Contents
- №1.What are the basic properties of vinyl siding?
- №2.The composition and properties of
- №3.Features of the production and quality of vinyl siding
- №4.Types of siding on purpose
- №5.Key parameters of vinyl siding
- Marking siding is denoted as:
- TOP 5 global manufacturers
- TOP 5 Russian manufacturers
When the question arises about how to decorate a balcony or front of a house, often the choice falls on vinyl siding - a material that has proven itself and enjoys ever-increasing demand due to numerous advantages. Today, manufacturers offer several types of siding of different operational properties, and the variety of colors and relief can be talked about indefinitely. To understand all this can be difficult even for a professional builder, what can we say about newcomers? Our advice on choosing vinyl siding will help you find the best option that best meets your requirements.
# 1.What are the basic properties of vinyl siding?
The first thing that interests customers is the properties of the material, because everyone wants to assess how suitable it is for a particular purpose. Appearing in the middle of the last century, this material first conquered North America, and then the whole world. The reason for this - is a mass of positive qualities of , which today continue to secrete vinyl siding against the background of analogues:
- resistance to temperature differences , to high and low temperatures, humidity, solar radiation, and also to non-concentrated solutions of acids and alkalis;
- resistance to average mechanical damage to , cracking and delamination, so you can talk about a long service life, which reaches 50 years;
- insects can not cause any harm to the material , as well as corrosion or fungus;
- The light weight of the and the simple installation scheme make it possible for even the not very experienced builder to cope with all the work;
- absolutely safe for health ;
- large assortment of .
From the drawbacks of the , only the ability to melt at high temperatures can be distinguished. It is clear that the mechanical strength of vinyl siding is inferior to wood or metal, but at the same time it is not so easy to damage it, therefore, it will retain its original appearance for a very long time.
№2.Composition and properties of
Vinyl siding owes all its advantages to the composition. Of course, the main components remain unchanged, but these or other additives, as well as their quantity, can affect some properties of the material. So, includes such substances in the composition of vinyl siding:
- polyvinyl chloride , which is about 80% and which gave the name to the material. If the manufacturer used recycled materials , then the quality of vinyl plastic may drop significantly. Sometimes a part of recyclable materials can reach up to 70% - in the end it turns out to be cheap, but not the best material for operational and aesthetic qualities. To ensure that the finished siding does not lose its useful qualities, the share of processed raw materials should not exceed 5%, even in the lower layer;
- calcium carbonate .Its part reaches 15%, it is part of the lower layer and fills the structure of the material;
- titanium dioxide is contained in the upper layer and provides a constant color, resistance to sunlight and stability of the structure;
- butadiene and as part of not more than 1%, but it is necessary for the stabilization of the composition;
- pigments are dyes that are responsible for a certain shade. In the production, the material of the same series may have a slightly different shade, so it is better to purchase siding of the same batch;
- modifiers .Their composition and quantity may vary significantly, why will depend on the performance of the material. Due to additions, siding, for example, can be more resistant to sunlight or mechanical damage. The more additives and valuable properties of the finished material, the higher the price, so before you buy you need to know in what conditions the material will be used.
№3.Features of the production and quality of vinyl siding
On the characteristics of the production of vinyl siding depend on some of its properties, which is quite natural. At the core of manufacturing is the extrusion of , the essence of which is as follows. All components of the future siding are mixed at high temperature, and then the mixture is pressed through the hole, forming a tape. It is in the process of production is cut into separate parts, which gives the desired shape. After solidification, the shape is maintained. The differences are in which extrusion technology is used.
Vinyl siding can be divided into two types:
- manufactured using mono-extrusion technology. In this case, the material is made from the same mixture, forming as a result a material with the same properties of the inner and outer side;
- manufactured by technology of coextrusion .This is a more modern method that allows you to give different properties to different sides of a siding sheet. The outer part, which occupies 25% of the total material, is made from a mixture with a large number of modifiers in order to increase the resistance to environmental factors. The inside is made with fewer additives, but more durable and heat resistant. Layers are connected at the molecular level, forming a coherent material. This technology is cheaper.
# 4.Types of siding to destination
Vinyl siding , depending on the destination can be divided into several types of :
- soffit .Designed for facing horizontal surfaces. May be solid, partially or completely perforated. Perforation improves ventilation;
- wall-mounted .Designed for plating vertical surfaces. It can be smooth, imitate the structure of wood or stone;
- basement .These are small sheets that have increased strength and can be used even when facing the bases of buildings - the most vulnerable place for various kinds of mechanical damage. The thickness of such panels reaches 3-4 mm.
No. 5.The main parameters of vinyl siding
If we are not talking about basement siding, then panel thickness varies from 1-1.2 mm , but experts do not recommend taking material with a thickness of less than 1.1 mm. Length and width may vary significantly depending on the manufacturer. For example, can be 2.5-4 m long with siding, while can be 20-30 cm wide with .Medium siding sheet weighs no more than 2 kg.
Depending on the appearance of the siding when choosing a material, it is worth paying attention to some other parameters. Herringbone siding is widely used today, and in this case, an indicator such as a form factor that determines the number of waves of the Christmas tree is added.
In marking, siding is denoted as:
- with a single Christmas tree S,
- with a double - D,
- with a triple - T.
The number after the letter indicates the width of the panel in inches. For example, siding with a D 4.5 marking means that a 4.5-inch double herringbone panel.
№6.The color and texture of
Panels can be not only smooth or herringbone, but also to imitate timber, block-house or stone. This is an excellent solution for facades, because together with excellent performance qualities such material also has decent performance properties.
Color siding can be absolutely any. Light standard shades are the most demanded - they are calm green, yellow, pink, brown, beige and others. Recently, manufacturers offer many bright colors, so you can equip the facade for every taste.
№7.What to consider when buying?
When there is a clear idea of what kind of siding is suitable in your case, what color and size it should be, it is important to purchase a quality product. It depends on how attentive you are when shopping. Pay attention to the following things:
- color should be uniform .If the bottom layer is gray, then the production was used secondary raw materials. The most expensive siding will be painted the same on both sides, and the cheaper the inside of the material will be a little lighter - the manufacturer saves on pigment. This does not affect the quality, so often the choice falls on this option;
- The outer side of the must not contain defects in the form of cracks, peeling, etc., otherwise the surface will quickly lose its appearance during operation. Siding should have a matte surface - glossy quickly deteriorates, heats up and fades;
- thickness should be the same along the entire length of the material, which is important for uniform load distribution;
- vinyl siding panels must be plastic , otherwise the durability during operation, they will not differ. Check it out is easy. It is enough to bend the tip near the edge: on a good material there will not even be a crack, and if this piece is broken, then the material is clearly not the most durable;
- The presence of of the anti-urethane lock is not just an advantage, but a necessity. This is a bend over the mounting holes, which increases the reliability of the connection and the tensile strength;
- quality nail holes .They should be the same in shape and size, be on the same level, have smooth edges. Otherwise, we can talk about the violation of the technological process during production;
- packaging .A reliable manufacturer will not save on packaging and supply siding in polyethylene so that the sheets do not deform, it is better to transport them in hard cardboard boxes. Consequently, the quality of products is already hinted at packaging.
№8.Which manufacturers to pay attention to?
TOP 5 global manufacturers
Siding appeared in North America, where even now they produce the highest quality product. Material from companies from the USA and Canada is the most expensive, but also in quality, it is among the leaders.
Mitten
Canadian company that has been producing vinyl siding since 1957.During this time, the manufacturer has become a leader in the market, and the highest product quality is confirmed by a guarantee of 50 years! As for the diversity, then finding the right color and shape siding is not difficult. The only drawback is the high price, but this is a payment for confidence in the material and for its durability.
Gentek
Main competitor of the previous company. It has been operating since 1965, all production facilities are located in Canada, and the manufacturer gives a guarantee of 55 years for its products. The siding of the company is characterized by high mechanical strength, accurate geometry, resistance to fading and beautiful texture.
Georgia Pacific
A company from the USA, which has long been on the market and entered the domestic market in the 90s. The product warranty is 50 years. In the range there is siding for the basement, vertical and horizontal surfaces. Collections are constantly replenished, and finding the material of the right color will not be difficult. Recently, saturated burgundy and brown shades.
Foundry
This manufacturer from the USA also confidently ranks among the leaders in the field. Like others, it provides a guarantee on its products for 50 years. The range has all types of vinyl siding, and the appearance here pay no less importance than performance. If the sheets repeat the structure of a stone or a tree, then the maximum naturalness is preserved, and on a segment of 14 meters it will be impossible to find duplicate elements.
Novik
A young Canadian manufacturer, which began operations in 1995.Over the past years, he managed not only to become a leader in the local market, but also to conquer the whole world. The company's products are also widely represented on the domestic market. Basically, this is a basement vinyl siding, which is characterized by excellent properties and excellent appearance, very closely follows the structure of stone, wood, brick and other materials.
TOP 5 Russian manufacturers
Docke
This is the leader among domestic manufacturers of vinyl siding. The company entered the market in 2005, developed very quickly, and today it has two factories at its disposal, a wide range of products, a lot of representative offices throughout the country and abroad, thousands of positive reviews. The choice of vinyl siding is sufficient to find a suitable option. Prices are much lower than that of imported counterparts, and the quality level.
Alta-Profile
The company was the first in Russia to begin manufacturing vinyl siding, operating since 1999.Today, the manufacturer offers several extensive collections of siding, and in the manufacture uses all the world's achievements and its own development. The material will serve faithfully for at least 30 years. Experts compare the quality of products with some American and Canadian companies operating in the economy segment, but at the same time, prices at Alta Profil are much lower.
Grand Line
Initially, the company produced metal roofing and fences, and recently began to produce vinyl siding, which succeeded. Today in the range of all types of siding, incl.and spotlights. Production is carried out according to American technologies on imported modern equipment, so the product quality is high enough, and the guarantee is 50 years, as with foreign manufacturers.
Nordside
The company has been operating in St. Petersburg since 2001, immediately set a course for the production of vinyl siding and today is considered one of the leaders in the field among domestic manufacturers. Production is carried out according to the highest standards, the material behaves perfectly in operation, the choice of textures and colors, though not the richest, but quite sufficient for most.
Holzplast
A company from Tver, which has been operating on the market since 2005, supplies not only throughout the country, but also beyond its borders. For the manufacture of siding uses German equipment, carried out strict control of production at all stages, which allows us to produce products of the highest quality.
