Affordable Modular Siding Options

One of the greatest benefits of modular construction is the ability to expand your organization efficiently, and still have a variety of exterior design options. This allows you to seamlessly match a new modular building to the existing structures on your property.

Whether you’re looking to meet historical regulations and design standards or ensure the new structure blends with the rest of your campus, there are a variety of modular siding options to choose from.

After reading this blog, you’ll be able to identify the right modular siding for your building project, whether you’re looking for sleek, traditional, rustic, or modern.

How to Choose Your Modular Siding

Before we get into each of the different modular siding options, there are a couple of different factors you should consider. Each aspect below will ultimately help you determine what siding is best for your situation and organization.

Let’s start with the location of your building. If you’re looking to incorporate this structure into a larger campus, you’ll want to match the exterior to the existing structures. That way there’s a seamless transition and the modular structure doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

Along the same lines, the location of your modular structure will also be important to know how much insulation is needed. Certain modular exterior walls have better insulation than others, so if you’re in a colder location you may opt for a higher-insulated siding.

Just like anything else in your construction project, your budget will be a deciding factor for what type of modular exterior walls you choose. Vinyl siding is typically your least expensive option, whereas stone and brick siding are a bit more costly.

The last aspect you’ll need to consider is how much maintenance you are prepared to do to extend your structure’s lifespan. Again, vinyl siding is fairly low maintenance, while other modular siding options may require repair work or are more prone to maintenance down the line.

Now, let’s get into the common materials used for modular exterior siding and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Premium vinyl siding options for commercial modular buildings are a very popular choice because of their durability and variety. This commercial building siding option comes in a variety of colors and styles so you can easily match your prefab building to a surrounding community or campus.

Because of its versatility, vinyl siding is a great option for educational buildings that needs to match an existing campus aesthetic. We recommend using modular structures for portable classrooms, administrative offices, or school laboratories.

Although vinyl siding is relatively maintenance-free and resistant to dents, scratches, fading, and weather damage, it is a combustible material. What does this mean for your business? If your vinyl siding is near an intense heat source, you risk external damage. So, if your site is susceptible to explosions, it may be better to use a blast-resistant exterior.

You may be surprised to know that exterior panels are available to create a modern, clean-lined aesthetic for your building. These panels can also add texture and visual appeal to enhance its appearance.

These types of panels are great choices for your government building because they create a sophisticated and defined look without breaking the bank. You can use prefabricated buildings for your training facilities, management offices, or break rooms and cafeterias.

The Boston Police Department used exterior panels and modules to provide classroom training for their officers. Exterior panels are a cost-effective siding option because they can quickly be added or applied to a steel- or wood-frame module. The Boston Police Department chose a steel frame because of the nature of the training and environment.

No matter what type of modular siding you choose, the controlled environment process helps eliminate additional steps on-site and ultimately ensures your building is up and running faster.

To help your new modular building blend into natural environments, wood modular siding is another cost-effective option. If your modular structure is going to be a public-use space outside, this could be a great, aesthetically pleasing option for you.

For example, the New England’s Stone Zoo Welcome Plaza needed a new retail space and bathroom for guests as soon as they entered the zoo. The wood siding created a classy first impression for the visitors while allowing the building to blend in with its surroundings.

At BOXX Modular, we use thermally modified wood to build your exterior siding. Cambia wood is sustainable lumber that performs better and is more cost-effective than other wood and wood substitutes.

It is resistant to insect damage and fungal infestation, and less susceptible to warping due to humidity. Design-wise, this type of wood siding offers a beautiful color that highlights the natural beauty of the wood grain.

On a grand campus filled with old stone buildings, you might think it would be difficult to add a new modular building without it sticking out like a sore thumb. However, using a stone veneer exterior finish, your new construction will look like it’s been in place for years.

Stone veneer is a very flexible and cost-effective siding option. Through various molds and liners, you can match the color, shape, and size of any fieldstone. So, this is also a great option for schools and businesses with large campuses that want to blend in with their existing structures or community.

Compared to vinyl or wood siding, stone veneer is more fire-resistant and is also virtually maintenance-free. Stone veneer is applied on top of felt or building paper that acts as a moisture barrier. So as long as it is properly installed, it is more water-resistant siding compared to wood siding.

You’ll find that this type of siding is slightly more costly than vinyl or wood, but compared to traditional stone, you’ll be saving money and time. With traditional stone, there is a lot of manual labor involved that ultimately costs more and can extend your construction timeline.

Buildings expanding in a historical district come with restrictions to the design and ultimately the choices you make for the interior and exterior wall finishes.

If you’re choosing brick as your structure’s exterior, you’ll find that traditional brick comes with multiple drawbacks. It’s a costly material and just like stone, it involves a lot of labor and time for it to be completed.

To get the best of both worlds - a historical aesthetic and cost savings, try thin brick! This type of modular siding is available in a variety of colors, textures, and thicknesses (3/4” to 1” thick). Thin brick is lighter, easier to transport, has few seismic concerns, and reduces exterior wall costs.

Cleaning Your Modular Siding

As we’ve mentioned earlier in this blog, each commercial building siding option will have an extended lifespan with great maintenance and care over time. No matter the siding option you choose, every year you’ll want to apply a high-quality siding wax to extend your structure’s lifespan and keep it looking brand new.

You should also regularly inspect the siding for any cracks, chips, and scratches and touch up the damages when necessary. You’ll also want to inspect windows and door frames for any holes that could cause water penetration and damage.

The location of your building will also help determine how often you clean the exterior of your modular structure. If your structure will be on a construction site with lots of dust and dirt, you may find yourself needing to clean it more often than if the building was a part of an office complex.

Vinyl will be the easiest to maintain and you can clean the siding off with a simple washing solution. Similarly, wood panels can be cleaned with a gentle solution and soft brush. With both options, make sure you’re not putting too much pressure on the siding that would chip the paint or stain.

With thin brick and stone veneer exterior siding, make sure you are regularly cleaning the sponge or cloth used to wash the siding. This ensures that dirt and debris won’t get stuck in the crevices or indents formed from the liner.