Types of siding

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Light weight, easy installation, convenient transportation, the ability to install even without special skills and tools make siding a popular material. And various types of siding make it easier to install exterior finishing of buildings.

Firstly, it should be noted that the siding profile can be single (“herringbone”) or double (“ship board”).

There are the following types of siding:

  • vinyl
  • metal (aluminum, steel)
  • wooden
  • fiber cement

Types

The most popular type of siding — vinyl — is PVC panels of various sizes (the most common: length – 2–6 m, width – 10–30 cm, thickness – 0.9–1.5 mm). Vinyl siding is durable, scratch-resistant, easy to clean, does not burn in a fire, but melts slowly, and is available in several dozen shades. It is used in cottage, industrial, and multi-story construction.
Please note that the so-called vinyl siding is not siding and is not intended for external cladding of buildings; it is used for interior decoration of premises.

vinyl siding

Metal siding is appropriate for use in buildings that require enhanced protection from fire and aggressive environments. It can be mounted on metal or wooden structures. It can be aluminum or steel.
Aluminum siding does not burn, does not rust, is lightweight and has a choice of colors up to 30 shades.
Steel siding is made from galvanized steel, painted or with a polymer coating. It has excellent heat-resistant characteristics, which determine its use at facilities with high fire safety requirements (gas stations, service stations, etc.)
It should be noted that aluminum and steel types of siding are not flexible. For example, if an aluminum siding panel is bent, its original shape cannot be restored and the panel will have to be replaced.

Wooden siding imitates almost any type of wood. It is made from wood chips pressed under pressure and at high temperature, with the addition of special binding and strengthening additives. Disadvantages of this type of siding: it absorbs moisture and has low fire resistance.

Fiber cement siding imitates the texture of valuable wood species, is made of cement with the addition of cellulose fibers during high-temperature processing. It is durable, easy to process, cut and has high fire resistance.