Wood siding: metal and vinyl - their advantages and features

Types of wood siding

A house made of wood has long been considered a traditional Russian structure. That’s why even owners of brick or block buildings try to give their construction a more traditional look.

It is important to note that the owners of a wooden house will one day have to think about updating the appearance of the structure. Masking panels are used for this purpose.

Any house can be covered with high-quality wood siding. This will give the building an aesthetic appearance, but at the same time it will be possible to get rid of some of the disadvantages of natural materials, for example, rotting. Currently, wood siding is available in several varieties:

1. Metal.
2. Vinyl.

Outwardly, they are practically no different from real wood, but in many respects they are superior to their natural counterpart.

From the outside it may seem that the house is built from ordinary wood Source hu.decorexpro.com

All sidings have one common characteristic - they are very easy to maintain. But, since the two types of coating in question also have non-identical characteristics, each should be studied in more detail. And based on the data obtained, it will be much easier for the user to select panels for a specific case.

Vinyl siding

When examining vinyl siding in a store, you will notice a cylindrical outer surface that closely resembles a regular log. Using this type of panel, the user has the opportunity to create an image of his home that will look like it is made of chopped wood. Moreover, this design will completely protect the house from various weather conditions, taking the impact on itself.

The main advantages of vinyl siding:

• The material will not rot or change appearance throughout its entire service life (minimum 15 years), and therefore there is no need to spend additional money on regular surface treatment;

The vinyl panel will not take on the appearance of rotten wood Source pic2.me

• Wood siding for the exterior of a house is flame retardant . If a wooden house can catch fire if a fire is not carefully lit near the structure, then the protective properties of the panel will protect against this;
• Good resistance to mechanical damage . Wood, even one coated with varnish, is quite easy to spoil - just a careless movement with a metal object and a piece will definitely chip. It takes more force to damage the panel;
• Siding can be used at temperatures from -50 to +60 degrees Celsius. This indicates that the material is suitable for installation in almost any climatic zone;
• The appearance is almost indistinguishable from real wood . Manufacturers reproduce not only the texture, but also the different shades of natural logs. And from this comes another important advantage - a wide range of products;

A wide range will please any customer Source mkf54.ru

• Traditional wood gradually fades when exposed to sunlight, but siding is protected from this. The appearance will not change much throughout the entire service life ;
• Installation of the material is as simple as possible , and therefore there is no need to spend additional money on complex installation and preparatory work;
• After installation, there is no need to monitor the siding or periodically treat it with various materials for protection . Manufacturers produce high-quality panels that are already fully protected from almost all types of external influences;

You can forget about regularly treating wood with varnish Source ikirov.ru

• PVC is used for the manufacture of products. The result is a two-layer material, the first part of which is decorative. And the second has high strength to maintain shape and protect from various harmful influences.

It is important to know that all of the above properties of materials can be obtained only if virgin vinyl powder is used in production. You should find out about this in advance from a consultant in stores and study the documentation. But, if recycled raw materials are used in production, the characteristics will be greatly reduced. The material will not have the qualities that consumers value so much.

Also, before purchasing, be sure to examine the inside and front sides of the siding. If they are very different from each other, then this is a clear sign of recycled materials. Such material will not last long and will soon have to be replaced.

If we talk about the disadvantages, then it is worth mentioning an important nuance - the walls should be as equal as possible before installing the panels. Otherwise, the material will take the wrong shape.

When installing, you need to take into account some nuances Source remontik.org

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in facade materials.

Flaws:

• If one panel is damaged, it is difficult to replace with a new one. Complete dismantling will be required .
• If workers do not leave gaps between the parts, then under the influence of high temperatures, the material will expand and the appearance will deteriorate.
• You need to hire a construction crew within a certain period. In extreme heat or cold, you should not install panels .

Metal siding

Wood-look metal siding is a convenient and modern material for cladding any buildings. If we consider the material from a structural point of view, it is galvanized steel with a special polymer coating.

Main advantages of the material:

• Compared to vinyl siding, metal siding will last longer . More durable materials are used for manufacturing. This is the reason for increasing the service life;

Example of a metal panel Source interyer.com.ua

• All dirt can be easily removed with water from under a hose.;
• The weight of one panel is approximately 4 kg. This means that there will be no problems with transportation and installation work ;
• Buyers can find a wide range of products with different appearances. Manufacturers produce siding in various shades. When compared with a vinyl panel, the metal sample greatly benefits in this parameter. And also, if you wish, you can agree on an individual order in the store, and then the color will be carried out according to the personal preferences of the buyer. It is not possible to negotiate a similar service when purchasing wood-look vinyl siding;
• An undoubted advantage is also ease of installation . But there is a nuance - you will have to spend extra money on the “filling”. It will be necessary to install a frame so that the panels will last for many years;

We need a frame for high-quality fasteners Source budportal.com.ua

DIY installation

Installing wood siding is not difficult, you can do it yourself.

When installing it yourself, you must be careful and follow the following rules:

• installation is carried out at any time of the year. Low temperatures (below -10°C) require special technology.
• the insulation is created in this order: first they lay out a vapor barrier, then prepare the sheathing, then create thermal and waterproofing.
• the panels are secured with galvanized nails to prevent the wood from rotting.
• the fastening should not be rigid. The panels are connected in special places. When temperatures change, they “walk.” Rigid fastening may damage the panels.
• Between the guides and the main strips a gap of about 10 mm is left for ventilation and so that the siding does not deform.

For cladding a house, two installation methods are used: horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal finishing

With the horizontal method of finishing log siding, the following algorithm of actions is observed:

1. Create a sheathing. A waterproofing layer is first laid on the wooden surface of the base. Next, the frame is installed. They are attached to walls made of concrete and brick using hangers and dowels.
2. The sheathing posts are placed vertically, the lintels are directed horizontally, and a metal profile is used. The wooden beams are thoroughly treated with antiseptic agents and fire retardants.
3. To insulate the house, a thermal insulation layer is laid between the frame posts. A vapor-permeable membrane is laid on top of it.
4. At a distance of 5-10 cm from the ground, pull the cord and draw a line. The line is the beginning of laying the panels. If there is a dedicated base, install an ebb.
5. First of all, place the starting rail. The panels are fixed using self-tapping screws, from top to bottom or vice versa. In order not to spoil the appearance, the fasteners are not screwed in, but placed on the protruding part of the lock. To avoid damaging the material, use clamps when fastening.
6. Platbands are installed around window openings. All elements are installed loosely to compensate for possible expansion due to temperature changes.
7. Overlays are used for joints of parts. In the corners, the joints are covered with an overlay or cut at the required angle.

Important! After installation is completed, the wooden siding coating is treated with varnish, a protective decorative agent.

Vertical mount

This type of fastening differs from horizontal in the following ways:

• to make a frame, the racks are placed horizontally;
• First of all, profiles are installed at the top and bottom.
• For this method, false timber is more suitable.

To mount panels vertically, create a horizontal sheathing.

Wood siding installation work is best done in good weather. The building, lined with wooden siding, has a beautiful appearance and attracts with a pleasant aroma. Despite some disadvantages of wooden panels, annual treatment with special protective agents will allow them to last for a long time. From a wide variety, it is easy to choose both budget panel options and luxury varieties.

Price and color of vinyl siding

Vinyl siding can be purchased in hardware stores in almost any shade: from a soft palette of light colors to rich red or dark brown shades. But it is important to know that the cheapest varieties are not fully colored, that is, they are not processed over the entire thickness of the panel.

Russian manufacturers usually produce sidings in lighter shades, since dark colors will be much more expensive during production, and the price of the product will accordingly increase. Foreign brands also produce darker samples.

As with metal siding, the shape of the panel can resemble a raised and convex beam or shiplap.

Panel shapes can be different Source stroymarket67.ru

As for the price for wood-look vinyl siding, the cost for one panel is approximately 250 rubles.

What to choose: metal or vinyl

The manufacturer sells metal siding with brighter shades compared to the second type. A steel panel is better resistant to fire and other mechanical impacts. Such materials will also last much longer than vinyl samples. It is possible to cut metal siding to the size of a specific facade. But when it comes to price, vinyl siding is cheaper. This is a very important indicator for many people, and therefore technical characteristics are compensated by the purchase price. But in this case, it is advisable to purchase higher quality vinyl materials, since they have better geometry, as well as a larger set of components.

High-quality vinyl has an attractive appearance Source m.2gis.ru

To install metal siding, you must additionally purchase steel sheathing, while vinyl is suitable for installation directly on wooden blocks. Thus, with the help of vinyl siding, you can save money on installation. For this reason, vinyl samples are most often purchased for furnishing a country house or for a small cottage. But if you need to repair an industrial or administrative building, then the preferable option is with metal, which will be installed on a reliable substructure.

Material selection: what to look for

Knowing what features each type of siding has, you can set priorities. Before choosing siding for a wooden house, you need to remember that:

• Vinyl siding has a significant coefficient of expansion and is sensitive to sudden temperature changes. To prevent it from bursting due to frost, installation must be done professionally.
• Wood siding is the least durable and, even with proper care, will last less than others.
• Metal siding can rust; After an impact, a dent remains on the surface.

An extraordinary choice - vertical (acrylic) siding Source skit-ural.ru
When choosing, they also pay attention to:

• Placement of the house. For a building located in the shade, vinyl siding is sufficient; if the home is constantly in the sun, you should think about acrylic.
• Quality of facade material (confirmed by a certificate). High-quality panels have the same thickness and structure, through-painting and uniform color, one-size mounting holes that do not crack when slightly bent. If the size of the siding for cladding a house in a batch is different, problems with installation are inevitable.
• Manufacturer. The market has a wide range of products from not only domestic, but also Polish, Turkish, Canadian and other manufacturers. Theoretically, you can use panels from different companies if they are the same size, but no one can guarantee, for example, that such panels will fade equally in the sun. So, at a minimum, the attractiveness of such cladding is in question.
• The quality of the walls of the house. Uneven walls can be covered with any type of siding, the main thing is to build the sheathing correctly.
• Color. It determines not only the type of material, but also its cost. More saturated color means more pigment and greater resistance to fading.

Bright siding emphasizes the architectural features of the project Source ms.decoratex.biz