Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding has been in use for over forty years and has become one of the favorite choices for exterior cladding. In fact, in the USA, twice as many people choose vinyl siding for their homes than any other material, according to the US Census Bureau. The main component used in the manufacturing of vinyl siding is polyvinyl chloride, and vinyl siding sold through reputable dealers should have been passed for its ability to maintain its color and be weatherproof in most weather conditions. Ask your supplier if the vinyl siding you are considering purchasing has been accredited by a reputable institute.

The benefits of vinyl siding are its versatility and attractiveness, as well as its ease of maintenance, and it can be used on new buildings as well as to cover existing structures. It is often chosen by professional contractors because of its durability, flexibility, and long lasting qualities in addition to the ease of installation and maintenance. Vinyl siding which is accredited by the Vinyl Siding Institute - look for the name on the product information - has been checked for its ability to withstand wind, impact, and weather conditions, and for its qualities of non-fading colors.

With vinyl siding, the color goes all through the material, so it doesn't fade like aluminum siding. That means you don't have to paint your home or building every few years to maintain its good looks. Also, vinyl siding doesn't dent, so if your child hits it with a football, it won't leave a lasting impression!

In addition, vinyl siding is generally mold and mildew resistant, and a good wash with the garden hose or a power washer will usually clean it off, along with any residue from soil splashes, etc.

Also, if applying vinyl siding to an older home, there is an opportunity to add a plastic weather barrier or insulation to the walls before putting on the vinyl siding. This will increase the insulation properties of the home, helping to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer, thereby cutting those heating and air-conditioning bills.

When looking at home improvements, it is a good idea to decide whether the cost of the project will add at least a similar amount of value to the home, or other building it is being used on. One of the benefits of vinyl siding is that it is cost effective - vinyl siding costs less than most other exterior claddings - and it also is attractive to prospective purchasers of a home. This raises the value of your home, in many cases, considerably more than the actual cost of cladding the building in vinyl siding. Some studies have shown that cladding a house in vinyl siding costs less than cladding with brick, stone, stucco, fiber cement, or wood siding.

Also, as mentioned earlier, installing vinyl siding on an existing finish allows for adding insulation and plastic building wrap under the siding. This helps insulate the home and save money on heating bills.

Although it is perfectly feasible for you to install vinyl siding yourself, it's a big job, and you should consider hiring a qualified and trained vinyl siding installer to do the work for you. Choose your contractor carefully and ask to see other work his company has done, or ask for references from satisfied customers - and don't forget to ask about his training in installing the vinyl siding, particularly in the type of siding you have chosen to use on your home.

When installing, it is important to remember that vinyl siding contracts and expands with weather conditions. Experts advise that installers allow for this by ensuring that they insert nails into the center of the nailing slot, so the panels have some leeway to move as the weather warms up and cools down. The nails should not be driven in so far that they hold the siding tightly against the wall for the same reason. Also, it is important never to put nails or screws actually through the vinyl siding itself, as this will damage it. Vinyl siding can be cut easily with tin snips, a circular saw, or a utility knife, so it can be fitted smoothly in awkward spots without too much trouble.

Like many construction and home renovation tasks, it is important that what is beneath the new material is in good shape and level. If you are putting vinyl siding on an existing building, it may be necessary to remove the cladding that is already on there, especially if it is uneven, damaged, or rotting. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the existing uneven surface with new paneling before installing the vinyl siding.

Always make sure that any protruding nails or screws are pushed flat into the existing surface or removed entirely, as they may cause damage to your new siding.

On a new building, experts warn against using "green" or unseasoned underlay for your new vinyl siding. The addition of a house wrap or felt paper before installing the vinyl siding will help provide a weatherproof and insulated exterior for the building. This is also a good time to consider installing an extra layer of insulation on the existing exterior of the building before adding the vinyl siding. This will pay dividends in keeping the house warm and lowering heating bills.

The exterior cladding of your home has an important job to perform - it protects your home from all kinds of weather conditions, helps keep you warm - or cool in summer - and should add to the eye-appeal of your home in the neighborhood.

One of the major benefits of vinyl siding is the ease of maintenance. It is designed to withstand wind and extremes of temperature, and the modern materials used are tested to retain their original colors. That means you won't need to paint your vinyl siding - ever!

As well, vinyl siding won't dent like aluminum or wood siding, won't crack like stucco can sometimes do, and generally scratches don't show unless they are very deep into the surface.

To keep vinyl siding looking fresh, all that is necessary is to wash it using the spray from a garden hose or a power washer and a soft cloth to wipe it down, rubbing gently on any marks to remove them.

Even in the event that a panel is damaged, it is a simple task to remove that panel and replace it with a new one without having to strip a large section of vinyl siding from the wall. To remove a damaged panel, you would "unzip" the panel below it from the damaged one, using a special "unzipping" tool. Then carefully bend the damaged panel outwards, remove the nail holding it in, and remove it. Then, it's a simple matter of reversing the process to install a new panel, and the finish will be left looking as if no damage had occurred.

A benefit of vinyl siding over wood, stucco, and similar finishes is that it comes ready colored. With most other exterior claddings, once the hard work of actually installing the cladding is done, you have to start all over again and paint or stain the finish.

But vinyl siding comes in a broad variety of styles and colors, from the traditional to the very modern, ready to install without further work. Of course, you need to be sure you are going to enjoy that color for many years to come, as vinyl generally can't be painted over if you tire of the color and want a change.

The availability of vinyl siding in lap, wood effect, clapboard, board and batten, shingles, scallops, wood, and other effects means that the homeowner can achieve almost any effect they wish. The different styles, colors, and textures can be chosen to blend with just about any architectural style, as well as offering modern, low maintenance replacements for historic cladding finishes, such as wooden clapboard on older properties.

In its early days, vinyl siding was only available in a limited number of colors and in white. But another of the benefits of vinyl siding today is the availability of a wide range of colors - as many as 350 different shades are available. These include many popular colors such as pale blue, cream, white, and grey. But there are also many bright new colors as well, such as reds, deep blues, pinks, greens, browns, and many shades in between, so a newly sided home can be fashionable as well as smart.

When choosing a color of vinyl siding, it is a good idea to check that the color is certified for durability and non-fade qualities. You can do this by asking your contractor, retailer, or other supplier - and you can ask to get that guarantee in writing, if necessary. Alternatively, there are a number of Internet sites which offer information about color durability and list manufacturers of certified colored vinyl siding.

Of course, when siding your home, you will be looking for more than just color. You'll want a finish that matches your home's architectural style, and there are a wide range of vinyl siding finishes that will offer these choices. You will find horizontal or vertical panels, and panels with a raised pattern. Some are finished to look like shakes or shingles, clapboard, even board-and-batten style finishes. In fact, vinyl siding is versatile enough to mimic many other traditional cladding styles.

When choosing the style of vinyl siding that you want to use, make sure you also check that your retailer or supplier has a good selection of architectural trims and finishing materials to give that 'finished' look. These enhance the final look of your siding and offer necessary trims for windows, doors, soffits, etc.

One of the drawbacks of vinyl siding in the past was the suspicion that its manufacture and installation on a home were not in line with good environmental practice. While some earlier versions of vinyl siding may have been suspect environmentally, today's modern product has been described as having a low impact on the environment compared to some other finishes.
This is based on the impact on global warming, where vinyl siding is lower than stucco or brick and is second to cedar siding for lowest impact. It is second to cedar siding and ahead of brick and stucco for the lowest impact on air pollutants, fossil fuel depletion, and water requirements, as well.

In addition, vinyl siding is recyclable in some jurisdictions. Its durability and the fact that it does not need painting or replacing frequently, also add up to a more environmentally friendly product.

Renovating an historic home can be a very rewarding experience - but it is also fraught with many frustrations, as you try to achieve the correct look for an older architectural style using modern materials.

Modern vinyl siding comes in a wide range of colors, including those similar to colors used in siding buildings in the historic past. There are also many different finishes, including board and batten designs, as well as quite a lot of trims and finishing pieces that blend with historically correct architectural renovations.

One of the benefits vinyl siding offers that couldn't be found on the original finishes of historical buildings is a big plus for modern homeowners - it doesn't rot! Additionally, unlike wood, stucco, and other traditional finishes, vinyl siding does not attract insects or crack in strong sunlight. Most of all, it never needs painting!