As many of our homes age, maintenance, rot, and replacement become the three principles we live by. Our siding gets replaced, our windows rot out, and our trimboards deteriorate in front of our very eyes. Many times it takes 15-20 years for these effects, but replacing them can be a financial nightmare and can cost us a lot of time and grief. It's often much more economical to take the cheap route and go with the cheapest materials to replace these problems. However, you should consider a few factors to help you make your decision.
First off, homes appreciate in value, so using more expensive materials will often increase the value of your home. If you plan to live there for a while as well and enjoy your new siding, windows, deck, etc. then you may wish to spend a little bit more money for a more permanent solution that lasts and also puts value into the home. No rot composites and other revolutionary materials like cellular PVCs are breaking into the market as newfound alternatives boasting to last a lifetime. Many of these materials have the look and feel of wood too and offer paintable options that other materials like vinyl seem to lack.
The problem is wood is that inevitably it can result in problems. Usually within 10 years signs of rotting, cracking, and peeling have begun to set in. Without repainting over these exposed areas, sunlight and rain will expedite the rot process and lead to other problems such as mold and moisture in the house. It can also lead to higher energy repairs as well. Having good materials almost always save you more money in the long run. They're also selling points if you're trying to sell your house during a housing recession.
Common cellular PVC materials are Versatex, AZEK, and Certainteed. They are commonly used for trim replacement, rotting windows, and even window flower boxes, where wooden flower boxes are notorious for causing problems. Composites like TREX offer composite decking options allowing the look of unpainted wood that lasts much longer. Sidings such as Hardiplank are nice alternatives which last much longer than your traditional wood siding and can pay dividends in the long run. No matter what your budget is, make sure that you don't choose a material just based on cost alone. You should consider all the factors that are important!
Matt Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, a window box company that specializes in affordable no rot window boxes. They manufacture and sell direct pvc window boxes which are 100% rot free and impervious to moisture. These no rot window boxes have been featured on The Today Show as "the last window boxes you will ever buy." Please visit their website for more information on affordable no rot solutions.
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