Six Ways To Enhance The Great Outdoors

IDEAS FOR BUILDERS & RENOVATORS

BY TED McINTYRE

SUMMERTIME EXTERIORS go a long way past curb appeal. From landscaping to siding to backyard stonework, it’s about enjoying both the aesthetic and physical features for homeowners.

And it’s about doing so with as little maintenance as possible—which is what’s helping propel a dream season for Al-Mar Vinyl and Aluminum Products.

“Sales are up 600 percent!” says James Marsden, Outside Sales Representative with Al-Mar. The prime driver? Wolf Serenity Decking.

“It’s selling extremely well in the GTA,” Marsden says. “What’s pulling people in is the fact that you’re not sacrificing that great variegated-wood look by going with a product that can handle the UV and the moisture. It has some of nicest colours of any PVC decking on the market, with a Tropical Hardwood line and two solid colours in the Seaside collection (grey and light brown).

“And then there are the safety features,” Marsden says. “It has great traction, no splinters and there’s no chemicals from stains that you’d use on your wood decks.”

Another feature unique to Wolf Serenity Decking is that it is embossed on both sides of the deck board. “That means that from a design point of view, you can use the same product as your deck surface for features like privacy screens and garden boxes. And it’s also great for contractors, because if they happen to damage the surface, they can simply flip the board over!”

The lingering issues of lumber supplies are only supporting Al-Mar’s cause. “The gap between wood and low-maintenance fencing and decking is closing,” Marsden says. “There used to be 40% gap between wood and installed PVC fencing, but now a six-foot white PVC fence is generally the same material cost as a pressuretreated fence. Not to mention the fact that contractors might have to go to three lumberyards to pick up the product for that wood fence. And a lot of lumber stores aren’t honouring pricing for very long.”

Difficulty in acquiring wood products and the lowering cost of PVC fencing are making the latter more attractive than ever.

Wolf's double-sided embossing means contractors can simply flip damanged boards. (Sand Castle is pictured above)

Arriscraft’s Fresco Building Stone lends a fetching look and texture to outdoor kitchens

In Wolf’s case, there’s also the warranty to consider. “Wolf not only has a 50-year warranty, but if you install with a certified pro who is both Wolf and Al-Mar-trained, the homeowner gets a five-year labour warranty on that deck,” notes Marsden, who is also high on Al-Mar’s new horizontal pickets in its PVC fencing.

“It’s trending with a lot of landscape and home designs. I’m really excited about it.”

DINING AL FRESCO

With homeowners spending more time and money than ever on that outdoor environment—even as the pandemic subsides—the attraction of including an al fresco dining experience has also increased. Which makes Arriscraft’s Fresco Building Stone a perfect dinner companion. Pre-blended in three sizes for a traditional bond pattern installation and featuring six warm colours, the new product provides an idyllic backdrop for outdoor entertaining. For new construction, homebuyers can utilize full-bed Fresco at the back of their home for their dreamy outdoor kitchen. But it is also available as a thin adhered stone, which is perfect for renovations or upgrades.

A SIDE OF THIS AND A SIDE OF THAT

Warming up the exterior of the home is Gentek’s new Align Composite Cladding System. Touting the architectural beauty of real wood with easier installation and better overall value for remodellers, builders and homeowners, Align promises one of the lowest total installed costs of cladding without sacrificing curb appeal. The system features impressive style, with a 7” flat face exposure and authentic cedar mill grain texture. It also boasts heightened structural strength that meets or exceeds industry test standards for windload, workability, flame spread/ smoke development, weatherability and termite resistance.

Gentek’s Align Composite Cladding System pairs easy installation with a wood-like finish.

Its self-aligning stack lock provides quicker, easier installation than fibre cement and engineered wood, while requiring fewer labourers to get the job done.

Align is backed by a lifetime limited warranty, is virtually maintenancefree and offers compatible trim, windows and accessories. It’s also available in a curated palette of 20 fade-resistant colours, eliminating the cost and need for repainting in the future.

Royal Building Products is also catching the eye of passers-by with several additions to its modern-looking Cedar Renditions aluminum siding. Backed by a 25-year prorated limited warranty, the 100% recyclable line features the charming look of woodgrain siding, a seamless overlapping notch to achieve longer length and easy installation with its drop-in interlock system. It’s additionally moisture-proof, non-flammable and virtually maintenance free, with a PVDF top coat that repels dirt buildup and stains.

The expansion of Royal Building Product's durable Cedar Renditions line of aluminum siding.

Royal Building Products' durable Cedar Renditions line of aluminum siding includes a new soffit

Also new for 2021 is Royal’s Cedar Renditions 8” siding profile, offering builders added flexibility and less waste when combined with 6” and 4” siding profiles. The new 8” profile, as well as a new 6” Cedar Renditions Soffit, is offered in premium, traditional and solid colours in the Canadian market, including the new Aluzinc colour— an industrial modern metallic grey.

UP ON THE ROOF

Overhead, BP Canada’s MontBlanc hip and ridge shingles add the perfect accent. Available in a 12-colour palette designed to match BP’s most popular laminated shingles, the Mont-Blanc is prescored, meaning that you don’t need a knife to cut it. That both reduces the risk of injury and guarantees perfect, evenly sized tabs every time.

Mont-Blanc’s hip and ridge shingles feature a time-saving design for installers.

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Mont-Blanc's hip and ridge shingles

Its EZ Fold design, meanwhile, allows installers to simply fold the shingle onto itself for a layered application. That’s a double timesaver since the tabs don’t need to be separated first and since the layers automatically line up perfectly.

Homeowners can choose from one-, two- or three-layer applications, enabling the design to be as traditional or as bold as desired.