Cedar Siding Cost Calculator

How much does cedar siding cost?

Cedar siding typically costs about $5 to $16 per square foot installed, based on typical 2026 US ranges that vary by region. Our calculator uses total = wall area × material rate + wall area × labor rate. At the default $7 material and $5 labor, a 400 sq ft wall costs $2,800 plus $2,000, or $4,800 installed.

The result shows the total, the area, and the material and labor lines separately. That split matters with cedar. The grade and profile you pick move the material line far more than they move labor.

Cedar siding cost per square foot

Here is what a whole house looks like at different installed rates. These are typical 2026 US ranges and prices vary by region and contractor.

Installed rate	Example mix	1,000 sq ft	1,500 sq ft	2,000 sq ft
$5 per sq ft	Knotty cedar, simple walls	$5,000	$7,500	$10,000
$8 per sq ft	Lower-mid grade	$8,000	$12,000	$16,000
$12 per sq ft	Calculator default ($7 + $5)	$12,000	$18,000	$24,000
$16 per sq ft	Mid to upper grade	$16,000	$24,000	$32,000
$25 per sq ft	Premium clear grade	$25,000	$37,500	$50,000

To check any row, enter the wall area and the two rates in the calculator. For 1,500 sq ft at $8 per sq ft, you would use $5 material and $3 labor.

Cost by grade and profile

Grade sets the price of the wood. Profile sets how much work each board takes. Typical installed ranges per square foot:

Grade or profile	What it is	Typical installed range
Knotty (Select Tight Knot)	Small, sound knots, rustic look	$3 to $8
Mid-grade	Some knots or marks allowed	$6 to $15
Clear Vertical Grain, A Clear	Knot-free, very stable	$12 to $30
Bevel (clapboard)	Tapered lap boards, the common choice	$3 to $15
Board-and-batten	Wide boards with narrow battens	$4 to $18
Tongue-and-groove	Interlocking boards, flat face	$5 to $25
Shiplap	Rabbeted flat boards	$7 to $25
Shingles and shakes	Individual pieces, coursed	$3 to $20

Vertical installation often costs a few dollars more per square foot than horizontal, because of the extra framing and fitting.

What changes the price

• Grade. Clear cedar costs several times more than knotty cedar.
• Profile. Shingles and shiplap take longer than simple bevel boards.
• Story height and shape. Gables, tall walls, and many corners add labor.
• Windows and doors. Every opening needs cut boards and trim.
• Region. Labor and cedar supply costs differ by state and city.
• Finish. Pre-finished boards cost more up front but save on-site work.

Worked examples

These match what the calculator outputs for the same inputs.

Example 1: Accent wall, 40 × 10 ft, $7 material, $5 labor

• Area: 40 × 10 = 400 sq ft
• Material: 400 × $7 = $2,800
• Labor: 400 × $5 = $2,000
• Total installed: $4,800

Example 2: Small house, knotty grade, 150 × 10 ft, $5 material, $3 labor

• Area: 150 × 10 = 1,500 sq ft
• Material: 1,500 × $5 = $7,500
• Labor: 1,500 × $3 = $4,500
• Total installed: $12,000

Example 3: Same house, clear grade, $9 material, $6 labor

• Area: 1,500 sq ft
• Material: 1,500 × $9 = $13,500
• Labor: 1,500 × $6 = $9,000
• Total installed: $22,500

Grade alone moved the same house from $12,000 to $22,500.

None of these include cut waste. Add 10 to 15 percent to the area if your supplier quotes per square foot of wall.

How to measure the walls

1. Rectangles first. Length × height for every wall, from the foundation line to the soffit.
2. Add the gables. Width at the base × peak height ÷ 2.
3. Subtract big openings only. Take out garage doors and large window walls. Leave small windows in, since the trim and cutting around them use up the saved siding.
4. Total it. Enter the net area, then raise it 10 to 15 percent for waste.

For a whole house, enter the total as a long length with a height of 10 ft. For example, 160 ft by 10 ft is 1,600 sq ft.

Costs this calculator leaves out

• Tear-off and disposal of old siding.
• Weather barrier. Size the house wrap separately.
• Finish. Cedar is usually stained or painted before install and again every few years. Use the paint calculator for gallons.
• Trim, soffit, fascia, and flashing.
• Stainless or hot-dipped galvanized nails. Plain steel nails stain cedar.
• Rot repair or new sheathing under the old siding.
• Permits, which are often modest but vary by town.

Cedar versus other siding

Cedar sits at the high end of siding cost. See how it compares with the vinyl siding cost calculator and the fiber cement siding cost calculator. To count vinyl pieces instead of dollars, use the vinyl siding calculator.

Cedar can last decades with upkeep, but plan on recoating. That is a real line item over 20 years.

DIY or hire a pro?

Cedar is harder to install than vinyl. Boards must be cut square, spaced for movement, and nailed without splitting. Many owners buy the material and hire the labor.

If you do it yourself, set labor to $0 in the calculator and keep the material line. You still pay for tools, nails, finish, and your own time. A mistake on clear-grade boards is costly, because each cut-off piece is expensive wood.

For a hired job, ask each contractor for a written quote per square foot. Ask what is included: tear-off, wrap, trim, finish, and cleanup.

Ways to lower the cost

• Pick a knotty grade for walls that are not the main face of the house.
• Use clear cedar only on the front, and knotty on the sides and back.
• Choose a simple bevel profile over shiplap or shingles.
• Schedule work in the off-season, when some crews have openings.
• Buy all the siding in one order so the color and grade match.

Common mistakes

• Pricing face width instead of exposure. Lap boards overlap by an inch or more, so they cover less wall than their width.
• Comparing grades on one rate. Knotty and clear cedar are different products. Quote each separately.
• Skipping the finish budget. Raw cedar left unfinished weathers to gray and can cup.
• Forgetting waste. Ten to 15 percent of the material often ends up as offcuts.
• Using one quote. Get at least three, and ask what the labor rate includes.

Estimates only. Price ranges are typical 2026 US figures and vary by region, cedar grade, and site conditions. Get a contractor quote before budgeting.