Siding makers focus on new profiles, better performance

Polymer siding makers continue to innovate, with major suppliers announcing new lines of composite, plank, PVC shake and insulated vinyl siding as well as expanded capacity for a cladding dubbed the most innovative building material in 2021.

Westlake Royal Building Products is expanding its offering of composite siding, PVC shake and insulated vinyl siding.

For larger homes, the Houston-based company added an 11-inch board and batten profile to the Celect Cellular Composite Siding line.

The new profile will add visual interest to home exteriors with a vertical pattern to accentuate different sections of the house, like full walls, gables and bump outs, according to Steve Booz, vice president of marketing at Westlake Royal Building Products.

The board and batten comes in 15 fade-resistant colors or ready-to-paint. It resists winds exceeding 210 mph and has a Kynar Aquatec brand coating for ultraviolet protection that the company says also reduces energy demands.

"The Celect 11-inch board and batten has been a highly-anticipated and requested addition to our portfolio of innovative exterior products and we are expecting a great response from designers, architects, builders and remodelers," Booz said.

Westlake also started offering PVC shake following the 2021 acquisition of Boral Industries Inc. In addition to more siding, the $2.15 billion all-cash deal brought roofing, trim, shutters, decorative stone and windows to the product lineup.

For siding, Westlake added FoundryFPX-brand cedarlike PVC shake and shingles, which have a Class A fire rating and can be installed by pro builders or homeowners.

During production, the panel is extruded and then a metal stamping process is used to create the shake look before it gets painted.

For 2023, Westlake updated the color palette with four darker hues available in 7-inch split shake and staggered shake.

The company also is now offering Grayne brand siding profiles in nine colors, which were designed to emulate white cedar shake and red cedar shake.

"More than ever, homeowners are craving wood-look exteriors without the associated maintenance, especially darker grays and rustic looks," Booz said. "The nine new hues, part of our approach to continually refresh options to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers, reflect these growing preferences while delivering the rich authenticity of beloved cedar."

Westlake Royal also added three new colors each to its Royal Haven brand insulated siding and the CraneBoard brand solid core siding. Both lines feature Chromatix brand technology color protection to resist fading so dark colors stay true.

The six new vinyl siding colors came out in February.

For insulation, the Haven line uses graphite-enhanced EPS made with Neopor from BASF SE. The material helps absorb and reflect radiant heat, which Westlake says makes Haven's R-value up to 19 percent higher than traditional insulated siding.

With $2.5 billion in annual pipe and profile sales, Westlake ranks third among North American extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

Cornerstone Building Brands Inc. introduced a new luxury vinyl siding called Mastic EverPlank that offers not only the textured look of wood siding but the solid feel, too.

An insulated foam backing gives the product rigidity like wood but is water-resistant while a patented polymer-based technology retains the appearance, according to a spokesman for the Cary, N.C.-based company.

Until now, the choices for homeowners and contractors were limited to real wood siding, expensive alternatives that require painting, and vinyl siding that is maintenance-free but didn't offer a wide-plank aesthetic, according to Jamie Heath, director of channel marketing for Cornerstone's Surface Solutions division.

"With Mastic EverPlank luxury vinyl siding, you no longer have to choose," Heath said. "You can achieve a beautiful true-to-wood look without worrying about water penetration, warping and the costly price tag of repainting."

EverPlank is the latest innovation of the Mastic brand, which has been around for more than 75 years.

The plank panels are designed to butt together using a specially designed bonding plate and custom-formulated adhesive. The interlocking system reduces gapping and creates strength and durability against strong winds.

For contractors, Mastic EverPlank offers a safe, clean, quick and easy installation with no exposed nails or caulking required.

"The Mastic brand will continue to transform and reinvent vinyl siding, and Mastic EverPlank is a great example of that," Heath said.

The siding will launch in early 2023 in targeted regions and nationally in 2024. It will be available in 6-inch-by-12-foot panels and come in 12 colors.

With $2.85 billion in related pipe, profile and tubing sales, Cornerstone is the second largest extruder in North America, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.

CertainTeed LLC unveiled a new brand identity along with a CertaPlank brand seven-inch vinyl siding, which has a wide face that looks like wood and a reinforced foam insulation backer that also offers the rigidity of a hardboard cladding.

Officials of the Malvern, Pa.-based company said this year's International Builders Show marked a paradigm shift for the business with the introduction of a brand identity aimed at strengthening how it positions and promotes its wide offering of building solutions.

With an estimated $800 million in annual sales of vinyl siding, decking, conduit, and plumbing products, CertainTeed holds the No. 8 spot among the largest pipe, profile and tubing producers in North America, according to PN's latest ranking.

Customers, however, aren't simply looking for building products, company officials said. They're trying to solve larger problems like climate resiliency and indoor air quality and seize opportunities to make the world a better place.

"As a leader at the forefront of the building sector, we recognized an opportunity to evolve how our customers specify our products," CertainTeed CEO Mark Rayfield said of the new brand identity. "We're taking 'one-stop shop' to the next level by serving as a preferred source for cohesive systems and complementary products that not only help builders grow their reputation, but make it easier than ever to deliver on what matters most: performance, sustainability and longevity."

CertainTeed officials also are focused on how building products can slash time on job sites. They point to the new CertaPlank, which is light and easy to handle compared to wood, fiber cement and wood composites.

CertaPlank comes in 10 colors and is suitable for new construction of single-family homes, multi-housing projects, light commercial developments and remodeling.

Quebec City-based Derby Building Products recently won an award for its composite siding called Beach House Shake from Products magazine, a companion of Pro Builder that describes it as "a tremendous stride in authenticity."

The polypropylene composite shake won the top award in the exteriors category recognizing innovative and impactful products of 2022.

Entrants were evaluated by a panel of architects, designers and professional builders.

"Thanks to our advanced composite technology, Beach House Shake offers the authentic look of natural individual cedar shingles without compromise," Derby CEO Ralph Bruno said, adding the product won't discolor and always will look like the day it was installed.

For the installer, Bruno said, "this product revolutionizes the cedar shingle installation process — less time, less waste and less fasteners on every project."

Bruno says Beach House Shake delivers the coveted charm and beauty of natural cedar shingles with natural color variations, genuine saw cuts and detailed grain patterns.

The product also is Miami-Dade County-approved for high-velocity hurricane zones and backed by a 20-year limited warranty.

Ascend brand composite cladding, the "most innovative building material" of 2021 at the virtual International Builders' Show, is picking up customers like remodeling company Rooftop Designs, which is using the product on houses in the Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and West Virginia region.

Promoted as a next-generation cladding, the composite planks consist of a glass-reinforced polymer extruded with weatherable pigments and impact modifiers that are then adhered to a graphite-infused polystyrene foam.

The glass fibers are provided through the composite technology of Tundra Cos., a White Bear Lake, Minn.-based material science company.

Because of the formulation, Ascend is up to 75 percent lighter than other sidings, which decreases installation time, and it boosts energy efficiency by an R-value of 2.0, and resists winds to180 miles per hour, according to product promotional materials.

Ascend is a big part of the plan to make clients' home dreams come true, according to Steve Smith, a regional manager for Rooftop Designs, which also does windows, doors, gutters and attic insulation projects.

Smith used the product on his own house for a case study. He said the resilient feel instantly stood out so warping or buckling won't be an issue as the cladding ages or absorbs heat.

Also, with Ascend, standard J-channel window trim can be used.

"Ascend is compatible with standard and architectural accents and tends to be a lot more versatile," Smith said. "Even your J-channel doesn't have to be a deep pocket when you go up to the windows; it's a lot simpler to get to that final slide-in without needing to readjust everything. The planks also have a big, broad exposure so you're covering more space and covering it faster."

Ascend is a brand of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based Associated Materials LLC, which is owned by Greenwich, Conn.-based investment firm SVP Global LLC.

With an estimated $380 million in sales coming from plastic profiles, Associated Materials is the 18th largest pipe, profile and tubing producer in North America, according to according to PN's latest ranking.

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