Home Construction_ Siding materials cont.

Siding materials- Applied properly, siding serves the same function as roofing: It protects the home’s shell from the elements. Choose your siding early. Certain materials, most notably vinyl siding and synthetic stucco, have low permeability that requires the application. Of tight vapor barriers on interior walls. Here’s a list of the most common choices for exterior wall finishes, along with some notes regarding important installation practices. 

Proper siding protects the home’s shell from the elements it's the same function as roofing

Wood board siding- galvanized or stainless-steel ring shank nails will hold wood siding to sheathing better than ordinary fasteners. Your builder can prevent splitting by pre-drilling all nails’ holes located near the end of boards. At corners, lengths of siding should meet with tight mitered seams. Coating the end of each board with water repellent prior to nailing provides some added rot resistance.

       When installed over foam backboards, vinyl siding looks crisp and is highly energy efficient.                                                                               

Wood shingles and shakes- One of the most traditional siding forms, wood shingles can be installed directly over sheathing or atop horizontal battens. In either case, look for level baselines and corners that are woven with alternating edge overlaps. All corner seams need careful caulking.                                                                                         

Vinyl- This low maintenance siding offers another advantage it is generally the lowest cost material among all the options. The surface color runs through the full thickness of vinyl siding, so it stays looking new throughout its service life. When installed over foam backboards, vinyl siding looks crisp and is highly energy efficient.

Aluminum shakes- Panelized aluminum shake lookalikes attach directly to sheathing or batten. Watch corners, intersections and flashing around doors and windows.   

 EIFS- A multi-step stucco like coating, exterior insulation and finish system provides an energy efficient wall finish for new homes. To prevent damaging moisture infiltration, all windows and features must be flashed carefully. Some builders argue that EIFs should never be applied over oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing; instead, they recommend installing exterior grade plywood.       

The ventilation factor- Research has shown that a properly ventilated rood not only reduces a home’s energy bills, but also prolongs the life of shingles by reducing heat buildup in the attic. It also prevents damage from ice dams and reduces moisture accumulation under roof decking.                                                                                                Poor roof venting can also affect siding.

A roof with serious moisture problems often leaks into wall cavities, where moisture becomes trapped behind the vinyl or EIFS siding; it can cause structural rot and render insulation ineffective. Th simplest and perhaps most effective roof ventilation system includes a continues soffit vent (below the roof’s eaves), and a continuous ridge vent along the peak of a roof. But whichever approach you choose, make sure it’s adequate for the roof and exterior wall finish system you’ve chosen.