Selecting Siding

Creating a Look

Do you want to carry the look of your existing house seamlessly onto the new structure, or create a dramatic look by mixing materials? Your answer will determine what kind of siding you use on your addition. Here are some of the types available.

Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It looks like wood on its face but is instead a manufactured material. It's available in a variety of colors and patterns, and is often used because of its versatility. Vinyl stands up to all climates and is a solid-color material, so minor surface scars are virtually undetectable. The strips are about 6—10 inches wide, and the average length of each piece is about 12 feet. Vinyl is one of the easiest sidings to maintain. It should be washed once a year to remove dirt and mildew; you can simply spray it down with a garden hose. If the siding gets too dirty to hose off, you can clean it with a soft cloth or a soft-bristle brush and a mild kitchen or bath cleanser. Vinyl can melt when exposed to significant heat, so you should keep grills or anything else that might give off high heat a safe distance from the siding.

Vinyl siding usually has seams where the strips of siding meet. A new generation of seamless vinyl siding is available that is attached with a clip system instead of nails. The average length is about 40 feet.