Why Vinyl Siding?
Did You Know Vinyl Siding is No. 1?
The secret is out! Vinyl siding is the No. 1 choice of exterior cladding across Canada and the United States. Creating the distinctive beauty of a freshly painted wood finish, vinyl siding is loved for its classic appearance, exceptional durability, easy upkeep and great value. It’s also friendlier to the environment than many other siding products, making it an excellent choice today and for generations to come.
Vinyl Siding vs. Fiber Cement - Get the Facts
When choosing the best exterior cladding for your home, it’s important to understand the facts. Unfortunately, vinyl siding has been the target of misleading information and criticism from competing products, such as fiber cement. When you compare the products side by side, you’ll see why vinyl siding has earned its place on more than eight million single-family homes in the past two decades alone.
| Vinyl Siding | Fiber Cement | |
|---|---|---|
| Beauty | Solid Colour throughout the panel - won't chip, flake or peel and never needs to be painted | Made of cellulose and cement; if not prefinished it must primed, painted and caulked. |
| Beauty | Solid Colour throughout the panel - won't chip, flake or peel and never needs to be painted | Made of cellulose and cement; if not prefinished it must primed, painted and caulked. |
| Maintenance | Simply rinse with a garden hose to remove most airborne dust and dirt. | requires caulking to seal seams; may require repainting to maintain appearance. |
| Durability | Highly durable; stands up strong to almost any weather. Meets or exceeds ASTM standards for windload, impact resistance, appearance and more. | Absorptive - must be handled properly from the very start to avoid cracks and chips during shipping, delivery and installation; can be susceptible to delaminating in freeze/thaw conditions. |
| Installation Ease | Easy to install; creates a neat, uniform finish and works beautifully with decorative sidings such as faux shakes, scallops, stone and brick. | Labor intensive; precise cutting is required for a professional finish. Installers must wear a dust mask or respirator to avoid inhaling silica dust. |
| Prevents Mold or Mildew | Nail hem and locking system create a tight, secure installation, while weep holes allow moisture to escape to prevent mold and mildew. | Panels are installed tightly to the boxing beneath which can trap moisture. Fiber cement is absorptive, creating the potential for moisture penetration that can lead to rot, mold and/or poor indoor air quality. |
| Colour Quality Assurance | Nearly 350 colours have been certified to meet or exceed industry performance test standards for colour retention. | Prefinished colour options are offered at a higher cost and a limited range of choices. Colour retention is not evaluated by independent labs. |
| Eco-Friendly | Vinyl siding and insulated vinyl siding outperform fiber cement with lower overall environmental impact.1 Vinyl scrap can be recycled. | Requires more energy and water to manufacture than vinyl siding. Some fiber cement manufacturers send production scrap to landfills. |
| Trim and Accessories | Extensive selection of trim and decorative accessories for doors, windows, rooflines and more. | Fewer fiber cement trim products are offered. |
| Warranties | Gentek vinyl siding is backed by a lifetime limited, non-prorated, transferable warranty with hail protection and lifetime fade coverage. See printed warranties for details. | Warranties range from 30-50 years; 15-year limited finish warranty may apply to prefinished products; many warranties are prorated after the first year. |
Learn More
Click on the link below to see a side-by-side comparison from the Vinyl Siding Institute, including facts verified by the U.S. Census Bureau and independent research labs and incorporating methodology used by the National Institute of Standards Testing.
Comparison information sourced from the Vinyl Siding Institute, including facts verified by the U.S. Census Bureau and independent research labs and incorporating methodology used by the National Institute of Standards Testing.