Masonite, Fiber Cement and Spray-on Home Siding. Non-traditional house siding can be a nice addition to your home. Spray on siding, masonite siding, and fiber cement siding are just a few of the examples.
There are many types of house siding on the market. If you're looking for something different, Scott Seiler, Marketing Director for ABC Seamless with 33 years experience in the home improvement business, says you have several options to choose from.
If you're looking for a vintage look, Masonite siding is an alternative. It has its advantages and disadvantages though.
"Masonite is an older type of siding. It is a compressed board and it was famous in the 60s and 70's, I believe. With that, it is sort of like a wood type siding - it's like plywood. Because it is a natural product of the environment, moisture gets in and it starts bulging, peeling, and flaking. Not only does the paint peel off, the actual siding does too. Once it reaches the inside of the Masonite and the water deposits there, it expands. That is what happens with Masonite. The moisture makes it expand and so you have bubbling and warping," Seiler says.
If Masonite siding is not your thing, you can always look at fiber cement siding. This type of siding is expensive though. You also have to check with your local siding companies to see if they carry this type of siding.
"That is a relatively new siding. It is siding that will go onto the home, and it has to go on 12 feet in length. It has to be painted every couple of years because if you don't, it will get into the siding itself and then cause expansion and contraction. The only thing is that it will have splices, so what they do is cover up those splices by putting caulking in between, to try to hide them. So you are not going to get a seamless look. The other thing is when you install this - even in their literature they tell you that fiber cement causes cancer. So, you have to use extreme caution when using this. You must wear a facemask, etc.," Seiler says.
Most of the time your local siding company will install fiber cement siding. Most companies don't allow homeowners to install it themselves because of the danger factor.
Proper masks and equipment must be used. Fiber cement siding does have a huge plus though. It's one of the most durable products on the market.
Another non-traditional type of house siding is spray-on siding. Many times you have to buy this type of siding online or in stores. This is a do-it-yourself type of siding.
"That is one of the newest products that has come out. I think it is more popular in the Southern part of the United States than anywhere else. It's so new that the jury is out on that. It's a nice concept. I think the biggest concern is that this can't last too long. It is a bold issue, the way that it is sprayed on. The biggest thing with any home is air filtration - wherever you are geographically in the United States. If you don't have a proper water barrier to prevent moist air from leaking into the home, mold and mildew will grow," Seiler says.
Non-traditional house siding can be a nice alternative to vinyl or wood siding for a different look. In the end, whatever siding you go with, do the research on each product before you buy. Making over your home is costly, and you want to know you made the best choice possible.
