specific light reflecting value or LRV to help prevent heat absorption. Also, black vinyl absorbs too much heat and will cause the vinyl to warp and buckle. If you want an all-black siding house, there are much better materials to choose from.
Black fiber cement siding
This blackboard and batten siding pictured above is a modern take on a classic and historical design trend.
Fiber cement siding is a fantastic product available in various sizes, shapes, and styles. Fiber cement siding that looks like cedar shake, board, and batten, or regular horizontal lap is available.
The James Hardie home above is an example of fiber cement siding showing off its long-lasting beauty. This Dream Collection siding by James Hardie is available in over 700 gorgeous shades.
Alternatively, you can purchase large-scale fiber cement siding panels with a more modern appearance. Because fiber cement siding is a painted product, the result is an opaque, solid black finish. Generally, the sheen is flat or eggshell.
Because fiber cement is painted, you can use any shade of black you like. Black siding attracts more heat, which isn’t a problem with fiber cement because it handles heat exceptionally well.
Another James Hardie architectural home in beautiful black fiber cement. The peaceful landscape highlights the modern and rustic elements of the house.
Fiber cement is unique because it will not expand and contract like many other siding products. The expanding and contracting can be detrimental if excessive, so fiber cement wears better than different types of siding. Its size will remain more or less constant regardless of how hot or cold it gets.
Black and gray homes
Bold cladding choices can make the architecture look more dramatic. But if you aren’t ready to commit to a black siding house, choosing a fairly dark color like gray siding makes a good compromise. Gray comes in a wide range of tones, and black trims and finishes look good with just about all of them.
There is a wide variety of black and gray siding material available on the market, so you will have a lot of choices. From wood to vinyl siding or a treated wood product similar to Perennial Wood, there is an option for siding and trim to work with every budget and aesthetic style.
Gray is another fabulous neutral for the house’s exterior. When you add black windows or trim, you get a similar effect to the bold black design. However, gray with black trim is more subtle and will appeal to more people when it comes time to sell your home.
The black frames of the windows shown above are a bold choice next to the gray-black siding. The rich tone-on-tone color palette combines modern and classic design and is a great way to go all in using a dark siding color.