Showing posts with label siding queens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label siding queens. Show all posts

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Metal and Wood Siding

Metal Siding

Aluminum and steel siding systems look similar to horizontal wood siding but don't require as much maintenance. These systems can be applied right over old siding but are easier to apply over solid sheathing.

Steel siding is the most durable in snow country, or in areas of severe cold. Both steel and aluminum siding are more expensive than vinyl siding, but they offer greater energy efficiency than vinyl, which translates into lower heating and cooling costs for years to come. Metal siding can also withstand more heat than vinyl, as in the case of fire.

If your home is sided with aluminum, you may be able to use some vinyl specialty parts. Otherwise, you can get custom-bent aluminum pieces for some architectural features, but these tend to be expensive and not very authentic looking. Sometimes it is necessary to paint aluminum siding just like wood. But, a paint job similar to one used for cars ensures a long life.

Wood Siding

Wood siding is milled in various patterns for both horizontal and vertical application. Wood siding is usually, but not always, applied over solid sheathing and a layer of building paper. Horizontal patterns are nailed through sheathing into studs; vertical patterns generally are nailed to horizontal nailing or furring strips. Horizontal sidings are always applied so that each board overlaps the one below it. In some cases, the edges are milled to interlock, as they are all vertical patterns.

Manufactured in sheet form, wood panel hardboard and plywood sidings are available in a standard width of four feet and standard lengths of eight, nine, and 10 feet. Made in a variety of thickness and patterns, sheet sidings are often applied directly to wall studs, without sheathing.


One benefit to choosing wood siding is that there are many options to choose from today. Some of the more popular choices include wooden lap board, tongue and groove siding, and split log siding, which resembles the interior of a log cabin.

With the many different types of wood siding available, it's easy to create a very unique exterior for your home. And, with proper maintenance wood siding will last you for many years to come.

Disadvantages of wood siding include possible mold growth, wood rot, or pest infestation. Proper maintenance, however, can prevent these

The Cost of Vinyl Siding

There are a lot of reasons that vinyl siding has risen to become one of the most popular materials on the booming home siding market, but perhaps the biggest of these is cost. Vinyl siding cost remains one of the cheapest options in the business, and when you combine that with a siding material that is attractive, durable, and nearly maintenance free, it's easy to see why vinyl siding remains a homeowner favorite.

How much does Vinyl Siding Cost?
As with any building material, the answer to this question is going to vary. Vinyl siding cost is dependent on many factors, including style, quality, thickness, durability, insulative properties, installation, and UV protection. As a ballpark figure, however, quality vinyl siding cost, along with installation, can run anywhere from $2 to $10 per linear foot. You can get cheap vinyl siding prices for as little as $1 per linear foot if you're willing to install it yourself, though keep in mind that this is a bottom tier material, and vinyl siding is worth spending a little extra on for reasons we'll mention in a minute.

Figuring the Vinyl Siding Cost for your Home
We've established that vinyl siding prices run $2 to $10 per linear foot, but what does that mean for your home when it comes to total cost? To figure that out, you'll need to multiply those numbers by the exterior square footage of your home. To get a rough estimate of your exterior square footage, add the length of your home to the width, multiply that by two, and then again by 10. For a 50 foot long home that is 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide that comes to 1,400 exterior square feet you've got to cover ((50+50+20+20)x10=1,400). Do a little more math and you'll find that your vinyl siding prices should run anywhere from $2,800 to $9,800, not including extras and unexpected expenses. As with any major home improvement job, the unexpected is the norm, not the exception. Vinyl siding prices are no different.


Wonderful Vinyl Siding

Because people really like the look of real wood, the vinyl-siding manufacturers discovered long ago that if they took the time to mimic wood, it would make the plastic product more appealing. This is why you see cedar vinyl siding. The patterns of horizontal cedar as well as cedar shingles have been copied for years, and are quite popular products.

Vinyl house siding is appealing to many homeowners. If you live in an urban environment, all you have to do is periodically wash it just like your car to make it look like new. The color in vinyl siding is the same throughout each piece, so even if it gets scratched, you can't tell from a distance. It's fairly immune to denting in warm weather, but hail and other objects can shatter it if the conditions are favorable.

When you start to decide on a vinyl-siding color, take your time. If your house has wood siding on it now, the best way to select a color is to get small cans of paint mixed that match the vinyl siding and it's trim. Remember, you can do a two-tone mixture for your vinyl siding by using complimentary colors for the siding and various trim pieces.

Go ahead and apply the paints you like to smaller areas of your existing house siding, allow it to dry and then step back 50 feet to look at the colors. Look at the colors at different times of day to get the full range of color. Using this inexpensive method, you can make sure you get the perfect color. Who cares that your house looks funny for a few days? After all, the new siding will cover the paint.

If you're thinking of applying home vinyl siding to an existing house, you may want to consider taking existing siding off. Adding vinyl siding on top of wood siding can create issues at doors and windows where they tend to get slightly buried. Taking off the existing siding also allows you to add thicker foam insulation. There are distinct benefits to removing existing siding.

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Right Siding for Your Home!

When you are looking at the options that are available for siding your home - whether you're renovating the property or you are going to be building a new home from the foundation up - there are a number of things that you will want to consider. One of the primary choices that you will need to make when you choose siding for your home involves the type of siding that you will use.

The appearance that you want your home to have, your lifestyle and even the construction of your property will have an impact on the exterior siding that you choose - and the material that the siding is made of. Therefore, when you are looking into the options that are available for siding your home, one thing that you'll want to be sure of is that you understand what siding materials are available.

The most basic siding that you're going to find is made from sheets of PVC plastic. While vinyl siding will not rot, there are some concerns about the impact of PVC plastics on the environment and there are also cases in which vinyl siding cracks, fades or simply stops looking as nice as it did when you installed it. Similar to vinyl sheet siding - if you like the idea of siding with vinyl but don't like the look of the sheets - is vinyl coating. When it's done well, it looks great, but there have been a number of complaints from homeowners whose contractors did not properly mix the polymers and resins before applying them to the home.

Those who are looking for the easy maintenance that comes with vinyl siding who are looking for an alternative to vinyl are going to want to be sure that they are looking into aluminum siding. This option is fireproof and won't crack the way vinyl sometimes does, but the color can fade and the material can dent. Seamless steel siding is also available for those who are looking for something that's tailored to their home; likewise seamless steel siding holds up to temperature changes, is custom fit to your home by a reputable contractor, and comes in a variety of looks and textures.

Of course, other options are available as well. If you are choosing siding for your home and you are looking for a more traditional look, you will also be able to look into stucco siding or synthetic stucco. For those who want to have a home sided with wood, cedar shingle siding is an option - and, for those who are looking for the look of wood who want something more durable as well as those whose areas require them to have fireproof materials, there is cement fiber siding that requires less maintenance but just as much character.

Character is important to most homeowners, but the reality is that there are going to be a number of questions that go far beyond the types of siding available. If you focus on working with a contractor who will be able to explain your options, the benefits and drawbacks of each and who will be able to help you find your best option.

A Real Advantage Construction is your #1 source for all your siding repair and installation needs in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, New York! Choose them for all your siding needs!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Vinyl Siding


As the search for low cost, low maintenance siding continued, the next evolution after aluminum siding was the advent of vinyl siding.

Vinyl siding, like aluminum siding, comes in strips and has perforated holes at the top for fastening into the exterior wall and interlocking flanges top and bottom to seal against weather. A special tool called a zip tool is used to join and separate the siding strips.

Like aluminum siding, vinyl siding also comes in a range of styles including horizontal and vertical panels and a range of prefinished colors. Available in a variety of textures including wood shake/shingle style.

A Real Advantage Construction is your #1 source for all your vinyl siding needs in New York, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens! Their professional craftsmen make sure your house is treated right! Choose A Real Advantage Construction for all your vinyl siding needs!