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What Is Vinyl Siding?

Vinyl siding is composed of polyvinyl chloride or PVC, a thermoplastic resin, which means it softens when heated and hardens and becomes rigid again when cooled. Thermoplastic materials can be melted and cooled without undergoing significant chemical change. Specifically, PVC is composed of polymers of vinyl chloride. A polymer is a chemical compound consisting of smaller, identical molecules (called monomers) linked together to form a larger molecule. Some polymers, like cellulose, occur naturally, while others, like PVC, are man-made. Their chemical consistency make polymers very versatile and they are used to make plastics, concrete, glass, and rubber. PVC has an exceptional resistance to water, alcohols, and concentrated acids and alkalis. » Read more on vinyl siding.

Modern home vinyl siding is produced by a process called co-extrusion. Two layers of PVC are laid down in a continuous extrusion process. The outer layer makes up about a third of the siding’s thickness and includes about 10% titanium dioxide, which resists breakdown from UV light. The lower layer is typically about one-sixth ground limestone.

Choosing The Best Vinyl Siding On The Market

If you are looking for one of the best exterior siding options available, then vinyl siding should be your choice. Vinyl siding is durable, low maintenance, versatile, and economical and is the perfect choice for just about any type or style of home. If you’ve decided that vinyl siding is right for you, then you should look for the best vinyl siding product you can find within your budget. Finding the best vinyl siding for your home boils down to a couple of key points – you need to find a reputable and solid vinyl siding manufacturer that has a line of products that is known to be high quality, durable and long lasting. You need to find the type of siding product that will best compliment the style and décor of your home, including finish and color options. And finally, in order to find the best vinyl siding for your home, you need to find a knowledgeable and reputable vinyl siding contractors that will professionally install the siding on your home. Learn more about the best vinyl siding.

Vinyl Siding Contractors

When you've got a basic plan of attack mapped out, then it's time to tackle what many consider the most daunting step of all: hiring a siding contractor. Hiring a siding contractor doesn't have to be traumatic, tiresome, or tempestuous. Armed with a budget and a clear idea of what you need and want in terms of quantity, material and style, finding a reputable contractor becomes just a simple checklist of tasks and traits. » Read more on how to hire a vinyl siding contractor.

Vinyl Siding Thickness

One of the first things to look at when choosing siding is panel thickness because the thickness, or gauge, of the vinyl is the key to its durability and cost. The thicker the vinyl is, the longer it lasts, the better it withstands damage, and the more stable it is. Of course, the thicker the vinyl is, the more it costs. Thickness can vary from .35 millimeters in cheaper siding products to up to .55 millimeters in the highest grade products. Today, the thinnest vinyl siding commonly used is .40 millimeters and is called builder's grade. The most common vinyl siding options range from .040"-.045" thick but premium brands are available up to .055" thick. Here’s the full spectrum of options: Builder Grade (.040), Thin Residential Grade (.042), Standard Residential Grade (.044), Thick Residential Grade (.046) & Super Thick Grade (.050). So what’s the practical difference between the different grades? If a panel is too thin, it can show flaws in the wall underneath. Thicker vinyl products are more rigid, which can add to the aesthetic appeal and look of the finished installation, add flexibility and durability, and also increase life expectancy. Thicker grades of vinyl siding don’t crack as easily in very cold weather or when struck or bumped.

Measuring Vinyl Siding

When shopping for siding, it is important to know how much siding and materials will be needed. The most effective way to determine the quantity of vinyl siding is to properly measure the area of the home where you will place the vinyl siding. it is important to measure properly entered to save you money and, more importantly, save you time. Below, you will find a comprehensive article detailing the most effect is way to properly measure your home for vinyl siding. » Discover more on measuring vinyl siding.

Vinyl Siding Composition

Chemical formulas can also vary somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer, which can affect life expectancy. Most important is a UV coating that most major manufacturers apply to the outside of the siding that filters out ultra violet rays from the sun that can age the PVC more quickly. As a rough general rule, the higher the grade of the siding, the more it resists fading. » Find additional vinyl siding manufacturers.

Vinyl Siding Appearance

With an diverse selection of profiles, colors, finishes, architectural trims and accessories, vinyl siding provides the variety and versatility to suit a sweeping range of architectural styles and design tastes from historic to contemporary. » Explore more about types of vinyl siding.

Vinyl Siding Colors

Because vinyl siding soaks up heat, it has a high expansion and contraction rate. Vinyl siding paint works best when it is a blend of urethane and acrylic resin, which guarantees that it will provide lasting color for a long time regardless of the severity of the weather. Protective coatings that offer UV protection against fading, which can be well worth the additional expense, are also available in a variety of colors. While in the past, homeowners were limited to a choice of pastels or shades of white, today’s vinyl siding comes in reds, greens, blues, browns, and creams. Light browns and creams are currently the most popular. And, vinyl siding is available in an ever-expanding spectrum of colors, including darker color options featuring bold, rich earth tones, barn reds, hunter greens, deep blues, and more. » Discover more on vinyl siding colors.

Vinyl Siding Styles

Vinyl siding is available in several profiles. Since it was originally intended to imitate wooden siding, the most common replicate wood siding. However, to add some variety, varying textures from deep wood grain to smooth to sanded to sealed and painted wood are available. However, keep in mind that the cost of vinyl siding vary according to the different styles, brands, and colors. For example, vertical vinyl siding, which is a somewhat recent innovation on the market and easier to clean than the horizontal style siding, is more expensive than the traditional horizontal style. But there are many more styles to choose from. In fact, vinyl siding offers more profiles than any other exterior cladding — including clapboard, Dutch lap, beaded, board and batten, vinyl log cabin, shingles, stones, and scallops, to name but a few. Customized vinyl siding can even convincingly simulate authentic rough-hewn cedar shakes.

Solid Core Vinyl Siding

One of the biggest problems faced by vinyl siding manufacturers has always been how to properly attach siding to the exterior of a home. When you touch standard vinyl siding on houses, it might feel less than solid. As well, the walls of many wood framed homes are not completely flat. In addition, with thin vinyl siding, you would not be able to achieve a uniform and securely positioned siding that is flush with the walls. The reason for this is that most siding follows each bump and dip of the previous siding strip. What’s more, many vinyl siding products that resemble wood have a curl in the lap. This curl is an easy giveaway that the product on the home is siding and not real wood. Solid core vinyl siding solves many of these problems.

Siding Installation

Vinyl siding is manufactured with its own partial attachment or locking system that is fastened loosely but securely to the exterior wall. This locking system has a bottom lock which fits into either a start piece or onto the top lock of the panel below. The top lock is then loose nailed to the wall to allow for the expansion and contraction caused by varying temperature and weather conditions. With proper installation, the siding can easily expand up, down, in and out, and left and right without hindrance. This is critical because vinyl siding will tend to expand and contract more with temperature extremes than any other common type of cladding. » Read more on installing vinyl siding.

Benefits Of Vinyl Siding

Inexpensive to Install - One reason vinyl is a popular siding option is that it not only has a lower purchase price than brick, stone, wood, or metal, but it is cheaper to install as well.

Durable and Long Lasting - Vinyl siding will not last for centuries like brick or natural stone, but it can last your lifetime. It isn't as prone to scratches or dents as aluminum is nor will it rust the way aluminum will. Plus, you don’t need to worry about the wood rot or termites that attack wood shingles or clapboard, and it's less likely to suffer from mold or mildew.

Protection - Vinyl siding is hardy and can withstand severe temperature extremes. It can take subzero temperatures and heat up to 160 degrees. Nonetheless, it is still plastic and it will melt if exposed to high heat, so care must be taken to keep your barbecue grills, smokers, and outdoor heat lamps at a a safe distance from the walls. Vinyl siding is also reasonably resistant to fading, so even a hot summer sun will likely have little impact on the appearance of your vinyl siding. Vinyl also shields your home from the harsher elements as well. It is resistant to high winds, and even in severe storms it holds up better than wood or other materials.

Read more on the many benefits to vinyl siding.

Maintenance of Vinyl Siding - Unlike wood, vinyl doesn't require regular repainting or restaining. Repainting your entire house is expensive. In fact, a quality paint job can cost as much as installing new vinyl siding. Vinyl siding, on the other hand, doesn't need frequent painting. Rinsing it twice a year or so is all you really need to do to keep your siding looking good and performing well. Cleaning vinyl siding is easy and doesn't require many tools or supplies, just a garden hose, and for any built up grime, a soft-bristled brush and a gallon of water combined with laundry detergent and powdered household cleaner. » Read more on vinyl siding maintenance.

Safety - Safe homes use fire-safe claddings, which include vinyl siding. Why does vinyl siding provide good fire performance? Because of its chlorine base, vinyl siding does not ignite quickly and is essentially flame-retardant. Vinyl meets the strict National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements. The NFPA Electrical Code acknowledges the strong fire-safe characteristics of vinyl through its approved use as a residential wiring insulator. Millions of homes have been wired using safe vinyl-insulated electrical systems for decades.

Energy Efficiency - Your vinyl siding might even save you some money on your energy bills, because it reflects heat rather than absorbs it. During the warmer months, it might help you cut down on your air conditioning bill. With today’s vinyl siding, technical innovations have led to a currently popular product, insulated vinyl siding, which helps increase the exterior wall’s R-value and contributes to a home’s energy efficiency. In fact, insulated vinyl siding can increase the effective R-value of a wall by ten to fifteen percent compared to traditional vinyl siding, reducing not only energy consumption and expanse over the lifetime of your home but also decreasing your overall carbon footprint. » Find out more on vinyl siding and home insulation.

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