i have a (real) stucco house, but for various reasons i am thinking of siding of some sort. is this possible? are there water issues and such? is one siding for this purpose better than another? thanks!

Well, it's done all the time, using first aluminum and later vinyl, but as usual, the problems don't appear in the middle of a long wall, they appear at windows and doors, where some trim details have to be really thought out...and then some years later, a guy like me will come along and suggest stripping the fake siding off the house and going back to the original stucco.

thanks for the input. (aesthetically, i much prefer the look of stucco, but sometimes there are reasons....) other than the trim issue, do you know if it is harder/more expensive than just putting on siding to start with?

Of course it is. Old stucco can be as hard as a rock, and that's what you have to nail into, and if you don't do it just right, the nail blows out a chunk of the stucco, and doesn't hold.

A house generally looks best when it remains as originally designed. If it was originally designed to be stucco, that's how it will look best. There are many beautiful stucco homes that are nearing 100 years old, and still look great. I can't imagine a vinyl-sided home looking great after 100 years. I've taken aluminum siding off a crappy looking house to restore the stucco that was underneath, and the house looks magnificent now, and will 100 years from now.

Well, I never did say vinyl or aluminum--I should not have assumed that one might think wood or some other material. Among the considerations is living by saltwater, exposed to winds, etc. (I know stucco is tough); maintaining cracks, paint; and living in a neighborhood where old houses are continually being torn down and replaced with either mcmansions or at least updated homes. I guess one thought was that, by refreshing the exterior, the home might retain value, or increase, plus possibly relieve a few headaches.

McMansions! They are a blight! Maybe the best way to refresh the look of your house is not to reside, but to look at your other dimensions of curb appeal. I have to agree with Richard that it's usually best to respect the historic fabric of your building. If your neighbors are all going for maximum buildout, your place is one of the few with a yard left, is my guess. Attractive landscaping and a good exterior paint scheme adds a lot to a property and can add to the value.

Having grown up in Florida and living and working now on Long Island I would not recommend wood. The salt air and winds will really adversely affect the wood. There is always maintenance. I have clients with vinyl that must be powerwashed and it fades so then it must be stained/painted. I have clients with wood - powerwashing, staining, painting. In other words, no matter what you will have to paint and do yearly maintenance. I agree that historic is best. Look at your landscape, your roof, your trim, and front door. As for value, your home may have alot of value because it is original. And many home buyers are looking for a house that doesn't look like every other house on the block. Also keep in mind that one of the hottest trends is living space outside. If you do have a big backyard look at sprucing it up to add value and your own enjoyment.

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The salt air and winds will really adversely affect the wood.

Tell that to people in New England who have had red or white cedar shingles or shakes on their house, completely unfinished, for 100 years or more...

I am currently working on a 111 year old house with cedar shakes that is located in the Hamptons on the water. Unfinished shakes with white trim, cape cod style. I will stand by my statement.

Hmmm...I wonder if anyone will get 111 years out of vinyl siding? I stand by my statement also. We completely re-sided a 100+ year old building in cedar shingles which ís located near the Hudson River. I fully expect them to get 100+ years out of the new siding, too. Just as I've done work on stucco homes that were pushing 80 years and still in great shape. We've even removed aluminum siding from a stucco house and restored the original stucco, which was nearly 80 years old. All we had to do was fill a few nail holes.

I'm not against stucco. If you read my post I think he should keep the stucco. As for vinyl, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the look you want. All exterior finishes require maintenance. That was my biggest point. Shingles can last a long time, but I also keep a good stock of them at my shop because they do have to be replaced here and there. For example, I have a homeowner that has over 20 shingles missing from one side of their house. This is just due to weather, wind etc. All the painters I know here have shingles in stock for these reasons. For the record - I firmly believe in keeping historic homes historic. I'm big on restorations. Oh - and the 111 year old house doesn't have a single original shingle on it.
Have a great day and I'm sure the Hudson River house looks great.