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installing siding in calgary

What’s Best: Cedar or Fiber Siding?

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There’s a certain charm about natural wood no artificial material could ever replace. However, even the hardest wood starts deteriorating the moment a tree or branch dies. Choosing cedar or fibre siding is an important choice. Trees are also friends, because earth’s bounty is here for us to enjoy.

Today we ask which is better: fibre cement or wooden siding and we discover there are pros and cons to each. Both cedar and fibre cement are popular in Canada and there are good reasons why.

Cedar or Fiber Siding: Things You Should Know

Cedar siding has a long history and has embedded deeply in our culture. Canadian households often choose it over other timber for their clapboard and shingle finishes in traditional and modern styles. That’s because it is durable when properly looked after, and can be customised to create fresh effects.

However, installing wood siding skillfully is something of an art. That’s because the planks have varying tones, grains and density of knots that must be evenly distributed to create a truly flowing effect. It takes years for a cedar installer to master those details. Hence the installation cost is relatively high.

Moreover, cedar siding requires regular maintenance to keep rot and insects at bay. This means annual inspections and regular re-coating with preservative wood seal. Finally, dry timber is highly flammable and flames can spread from neighbouring properties. However, there are more aspects to consider when choosing cedar or fibre siding.

About Fibre Siding: Things You Should Know

There is nothing to compare with cedar siding’s vibrant effect. However, fibre cement is available with grained effects that look remarkably similar to painted timber from a distance. Thus it is far more than an industrial product nowadays. Many folk in Vancouver hardly notice the difference.

Furthermore, cement siding is virtually maintenance-free as it resists insects, fungus and the rays of the sun. A power washer is all a homeowner needs to bring back the sparkle. But there’s a catch, as there usually is. Cement siding is brittle and a hard knock from a ball can break it.

Speak to SilverLine Exterior Solutions for More Advice

We supply vinyl and hardie fibre siding in all areas of Vancouver where we have a solid reputation for quality and service. Choosing cedar or fibre siding for your home is an important decision you may live with for decades.

Hence we invite you to take time out and call our consultants who will visit your home and provide objective advice. And if your choice is fibre or vinyl we will be delighted to quote.

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choosing vinyl siding in calgary

Choosing Vinyl Siding What to Consider

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Vinyl siding has become an attractive alternative to other materials for those who prefer the glossy finish. Moreover, it goes up cheaper and faster than aluminum, and fibre cement materials such as Hardie boards. However, there is more to choosing vinyl siding that just installation price.

It may be the most popular exterior cladding for residential construction in the United States and Canada. However, some baggage comes with it and we detail the pros and cons here. The choice of material rests with you, although we would be delighted if you choose us as your siding contractor.

Good Reasons for Choosing Vinyl Siding for Your Home

There’s no doubt that choosing vinyl siding makes good sense in terms of durability, versatility, and ease of maintenance. Moreover, the product comes with a partial fastening and locking system with nails to attach it to the underlying support.

These clips also hold successive strips together allowing the installation to expand and contract as the ambient temperature changes. However, there are several other aspects to this ingenious system you may need to consider too.

Other Considerations that May Affect Your Decision

Vinyl siding is a thin-profile polyvinyl product meaning it is combustible. The National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland observed fire spreading between adjacent buildings six feet apart within five minutes. Moreover, the fumes are toxic and this may affect the survival of people inside the building.

However, with this exception vinyl siding is virtually indestructible, and less than 1% of it recycles according to Greenpeace International. Many recycling depots are unable to accept it, and those that do often burn it adding to carbon dioxide emissions. Although its durability ensures this would take a long time to happen.

However, vinyl siding could start hinting for replacement long before it reaches its 20 to 30 year design lifespan. In hindsight, choosing vinyl siding may seem the wrong decision as the colour fades and the boards take on dirt. Unfortunately, you can’t paint it because the coat will crack and peal. Therefore you have to live with your choice, or replace it.

The fading appearance might in turn affect the perceived value of your home from a buyer’s perspective, although this does not affect you if you are there for the long haul. Therefore choosing Vinyl siding over Hardie siding is not a simple decision, because there are pros and cons to both options.

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weather barrier

Why Weather Barriers Matter so Much

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Construction is not an exact science because the materials the industry uses are not precision quality. Weather barriers are essential because the the best brick wall admits moisture unless it is properly sealed.

Despite this, there is no 100% guarantee it will be totally impermeable. Moreover, as long as siding covers it, it is effectively impossible to inspect. Siding does not have a lifetime either.

It may be completely waterproof at first when correctly installed. However, the sealing on the corners, edges and joints does eventually dry and crack. A piece of debris flying in the wind could crack the actual siding too.

The Logic behind Weather Barriers

One possible workaround would be to inspect the siding regularly. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t bother on account of the cost of reaching the high points. Therefore some moisture eventually penetrates past the siding during rainstorms.

This moisture could eventually enter the inner wall if left unattended, and cause a damp smell and mold inside the home. The only way to fix a leak is at the source before the damp causes more serious damage.

For practical reasons the best place to do so is immediately after the moisture penetrates the siding and that’s where weather barriers come in. We also need a way to remove the moisture from the cavity later.

Applying This Theory in Practice

There are various proprietary barriers on the market. Here we think of traditional felt paper, rain screen systems, caulks, sealants, and self-adhesive flashing membranes. These all add value depending prevailing weather conditions.

SilverLine Exterior Solutions provides free advice on your best option. We generally prefer to use synthetic house wraps because they go on faster and perform consistently over time.

However they have one more advantage which we believe is the clincher. The old-style bitumen-based weather barriers trapped moisture inside a wall that managed to penetrate. However, the house wraps we use are semi permeable.

While water cannot pass through them, water vapour can. This means if the rain does find a way past, its water vapour can escape to the outside. SilverLine Exterior Solutions stays abreast with latest trends so we can offer our clients the very best that’s available.

Speak to us soon by calling 604-942-0488 if you need advice on keeping your home warm and dry despite what’s happening outside. We can’t guarantee a storm may never come through. However we do promise to provide a sterling siding service in Vancouver.

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Silverline Exterior Solutions, established in 2007, specializes in energy-efficient windows, doors, and siding. With over 15 years of experience, we offer durable and eco-friendly solutions tailored for the British Columbia environment. Our mission: provide state-of-the-art products and unparalleled customer relationships.