fiberglass siding better than Aluminum?

[ahiburger]

Is Fiberglass siding better than Aluminum?  So far, I have been told it is easier to clean, easier to repair, and looks nicer.  Is that all?

Is it lighter?

Are there different types of smooth siding, and is it all "fiberglass"?

 

[Ned]

Fiberglass is generally glued while aluminum is riveted.  Fiberglass can delaminate or bubble if the construction was faulty, while you won't have that problem with aluminum.  As for cleaning, we have aluminum and it's easy to clean, but I don't think it's any easier than FG.  Aluminum is generally painted too while FG has the base color built in.

 

[Ron]

Generally a toss up as to which is better.  However there was one coach manufacturer that had Aluminum sides and steel cage and used steel rivits causing corrosion around the rivits do to dis-similar metals in this case it was a bad deal. 

 

[John From Detroit]

One very minor or major difference, depending on your likes and dislikes, is that to a radio, A fiberglass wall simply is not there, An aluminum one is very there

So when I mounted my ham radio transmitter, I hung an antenna outside the rig (for safety reasons) this is a fifty watt VHF rig

But the CB (5 watt HF rig) has it's antenna INSIDE the fiberglass rig,  (Same as on my all plastic car)

SWR is 1.0 to 1 by the way (Perfect) on the MH (not quite so good on the car, but still, has not changed in 10 years)

This also affects portable radios (AM/FM) GMRS or FRS radios, Portable TV's and the like,  All work BETTER inside a Fiberglass house