Vinyl rules in siding, but fiber concrete gaining ground

Along with getting new roofing and replacing windows, residing a house is one of the most significant remodeling projects a homeowner will undertake.

These major projects take extra care from the beginning to ensure that there will not be a major disappointment several years down the road.

Vinyl siding remains the king of the Chicago area market, comprising about 70 percent of local sales. Despite its popularity, vinyl took a long time to catch on here.

“Chicago was the last major market to go to vinyl,” said John Gallagher, owner of Exterior Designs Inc. in Naperville. “For the first 10 to 15 years of my career, all I sold here was steel siding.”

Vinyl siding is the most popular because of its relatively low cost. As Gallagher noted, all siding jobs are expensive in today’s market, with a typical job averaging about $20,000. With such a major expense, it’s important for homeowners to do proper research when selecting a new exterior for their home.

“A lot of factors go into the decision as to what type of siding to choose,” said Don Domanus, production manager for Mega Home Improvement in Algonquin. “Cost is still a major factor.”

Price and easy maintenance makes vinyl the siding of choice for many homeowners looking to update the look of their homes’ original cedar siding.

Cedar is the most expensive treatment and it also must be steadily maintained through regular staining or painting to prevent it from rotting. Yet, some higher-end subdivisions have rules about how houses can be remodeled, often prohibiting vinyl siding.

Enter fiber cement siding.

Developed by James Hardie, an Australian-based home building products company, fiber cement siding was first marketed in the late 1980s, but is only starting to catch on in the remodeling market.

Fiber cement is a composite material made of sand, cement and cellulose fibers. The product’s appearance more accurately mimics that of wood, making it the chosen product for homeowners who want less maintenance, but whose homeowners’ associations prohibit vinyl.

“We’re installing fiber cement siding a lot in subdivisions that don’t allow vinyl siding and in areas where there are a lot of woodpeckers,” Domanus said. Woodpeckers love traditional cedar siding.

Fiber cement resists insect infestation and withstands flames, cold, humidity and hail. It also doesn’t warp the way vinyl siding does.

Another reason why this siding type is beginning to catch on is that vinyl siding has 4-inch laps while fiber cement siding starts at 5 inches and goes up to 8 — which is why it better mimics wooden boards.

A readily apparent drawback, from a consumer’s viewpoint, is that it needs periodic maintenance because the color is baked onto the exterior surface, and the siding must eventually be painted. Maintenance is relatively simple, however, as regular latex exterior paint is recommended.

Another drawback is price. Depending on the size of the project as well as the cost of the product chosen, fiber cement siding can cost 30 to 40 percent more than vinyl siding. Installation requires special diamond tip equipment, which drives up the price. Caulking must also be done around windows, soffit and fascia as well as for any add-on such as shutters or gables that clients may want.

Consumers should be aware that disaster could loom if fiber cement siding is not installed properly. One danger is water. The siding cannot get wet during installation because if it gets on the backing material, it can begin to disintegrate, Gallagher noted.

“You cannot put fiber cement siding down near the ground because it cannot get wet behind the paneling,” Gallagher said. “It must also be hung properly because if it isn’t and water gets in there, the warranty will not apply.”

Another drawback is that it is difficult to repair. With vinyl, when one panel breaks, it can be easily replaced. Because of the way fiber cement is attached, when one panel needs to be replaced, the surrounding panels have to be broken to remove the defective one. The repair must be face-nailed back into place.

Another condition that can arise from fiber cement is a chalky appearance or white sheen, known as efflorescence. This is a chemical process that occurs with all concrete products, but is especially noticeable in colored concrete. It occurs when soluble salts and other water dispersible materials come to the surface. Low temperatures and moisture are catalysts.

Most homeowners, however, are still going to choose vinyl, which has shown some improvements in structure over the past few years. As with anything else, price points are key. Usually the higher the price, the less apt the material will be to warping and tearing after the siding has been on the home for several years.

Where aluminum is rigid, vinyl is not and is particularly prone to deteriorating from sunlight as well as our area’s frequent sudden temperature changes.

The thickness, or gauge of the vinyl, is the key to its durability.

“Cheaper vinyl can be susceptible to the wind blowing them out,” Gallagher said.

Even higher gauge vinyl is able to bend, but better products are reinforced to better withstand cracking. The product is still apt to fade, however, although Gallagher noted that Alside has put titanium dioxide in its high-end vinyl siding to resist sunlight.

Insulated siding is a relatively new product that improves the rigidity of vinyl products. This product is composed of higher gauge vinyl along with rigid foam backing. Because it’s not truly insulating with a number of gaps through which air can pass, it does not qualify for the federal energy tax credit.

Proper installation is also key here, too, as vinyl must be installed to accommodate shifts. Gallagher said vinyl siding panels expand and contract as much as three-quarters of an inch during extreme temperature changes, so installation must accommodate such shifts.

Yet improvements have been made in vinyl, particularly in the product’s appearance. Not only is color selection more diverse, the color goes all the way through the product.

“Unless you’re looking for something like a deep purple-blue, vinyl is available in just about any color including dark reds, blues and greens,” Domanus said. “The manufacturers’ warranties even cover uneven fading.”

What happens if you don’t like vinyl and think fiber cement siding is too expensive? Aluminum is still available, but Gallagher cautions that manufacturers are slowly phasing out the product and you may have trouble getting your installation serviced if you have problem five years into the future.

For the most part, Midwest consumers look for clean and simple lines and standard colors when choosing new siding.

For a fancier look, styles that imitate shakes and scallops are available, but to dress up an exterior, customers often choose add-ons such as imitation shutters, gables, window hoods, crown moldings and decorative posts. These are generally vinyl products that can even be placed on fiber cement siding. As with windows and doors, however, these add-ons must also be caulked to that product.

Soffit and fascia is often done at the same time, with many manufacturers offering coordinating products. While consumers already know it makes sense to do that work at the same time, Gallagher suggested going one step further.

“Replace your windows at the same time because if something goes wrong with the space around the windows and you use different contractors, the window guy will blame the siding guy and the siding guy will blame the window guy,” he said. “Deal with a contractor who does both and you don’t have that problem.”

Like any remodeling job, find the product and the contractor that’s right for you and buy the best product that will fit your budget.

“I’ve seen people that put $60,000 or $80,000 (on the vehicles) in their driveways, but they skimp on their siding,” Gallagher said. “Spending an extra $2,000 or $3,000 for better siding is worth it because of course it looks good on the day it’s installed, but what is it going to look like several years from now?”

Finally, find a reputable local contractor instead of one whose base of business operations is 30 or 40 miles from your home. If you have a problem with a small section of your installation, a local contractor is much more apt to give you prompt service than one who is miles away.