subject: Vinyl Siding Products: Don't Get Overwhelmed With The Choices [print this page] Since coming on to the market in the early 1960s, vinyl siding has grown into a booming business.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, twice as many homeowners clad their homes with vinyl siding than with any other material, making the vinyl siding industry a $12.4 billion business. There are thirty-five different companies selling siding products in the U.S. today, producing about 2,000 different products each!
As a result, there is a broad range of colors and styles available in vinyl siding. In addition to horizontal and vertical panels, you can get vinyl siding in shakes, scallops, shingles and fish scales. There is traditional lap as well as Dutch lap. Designers are using vinyl siding in many different architectural styles, from Cape Cod and Craftsman to Queen Anne and Italianate. Many historic buildings are being restored with vinyl siding designed to replicate clapboard, board and batten and other styles from American history. In fact, a fast growing product is log cabin vinyl siding, which is a testament to advances in vinyl siding realistic look.
How to Choose Vinyl Siding with So Many Options Available
With all these choices, shoppers may find it difficult to find just the right product for their home. Here are a couple of tips for narrowing down your search:
Sort through the various products that have been certified by ASTM International. ASTM, previously known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is a voluntary standards development organization. Its Web site provides a sortable database of vinyl siding products, brands and manufacturers, and provides links to many of the vinyl siding companies' Web sites.
Visit company Web sites. Many manufacturers have extensive Web sites showing what colors and styles they offer. Some Web sites include photos of typical home styles and by clicking on different products, you can see what each style of vinyl siding looks like on that particular house.
Prices will vary according to color, style and other features, such as thickness, insulation, and how much trim you need or whether you're installing soffits. Pick more than one brand and style, and then visit a local distributor to examine the different products first hand. Most installers will offer a free vinyl siding consultation.
by: QW HON
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