Vinyl siding is a great solution for covering home exteriors for many reasons. Premium vinyl siding products – like those manufactured by Norandex – look great, are made to be long-lasting, and require very little in the way of ongoing maintenance. And if it’s a vinyl siding solution you seek for your home or business in North Carolina or Virginia, Skywalker Windows & Siding is the name to trust for quality vinyl siding installation and siding replacement services!
Of course, whenever you mention vinyl siding, the first things that come to mind for most people are the prominent runs of long vinyl panels you typically see on a building’s exterior. But a vinyl siding installation involves more than just the panels themselves. No siding project is complete without also including all the essential vinyl siding trim and accessory pieces.
In terms of putting the final touches on any siding installation, think of trim pieces as being the icing on the proverbial cake. Some trim pieces aren’t typically seen once the installation is complete, but they’re essential to the vinyl siding mounting process. Other trim types are helpful for hiding gaps and rounding off any exposed panel edges.
If you’re not very familiar with vinyl siding trim, there are several specialized trim types that are designed to serve some very specific functions. While the following list isn’t exhaustive, it will give you a better understanding about some of the main vinyl trim & accessory categories:
Starter trim – also known as starter strip – is a foundational component of any vinyl siding installation project. It’s typically installed at the bottom of the exterior perimeter, and is designed to serve as the foundation for locking the first row of siding panels.
The starter trim strip secures the first slats of vinyl siding to the sheathing itself, and also helps to ensure that the siding is installed at a proper angle. Wooden spacers are often nailed 6 inches apart in order to support the starter strip and make sure it stays straight and level as subsequent runs of siding are mounted.
J trim is also known as a J channel, and it’s one of the best-known vinyl siding trim types. It’s typically installed around doors, windows, and any corners where the siding meets the roof.
The ability to accessorize windows properly can add to your home’s curb appeal value, and vinyl window trim also serves to help protect and insulate your windows themselves. There are several types of window trim that can be used, depending upon the particular situation. Window starter trim, J trim, and window surround trim are some of the most common vinyl trim applications for windows.
Undersill trim is installed behind a window casing, in order to help support the siding panels placed around a window. Beveled vinyl siding can protrude away from the wall to a certain extent, and an undersill can help to both round off the siding and lock it in place.
Undersill trim also serves to help direct water out and away from the siding whenever it rains. Without this type of trim in place, moisture is more prone to seep behind the siding, which can lead to unwanted water damage underneath.
Vinyl soffit is its own category, but there are also some specific types of vinyl trim that can be installed around these parts of your building exterior. H-channel trim is a transition trim often used to join horizontal and vertical siding. It can also be used to bring two soffit panels together at either mitered corners or squared corners. F-channel trim pieces are also used to support soffit panels. And fascia trim is a specially designed vinyl product that is often used to cover and protect the fascia board itself.
Corner post trims give the corners of your siding a well-rounded look, and add some tasteful aesthetic appeal to any home or structure. Like other trim types, corner vinyl trims also serve a practical purpose in protecting your siding corner joints against any moisture or wind infiltration, and also help to prevent general siding wear and tear.
In addition to the specific trim pieces mentioned above, there are several other types of vinyl trim accessories that are designed to be mounted and placed for certain exterior features and applications, including the following:
These vinyl trim types and accessories can be manufactured in a wide range of finishes and textures, including horizontal wood grains, vertical wood grains, or a smooth, matte finish. There are all sorts of color finishing possibilities for vinyl siding, trim, and accessories. These finishes and textures are incorporated into the product itself during the manufacturing process, such that subsequent painting or staining isn’t required.
There’s really a lot to like about vinyl where your home or building exterior is concerned. Here are just a few features and benefits worth mentioning:
Vinyl siding has a clean, neat look, and modern vinyl products can also be designed to mimic the look of other materials like natural wood. For example, vinyl can even be made to resemble rough-sawn cedar shakes or shingles. In fact, vinyl can be produced in pretty much any color you can think of, so you have lots of freedom in determining the appearance of your building’s exterior.
Vinyl is much more durable than a material like wood. The colors are infused into the vinyl, so color fading is minimized, and repainting or repainting aren’t needed. Vinyl is resistant to both moisture and pests, and some products have been tested to withstand hurricane-force wind gusts. Premier vinyl siding manufacturers like Norandex are also willing to guarantee their products with a Limited Lifetime Warranty which is even transferable to a future home buyer.
Wood siding materials require regular maintenance, including periodic repainting or staining. Vinyl, on the other hand, is relatively maintenance-free material. It won’t fade, chip, crack, blister, or rot, and vinyl is much easier to clean, too.
While vinyl may be a petroleum-based product, that doesn’t mean it isn’t eco-friendly. Did you know that 60-70% of all vinyl products are fabricated with recycled vinyl? And another feature that makes vinyl eco-friendly is its longevity. Modern vinyl siding products are engineered to last for decades, meaning you won’t have to deplete Earth’s resources to replace your siding as frequently.
A recent study comparing vinyl siding to brick, aluminum, and wood siding in the residential market in terms of initial installed cost and ongoing maintenance found that vinyl offers a cost savings of up to 60 percent compared to these alternatives. In other words, the installed cost of vinyl siding is among the lowest of the many siding options available.
Your final vinyl siding project cost will ultimately depend upon a few key factors, including which vinyl siding manufacturer and particular products you choose, along with the size and shape of your building. At Skywalker Windows & Siding, we make several affordable product options available, and we’re also proud to provide you with the very best installation workmanship.
Choose Skywalker Windows & Siding as Your Trusted Vinyl Siding Contractor
Choosing the right type of siding material is important, but it’s just as important to choose a trusted local contractor who can really take care of your siding replacement needs. We’ve completed vinyl siding projects all over NC and VA, and our team is well equipped to serve your particular vinyl siding project needs.
Skywalker is one of the highest-rated, most-respected contractors serving the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Lake Norman area, and southern VA region. We’d be glad to come out and provide you with a FREE initial inspection and personal consultation. Connect with us today at (336) 627-5596, and let us show you the Skywalker difference!
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