Sidingspeak – Siding Components
A home’s siding can be a very complicated thing. Installing it requires precision, lots of planning, and several different components. Each of these aspects has a corresponding term that most professionals use. As a homeowner, you also have to get used to these terms, since you’ll be the first person to check for problems in case something’s wrong with your home’s siding.
There are two reasons why you’d want to get used to the terms used to identify various siding components: it lets you identify which part of your siding is having an issue, and it will also help you describe the problem to the professional better.
Backerboard – this part goes between the siding and the wall studs. The backerboard provides a good flat surface that the siding panels can be nailed or stapled to.
Underlayment – a layer of waterproof material (usually felt) that goes between the wall and the siding panels to keep water from seeping into more vulnerable parts of the wall.
Panels – The most visible part of the siding, siding panels serve as your wall’s first line of defense against weather and other factors. Panels can be installed vertically (side by side) or horizontal on top of each other.
Butt edge – The lower part of horizontal siding panels. The butt edges are often shaped in a hook designed to interlock with the panel immediately below it.
Batten – Thin strips designed to seal the gaps between adjacent vertical panels.
Flashing – Strips of metal (in some cases, PVC) designed to prevent water from seeping through.
Starter strip – A strip of metal or PVC that secures the first row or column of panels.
Channel – Strips of metal located at corners that also help secure siding panels in place. Common types of channels are J and F channels (which are named after their appearance).
That’s about it for the components! Stay tuned for Part 2 of Sidingspeak: Knowing the Language of Siding, for terms related to installation and materials.
