Natural cedar shake siding has been a tradition for many years because it creates a beautiful coastal look like those often found in New England and Scandinavian homes. However, the beauty of the wood and natural weathered look that it creates also comes with a host of problems from mold and mildew to the high cost of installation of material with a low fire resistance.
One alternative to traditional cedar shake siding is vinyl cedar shake siding. Vinyl siding mimics the look of natural cedar shakes while reducing the issues that come with the natural shake siding. But that’s not to say it doesn’t come with its own set of issues. Let’s take a look at some of the issues that come with vinyl siding.
Common Vinyl Siding Problems
Fragile
Vinyl cedar shake siding looks nice, but it’s fragile and prone to cracks. As the weather changes and causes the siding to warm up and/or freeze, the siding expands and contracts, which results in cracks. It is also prone to damage from impacts that can happen, often from hail or from a ball or rock hitting the siding.
Color Fades Over Time
The color of vinyl siding runs through the entire piece of vinyl. The good news is that the color can’t chip or flake off. The bad news is that the color can fade over time. Depending on where the siding is on the home and its level of exposure to the elements, vinyl shake siding can fade at different rates which can cause the home to look patchy.
Painting vinyl siding is an option if you want to return the home to its original condition, but painted vinyl siding has a tendency to peel and flake over time, which puts you right back to where you started and increases the level of maintenance.
Requires Regular Maintenance
Vinyl shake siding requires regular maintenance over time. Cracks or fading are difficult issues to avoid since the causes — impacts, expansion, contraction, and exposure to the elements — are largely out of your control. Vinyl shake siding should be cleaned regularly, but the easiest way to clean siding —using a power washer — can also result in damage or moisture issues if the water penetrates through to the insulation behind the siding.
To properly maintain vinyl shake siding, you should use a soft bristled brush to gently break up and remove any dirt, mold, or mildew. The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends rinsing all of the siding with a garden hose at least once a year to keep dirt and dust from building up.
Susceptible To Damage From Heat And Fire
Vinyl shake siding is safer than wood siding when it comes to fire protection. It meets building code requirements and will slow the flames in the event of a fire, but it is prone to melting or warping near high heat. This is especially important to note when using a grill or other heat producing source, like a fire pit or tiki torches. Keeping it a safe distance away from the siding will protect it from melting, warping, or even becoming discolored from smoke exposure.
Choose A Better Alternative To Vinyl Shake Siding
Composite cedar shake siding provides a range of benefits that makes it a superior alternative to vinyl siding.
Durable
Composite cedar shake siding is incredibly durable. It has a Class 4 resistance rating, so it easily stands up to hail and storm damage. Plus, our state-of-the-art compression molding technology makes it the strongest shake material that’s available.
Natural Color And Texture That Won’t Fade Over Time
Brava uses natural minerals for color and texture along with advanced UV stabilizing elements, so our cedar shake siding offers superior color that won’t fade over time. We engineer our product so there is no discernible pattern in the siding, to create natural variegated and multi-toned colors the way Mother Nature intended.
We offer nine hues in our core collection, each of which creates the natural varied beauty of traditional cedar shakes, so they don’t have a manufactured appearance to detract from the beauty of your home.
No Maintenance
Our composite cedar shakes are maintenance- free and come with a 50-year transferable warranty. If if that doesn’t provide peace of mind, we don’t know what will!
Highest Fire Resistance Rating
Composite cedar shake siding comes with a Class A fire rating — the highest level of fire resistance, to create a safer home that looks beautiful.
Fully Sustainable
At Brava, we care about our impact on the planet, so. This is why all of our products use recycled material. In addition, our cedar shake siding is fully recyclable, and we work hard to keep as much material out of the landfills as possible.
Achieve Aa Natural, Long-Lasting Look With Brava
Brava Cedar Shakes provide long-lasting durability and a natural tone and texture that works perfectly on new builds as well as renovation projects that want to preserve and maintain the home’s history. We work tirelessly to ensure our products will stand the test of time.
Contact the experts at Brava today to upgrade your siding to a better alternative.
