Over the years, wood, brick, and stucco have been the main materials used for the exterior of residential housing. Residential Siding can protect your home while giving you home a distinct character. Aluminum was the most common siding sold in the United States in the 50"s and 60's. Vinyl siding caught on by the 1970s and still has a strong hold on the market. In recent years, new alternatives have made their way to the home siding market. Steel was introduced in the 80's as a more durable alternative to aluminum.
And now a new type of home siding is available, composite material. This is a composition of wood and cement, with resin used as a bonding agent and is manufactured in preformed shapes. All of these materials can be designed to look professional and can be formed with a wood like grain. But let's compare them from an environmental standpoint.
Aluminum and steel exhibit good green sustainable traits. Both are made from recycled metals, and both can be recycled after replacement. Composite wood products are often made with shavings or sawdust, byproducts of other lumber production. Finally, while vinyl technically can be made with recycled resin, only a couple of brands actually are, and only the newer vinyl siding is recyclable.
What are some other key environmental factors? Longevity of course... All of these materials are more durable than wood siding, and they need much less maintenance. Wood requires heavy maintenance and paint. Vinyl is colored throughout and will not rot, rust, or peel: it is susceptible only to fading. However, vinyl production is rather harsh on the environment so avoid it if you can. Aluminum or steel siding may fade, and they can oxidize under harsh conditions, but they are unlikely to require paint more often than every 20 years. Steel has proven to be a popular substitute for aluminum because its doesn't chip or dent and requires little maintenance. Composite materials are generally stronger, denser, and more crack resistant than ordinary wood, making them exceptionally durable.
Metal siding has a lower embodied energy than vinyl or composite wood products because it uses recycled steel and aluminum. However, energy efficiency is a separate matter. None of the materials has significant insulating capabilities. Vinyl siding is 0.04-0.048 inches thick, and aluminum ranges from 0.019 to 0.024 inches. Steel is comparable to vinyl. As a result, the R-values of all three materials are less than 1. Because vinyl follows the contour of walls very closely, backer board is sometimes sandwiched between the wall surface and the siding; this board adds a little insulating capability if it is installed correctly, but not much. Composite wood siding also adds a little insulation value, but only if it is used as siding rather than as the original wall surface.
Vinyl is by far the least expensive of the siding options. Of course, prices can vary dramatically among different regions, and installation costs vary even more. Environmental factors can vary among siding types, but regional markets often determine which one will be used. The American consumer buys siding, like many other things, primarily on the basis of cost and aesthetics. Environmental factors play an increasingly valid role and are likely to become more prominent with time.
60% of all the trees we log domestically are used to build houses. The average new 2,000 square foot home requires an entire clear cut acre worth of wood to build, that's around 1000 trees! A growing number of consumers, builders, and architects are
turning to a variety of more environmentally conscious wood flooring choices
rather than choosing recently milled oak or maple. Some look to fast-growing
bamboo harvested from Southeast Asia or to tiles of cork, made from the bark
of oak trees in the Mediterranean. Another green option is wood that has
been cut from forests managed sustainably. This is wood that has been
certified by the U.S. Forest Stewardship Council, a Washington-based
nonprofit group backed by industry and environmental organizations and
affiliated with a similar international organization.
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