Vinyl siding is a synthetic plastic exterior siding designed for homes and small prefabricated apartment buildings, used primarily for weatherproofing and decoration, imitating natural wood grain, panel clapboard, and board or batten siding, and not used against other building materials like aluminum or metal roofing. The majority of vinyl siding constructed today is made from acrylic, which is a thermosetting plastic. The process begins by spraying the plastic with pattern inks. The inks are usually a blended color to give a better look than plain black paint. Then the siding (usually two-sided) is placed on the building face and pressure is applied to permanently adhere it to the surface.
Vinyl siding comes in two basic colors – natural wood color, white, and yellow. They also offer a wide variety of styles and colors to suit almost any home. One of the benefits of vinyl siding is its durability and resistance to weather. Vinyl has been found to be as durable and long-lasting as wood for outside walls. It has proven to withstand all kinds of weather including sun, heat, wind, hail, rain, snow, and ice, making it a very dependable material that is good for any kind of home.
Some of the disadvantages of vinyl siding compared to other materials are its cost and weight. Because vinyl siding is plastic, it is usually more expensive than wood, but it is light and can be moved around easily if an area has to be painted. Aluminum sheet metal is heavier and harder to move. Some people prefer the sturdiness of aluminum and do not want the weight of vinyl siding on their homes. Also aluminum loses its color with time, while vinyl siding does not.
Another advantage of vinyl siding over wood siding is its durability and resistance to rotting and cracking. Vinyl is made from a synthetic polymer and many studies have shown it to be more durable than wood over time. It is more resistant to fire and does not warp like wood does in the sun or by heat and water. This means that it is more durable and will last longer than wood siding will. Also, it does not rot or warp like other types of vinyl products do.
Vinyl siding also offers some additional features that you may want to consider. If you want your exterior to look as good as possible, adding additional insulation to your home with polyester or fiberglass is a good idea. It is lightweight and impact-resistant and comes in a variety of colors. It is also very durable and does not need painting, staining, or rubberizing as other vinyl products do.
Aluminum siding on the other hand offers a bit more curb appeal and durability. It is lightweight, but also can withstand a great amount of damage and can be painted or stained however you would like. It has no insect resistance, but vinyl does not fade or rot like wood. However, it does offer some UV protection and can hold up to weather better than vinyl. Still, most aluminum products are painted, so you should take this into consideration before purchasing.
When choosing a siding product for your home, you need to consider how you will be using it and the look that you want to achieve. If you are simply replacing an existing siding such as a soffit panel, you should consider what type of siding will look best with it. For example, if your siding currently is not very appealing, you can buy vinyl siding that will cover the entire soffit panel. You can then nail it to the front of your home and then paint or stain it any way that you would like. On the other hand, if you are planning on completely gutting and rebuilding your home, you may want to go with metal siding that does not have any finish on it and simply sit over the steel framing.
If you plan on building a new home for a few years and then want to make sure that it will last, you should purchase vinyl siding that has long-term UV resistance. You will probably want to go with a darker color so that the sun’s rays will not fade it out and cause it to fade. Over time, the color will go from white to gray and back to white again, but it should never lose its color permanently. Also, because vinyl siding is not porous like wood, it will not lose moisture and the color will not fade because of the rain, snow, wind or shine.
