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Siding Choices – Get Creative!

As technology changes, new innovations in home improvement products are born. Such is the case with siding for your home. In this article, we will explore the history of siding, and how you and your siding contractor can get creative with today’s siding choices.

The History of Siding

When settlers came to America in the 1600’s, homes were constructed primarily from wood. After all, wood was plentiful, and conserving natural resources was not a priority. Logs were cut and used in conjunction with mud and clay to construct what we now call log cabins. From the 1600’s to the mid 1900’s, homes were mainly constructed from wood, stone, and brick.

In the early 1900’s, a new product to protect homes from the elements was invented – asbestos cement siding. Manufacturers combined asbestos fibers with cement to form a highly durable and fire-resistant siding shingle. From the 1940’s through the 1960’s, in addition to wood, brick and stone, asbestos cement siding was the most recommended siding choice. Also in the 1940’s, a brand new home exterior option was invented. In 1947, Jerome Kaufman had the idea to create home exteriors using the same technology used to build plane exteriors during World War II. His invention would be named aluminum siding. He and a group of colleagues formed Alside Siding, which grew to be the largest producer of aluminum siding in the U.S.

By the 1960’s, siding manufacturers were looking for siding alternatives. Aluminum siding, while offering homeowners pre-painted, low maintenance options, was prone to dents, dings, and scratches. And so, vinyl siding was born. As opposed to being painted, vinyl siding’s color is within the vinyl compound itself, thus never requiring painting. Vinyl siding is also more flexible, and will not dent as easily as aluminum. While still in production, aluminum siding has since taken a backseat to vinyl.

In the mid 1980’s, a brand new option hit the U.S. market – fiber cement siding. James Hardie, Inc., an Australian company, brought fiber cement siding to America, where it quickly became known for its rich, wood-like appearance and lasting durability. Although other manufacturers produce fiber cement siding, James Hardie is so widely known for the product that contractors often refer to all brands of fiber cement siding as “Hardieboard.”

Getting Creative with Siding Choices

Source: CertainTeed

While the most common type and installment of vinyl siding is horizontal, which comes in sheets up to 8-feet in length, there are many other options. CertainTeed, for instance, not only offers tradition horizontal vinyl siding, but vertical vinyl siding, and composite siding that has the look of real cedar shake and shingles.

To create a truly unique look, contractors and homeowners are combining different siding types and colors on different sections of a home. For example, using vertical siding for the garage area, composite shake for the upper portion of the home, and classic horizontal siding for the main area provides a one-of-a-kind look.

Source: CertainTeed

If you would like to explore more siding options, color choices, and learn more about the siding, roofing, and other products that CertainTeed has to offer, you’re in luck! In this helpful (and gorgeous!) product brochure, you will learn all about how the right siding choices can make a huge difference in the look of your home. Click on the image on the right to download the brochure.

Click brochure image above to download

Need Help Choose Siding?

Choosing the right siding for your home may seem daunting, but we are here to help! The siding professionals at S&K Roofing, Siding and Windows can visit your home, and consult with you to create a siding plan that will give your home a brand new look. To explore CertainTeed siding choices online, visit https://www.certainteed.com/siding/ To schedule a free, no-obligation siding estimate for your home in Maryland or Virginia, call us at 866-836-7663, or click here to request an estimate online.

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