Design trends drive denrand for vinyl siding and trim

By Drew C. Brandl CertainTeed Coro.

fiVER the past 50 years, vinyl sid\-fins and trim have become the leading-choice for residential projects. Now, three major building and design trends-GreenBuilding, New Urbanism, and Aging in Place-are further driving demand for these durable and low-maintenance products.

The "green" movement has produced one of the most influential building and design trends in American history, and it will only continue to grow in importance. Sustainable building and design has completely changed the way that the building industry and its customers look at construction and renovation. As an outgrowth of this, the demand has gone up for building products that are longlasting, are made with recycled con- tent and those that can be recycled once their life cycle is finished. Vinyl siding and trim meet many of the requirements defined by this movement. According to a recent study by Sustainable Solutions Corp., vinyl emits much lower levels of carbon dioxide over its lifetime than other common siding materials, making vinyl a better ma terial choice for the environment. Plus, properly installed vinyl and polymer siding create an efficient building envelope that does not conduct heat or cold. Insulated vinyl siding products such as CertainTeed CedarBoards contribute to a home's energy efficiency by increasing the Rvalue of the building envelope, which reduces energy consumption and relat- ed carbon dioxide emissions. It also contributes to Energy Star certification for new homes.

INSULATED vinyl siding products such as CertainTeed CedarBoards contribute to a home's energy efficiency by increasing the R-value of the building envelope, which reduces energy consumption and related carbon dioxide emissions.

Vinyl siding is also low-maintenance, eliminating the need for painting and caulking, and it is made using up to 807o post-consumer and industrial recycled content, requiring minimal raw materials, energy, and water to produce. Vinyl products can also be recycled at the end of their life cycle and all scrap from manufacturing is reintroduced into the manufacturing process, eliminating waste. These factors make vinyl siding a sustainable, environmentally friendly product.

New Urbanism is based on principles of planning and architecture that work together to create human-scale, walkable communities, much like those found in American cities before World War IL The idea is to revitalize old urban neighborhoods with remodeled housing and shopping, work and entertainment, all within walking distance.

Vinyl siding and trim are valued by the New Urbanism movement for its design flexibility, one of the material's biggest advantages. Vinyl can be shaped and formed to emulate classic wood siding profiles, such as clapboard, dutchlap, beaded, and board and batten panels, as well as and cedar shakes and shingles. And it comes in an ever-increasing variety of colors.

Using colored vinyl eliminates the need for painting, and the increased selection of colors available on today's market allows for endless combinations and variations throughout residential communities. Vinyl siding's wide variety of classic profiles and accessories allows builders to renovate older homes with exterior cladding that emulates siding of the original era. Additionally, today's insulated vinyl siding can provide these homes with added weather resistance and energy efficiency over traditional wood siding.

BESTORATION Millwork is manulactured from cellular PVC so there are no worries about rotting, warping, moisture, or insects.

Finally, the option of polymer shake and shingle sidings and decorative trims gives New Urbanist builders increased flexibility to produce more elaborate architectural designs such as Victorian or Craftsman, where rich shape or texture is a prominent feature. Add low-maintenance and affordability, and you have a true winning choice.

The Aging in Place design movement addresses the growing number of active healthy retirees across the nation who prefer living out the rest of their lives in their family home rather than moving to a retirement home. The movement provides solutions for renovating homes to make them more accessible and mobility easier, without sacrificing aesthetics. Vinyl siding, trim, railing, decking and fencing products are all a big advantage here, as they are low-maintenance and will not rot, warp, crack or split, as wood does over time. With vinyl siding, homeowners can realize significant savings in maintenance costs.

According to industry estimates. maintenance costs can add up to approximately $170 per month on a 2,500-sq. ft. home. There's always the do-it-yourself approach, but most homeowners would prefer not to deal with the time-consuming repainting or repairing of siding every few yearsespecially after retirement. Vinyl siding allows them to avoid much of this. All that vinyl requires is an annual cleaning with a garden hose and soap. This leaves more time for other, more enjoyable activities and significantly cuts maintenance costs.

All these factors add up to continuing demand for vinyl siding and trim products. After years of refinement by manufacturers, vinyl sidings and trim products are excellent substitutes for wood. These products also complement other siding materials, such as stucco, fiber cement, and brick. Aesthetics. low maintenance. superior perlormance. and competitive costvinyl siding and trim has it all.

- Drew C. Brcndt is the director of marketing-new product development for CertainTeed's siding products group. He can be reached at (610) 341-7833 or drew .c .brandt@ saint-pobain.com

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