Exciting Siding Alternatives

There are a lots of siding material choices on the market that provide interesting alternatives to the traditional choices. Some of them the result of new technology, and increasing demand for green products, and others are products borrowed from commercial construction.

In the last 2 articles, we've talked about giving your house a facelift. And last time, I suggested considering something unexpected and fun when choosing your materials. This time, I'll talk about a few ideas that break away from the normal materials you might think should be used for a house.

In the last 5 years we've seen scads of remodels and new homes with natural horizontal wood siding. Just flip open a copy of Dwell, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Part of the reason for it's popularity is that it adds warmth to otherwise cold modern palettes. It can be an attractive look, but it is starting to become almost too common, and it is not the most environmentally friendly or low maintenance choice.

When considering siding choices, I like materials which are long lasting, beautiful, honest and sustainable. And particularly for remodel work, I like materials that allow the use of the rainscreen system, a method in which the exterior finish material is attached to vertical supports which create a free circulating airspace behind the exterior surface. There are various advantages to the system, but It is particularly well suited to adding a new siding material without having to remove or substantially disturb an existing finish.

Refinished wood composite panels.

Parklex 1000 is a laminated composite panel made up of layers of paper with a layer of real wood veneer on the surface. It is bonded together under high pressure with a hard resin. It has the look and warmth of real wood, but with amazing durability and lifespan.

Parklex 1000 panels
Southside Townhouses

 

Cement board siding

Here is a siding material which is cheap, durable and sustainable, and has an industrial urban chic. Basically,Ý the fiber cement panels we use for tile underlayment is used as a siding material. The plain lumber yard variety may be used as a dirt cheap alternative, or slicker, more costly products can be utilized which are specifically designed for siding applications, and less likely to crack over time.

Metal Siding

No, not the aluminum siding that you may remember from your childhood. Metal siding which is aimed primarily at industrial applications. but can be an ideal material for residential applications. They offer great durability, long lasting finishes, ease of installation and low cost in some cases. Available in many styles, including raised seam, shingles, and linear sections.

Metecno Aluminum siding
Churchill Row Townhouses - Chicago,IL

 

Folded metal shingles by TECU can create looks that range from traditional to wild

The Israeli Embassy in Berlin

 

Ceramic tiles

There has been a lot of buzz around ceramic tile recently, mostly from Spain and Italy. You can see an example of this new take on an ancient material at the Palms in SOMA. Often it is cost prohibitive to order the really cool looking tile in quantities small enough for a single family house, for all of the other reasons, it is a great choice. Hopefully we will see more tile in the future.

 

Resources

Parklex - Wood composite panels

TECU - Metal panel system

Metecno - Metal panel system

Terraclad - Terra Cotta tiles

Swisspearl - Cement Fiber Panel System

 

 

Credits

Project: Churchill Row Townhouses - Chicago,IL
Product: Metecno-Morin's X12 Concealed Fastener Wall Panel
Architects: Hirsch Associates, LLC in Chicago, IL
Installer/Customer: Carron and Company of Plainfield, IL

 

Project: The Israeli Embassy in Berlin
Product: TECU Copper system
Architects: Orit Willenberg Giladi, Tel Aviv
Installer: Ness Bauklempnerei GmbH, Berlin

 

Project: Southside Townhouses
Product: Parklex 1000
Architects: ERDREICH ARCHITECTURE, P.C.