Metal Siding Ideas: Upload Your House and Try the Look

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Metal siding is a big, hard-to-undo choice, so look at it before you order. Upload a photo of your house below to see ribbed metal-style panels on your own walls, then read what three published sources say about profiles, finishes, colors and the downsides.

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Before and after examples

Example images are AI-generated: both the sample houses and their redesigns. Results change from render to render, so treat them as concepts, not exact product matches.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a two-story house with beige horizontal vinyl siding, white trim and shutters, a white front door, a white garage door and a gray shingle roof — Example 1 (prompt 1 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): every wall, including the garage wall, is now dark charcoal with vertical ribs, and the white trim, shutters, doors and roof were kept. A picture cannot tell steel from aluminum or from a vinyl look-alike, and the thin ribs read more like board and batten than a standing seam, so treat this as a look, not a material.

The same house with dark charcoal vertical ribbed panels on every wall including the garage wall; the white trim, white shutters, doors and gray roof kept — Example 1 (prompt 1 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): every wall, including the garage wall, is now dark charcoal with vertical ribs, and the white trim, shutters, doors and roof were kept. A picture cannot tell steel from aluminum or from a vinyl look-alike, and the thin ribs read more like board and batten than a standing seam, so treat this as a look, not a material.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a one-story house with a large front gable, light gray horizontal siding, white trim, a round white vent in the gable, a white front door and a white garage door — Example 2 (prompt 2 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): only the gable wall changed, which is the accent-area idea from the sources. We asked for horizontal corrugated metal in dark gray and got vertical ribs in a blue-tinted slate gray, so the direction and the exact color were not what we typed. The vent, the lower siding, the doors and the roof were kept. Our first wording of this prompt turned the garage door gray instead, so we reworded it and ran it again.

The same house with the gable wall now dark slate gray with vertical ribs and the round vent kept; the light gray siding below, the white garage door and the roof look the same — Example 2 (prompt 2 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): only the gable wall changed, which is the accent-area idea from the sources. We asked for horizontal corrugated metal in dark gray and got vertical ribs in a blue-tinted slate gray, so the direction and the exact color were not what we typed. The vent, the lower siding, the doors and the roof were kept. Our first wording of this prompt turned the garage door gray instead, so we reworded it and ran it again.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a two-story house with red-brown brick on the ground floor, white siding on the upper floor, gray shutters, white trim, a white front door, a brown garage door and a gray shingle roof — Example 3 (prompt 3 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the upper floor and both gables are now black vertical panels over the brick, which is the mixed-material idea from the sources. We did not ask for it, but the shutters on the upper windows turned dark too, while the lower shutters stayed light gray. The brick, the white trim, the doors and the roof were kept.

The same house with black vertical ribbed panels on the upper floor and both gables, dark shutters on the upper windows, and the red-brown brick, white trim, doors and roof kept — Example 3 (prompt 3 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the upper floor and both gables are now black vertical panels over the brick, which is the mixed-material idea from the sources. We did not ask for it, but the shutters on the upper windows turned dark too, while the lower shutters stayed light gray. The brick, the white trim, the doors and the roof were kept.

What the AI can and cannot do

It can redraw the walls, a gable or one floor of your photo with ribbed, metal-style panels in a color you describe, usually keeping the shape of the house and the parts you tell it to keep, so you can judge the color and where the metal goes.

It cannot show real metal, a real panel profile or a coating. In our examples the ribs read more like board and batten, and one prompt for horizontal panels came back vertical. Check the whole image, name every wall you want changed and get real samples afterwards.

What the sources say about metal siding

The points below come from three published sources: Family Handyman, "Pros and Cons of Metal Siding" (by Ally Childress, updated July 30, 2024; a home-improvement publisher, quoting Eric Cotterman of Cornerstone Building Brands, which makes aluminum siding); Rollex, "8 Modern Metal Siding Design Ideas for Homes" (April 9, 2020; a seller of steel, aluminum and vinyl siding); and Western States Metal Roofing, "4 Tips To Find The Best Color For Metal Siding Panels" (by Mykela Agojo, April 28, 2021; a seller of metal roofing and siding panels). Two are sellers and one quotes a siding maker, so treat them as design opinions, not rules.

Question	What the sources say
What is it made of?	Family Handyman's source: roll-formed from aluminum, and sold in aluminum and steel. Rollex sells steel, aluminum and vinyl siding.
Upsides	Family Handyman's source: lasts for decades, resists pests, does not rot or absorb moisture, and can be repainted. Rollex: tough, durable and lower upkeep than wood.
Downsides	Family Handyman's source: harder to install around windows and doors, dents are hard to repair, it is fire resistant but not fireproof, and it is a poor insulator in winter, so add good insulation.
Cost against other siding	Family Handyman's source: aluminum costs more than vinyl but is typically cheaper than wood, brick and stone.
Paint system	Western States: SMP costs less and fades and chalks more; PVDF resists UV better but comes in heavier gauges and costs more. Dark colors fade faster on SMP.
Color and setting	Western States: earthy greens, bronzes and grays for mountain and forest settings, warm neutrals for desert and plains, dark, matte or textured finishes for urban settings, and bright colors and blues for tropical and coastal areas. It also suggests looking at what is common nearby and at your architectural style.

If you are comparing materials, see types of siding, composite siding ideas and fiber cement siding colors. For the metal roof that often goes with it, see metal roof colors.

Metal siding ideas from the sources

Vertical standing seam. Rollex says board-and-batten style metal gives a sleek, contemporary look through its vertical lines and is quick to install. Example 1 is our try at a full-house version; for the same vertical look in other materials, see board and batten siding ideas and vertical siding ideas.
Metal as an accent. Rollex shows darker metal lap siding on the roof peaks and middle section against a white base. Example 2 changes only a gable wall.
Mixed materials. Rollex combines metal board and batten with brick and horizontal lap siding, and says warm wood softens dark metal. Example 3 puts black panels over a brick base; see brick and siding combinations.
Industrial corrugated. Rollex uses corrugated metal on parts of the exterior with oversized plate-glass windows and natural wood trim.
Pops of color. Rollex uses narrow standing-seam panels and bold wall panels to add color and texture to a stark modern facade.

How to try metal siding on your house

Photograph the front in daylight, straight on, from far enough back that the whole house fits in the frame.
Upload it in the tool at the top of this page, or open the exterior designer, choose a style and click generate.
Name the walls, the color and the panel direction and list what must stay the same, like the prompts below.
Check the whole image. Look at the shutters, the trim, the doors and the roof, and run it again if something moved.

The exact prompts behind the examples

These are the edit prompts used for the three examples, word for word. The examples were run directly on an image model, not through the tool above, so your results will look different. Change the walls, the color and the list of what stays to suit your house.

Prompt 1: charcoal vertical panels on every wall

Change ONLY the siding: replace the beige siding on every wall, including the garage wall, with dark charcoal vertical standing seam metal panels. Keep the white trim, the windows, the front door, the garage door, the roof, the lawn, the driveway and the camera angle exactly the same.

Prompt 2: corrugated metal on the gable only

Change ONLY the triangular gable wall at the top of the roof, the one with the round vent: clad that gable wall in horizontal corrugated metal panels in dark gray. Keep the light gray siding on every other wall, the white garage door, the white front door, the trim, the roof, the lawn, the driveway and the camera angle exactly the same.

Prompt 3: black panels on the upper floor, brick kept

Change ONLY the upper-floor siding: replace the white siding on the upper floor with black vertical standing seam metal panels. Keep the red-brown brick on the ground floor exactly as it is. Keep the white trim, the front door, the garage door, the roof, the lawn, the driveway and the camera angle exactly the same.

Before you order metal siding

Ask for real samples. Western States suggests color chips and metal samples because screen colors vary with light and surroundings.
Ask which paint system the color uses and what it means for fading.
Ask about insulation and window and door trim, the two points Family Handyman's source flags.
Check your HOA or town for siding and color rules.

Who this is for

Homeowners and buyers weighing metal siding for a whole house, a gable or one floor, who want to see the color and the placement on their own house before they ask for quotes.

More exterior ideas

See siding colors, vinyl siding colors and cedar shake siding ideas for other materials, the siding visualizer and home exterior visualizer for more tries on your own photo.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see metal siding on a photo of my own house?

Yes. Upload a photo of the front of your house in the tool at the top of this page, say which walls get metal siding, the color and the panel direction, and list what must stay the same. Free accounts get 2 free renders in most countries; free renders are watermarked.

Will the picture show steel, aluminum or a real panel profile?

No. The AI draws the look of ribbed panels in the color you describe. It cannot show the metal, the gauge, the coating or how the seams and trim are done. In our examples the ribs read more like board and batten, and in the second example we asked for horizontal corrugated panels and got vertical ribs. Use the picture to judge the color and the placement, then ask a siding supplier for real samples.

What are the downsides of metal siding?

Family Handyman (updated July 30, 2024), quoting Eric Cotterman of Cornerstone Building Brands, a maker of aluminum siding, lists tougher installation around windows and doors, dents from impacts that are hard to repair, and poor insulation in winter because metal conducts heat, so insulation should go with it. He also says it is fire resistant but not fireproof. The source comes from a siding maker, so read the claims as the maker’s view.

Is metal siding more expensive than vinyl?

Family Handyman, quoting an aluminum siding maker, says aluminum costs more than vinyl but is typically cheaper than wood, brick and stone. This page gives no prices; ask local installers for quotes.

Can I paint metal siding later?

Family Handyman’s source says metal siding can be repainted whenever you like, which it says vinyl does not allow. That is the article’s claim about aluminum siding; check the paint system and the warranty with the siding maker first.

Does the paint system on the panels matter for color?

Western States Metal Roofing, a seller of metal panels, says its lower-cost SMP paint costs less but resists fading and chalking less than its PVDF paint, which it says has better UV resistance but comes only in heavier gauges and costs more. It adds that dark colors such as black or red tend to fade faster on SMP, and that lighter colors hide fading better. Ask the supplier which system a color uses.

Do I need metal on the whole house?

No. Rollex, a seller of steel, aluminum and vinyl siding, shows darker metal on the roof peaks and middle section against a white base, and metal board and batten mixed with brick and horizontal siding. Example 2 on this page changes only a gable wall and Example 3 changes only the upper floor.

Try it on your own house

Upload your house photo

Free sign-up with email or Google. You get 2 free renders in most countries; free renders are watermarked.