What is Vinyl Cladding?
Vinyl cladding may not be a familiar term to homeowners. It is merely another name for vinyl siding and goes a bit further in explaining how siding is made. Siding is not merely made from one material. Several different materials and chemicals go into creating a home’s vinyl exterior. Cladding is a term used to delicate any material created by overlaying or combining one substance with another. Vinyl siding is created by taking a base of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and combining it with other materials and chemicals. PVC alone would not be durable enough to use on a home’s exterior. Combining this material with others creates a stronger and longer-lasting vinyl siding.
Types
Various types of vinyl materials are available on the market. Which a homeowner chooses depends on a number of issues including insulation needs, ease of application, durability, aesthetics, and cost. Homes in a colder environment require a different type of siding than a home in a humid and hot area. The main variates of siding include beaded siding, straight wood grain, cedar perfections, dutch lap, hand split shake, and half round. Cedar perfections, hand split and cedar perfections offer a different look to vinyl siding. It resembles an overlay wood effect, with half round siding providing a unique rounded edge to each overlay piece. For homeowners preferring a hand cut wood effect to their siding, dutch lap and straight wood provide a great choice. For the simplest design, beaded is a great choice. This type comes as one piece with a simple beading design at the base of the board. Other varieties used less frequently on homes include shingle, scallop, cabin board, and board batten vinyl siding. Siding also comes in insulated varieties for colder climates. Most cladding of this type is horizontal, but vertical is also an option.
Benefits
Benefits abound for homeowners wanting vinyl siding. Siding offers a less expensive update to a home, increasing its value. Siding provides for economical home maintenance. There is no need to paint siding as a yearly pressure washing returns siding to its just bought look. Vinyl is also weatherproof, holding up to harsh weather extremes, making it a great siding option for homeowners in both colder, temperate, and hot climates. One of the greatest benefits proves to be the durability of vinyl siding choices. The siding lasts longer, saving homeowners the expense of repeated replacements and upkeep.
For the best vinyl cladding, contact a local vinyl siding dealer who will help choice the best siding options. Shop around to find the most reliable dealer and compare prices before buying. You can use our Siding Calculator tool to find a range of estimates of vinyl siding for your type of home.