When deciding on what type of siding you want and who you want to purchase it from it's beneficial to understand what is being talked about. The glossary that follows provides some common siding terms that will be helpful to you as you review companies and siding products.
| A |
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| Aluminum siding |
horizontal planks of aluminum with a baked-on enamel finish |
| American Hardboard Association (AHA) |
the national trade organization for the manufacturers of hardboard products |
| American National Standards Institute (ANSI) |
ANSI is a private, nonprofit organization that oversees the voluntary standardization and assessment of US products, to enable the US to better compete globally and enhance the quality of life in the US by conformity to product standards |
| American Society of Testing Materials International |
ASTM International is a nonprofit organization that helps develop voluntary standards for products, services, materials and systems all over the globe |
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| B |
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| Battens |
narrow strips of wood placed over joints in vertical wood plank siding to seal the joints |
| Beveled |
clapboards that are tapered rather than cut perfectly rectangular
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| Brick ties |
accordion-type metal fasteners used to attach a brick veneer to the wood framework of a house |
| Brick veneer |
a wall construction method in which a layer of bricks is attached to the wood framework of a house using brick ties |
| Buttlock |
located on the bottom edge of a vinyl panel which locks onto the previously installed panel
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| C |
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| Carpenter ants |
large black ants that make may make their nests in walls, behind siding, or in insulation; carpenter ants don't eat wood they excavate wood to build their homes in the cavities left behind |
| Caulking |
waterproof material used to seal joints at intersections of building components, used with some types of siding |
| Checking |
a crack or split along the grain in wood plank siding as a result of cupping |
| Clapboard |
overlapping, horizontal wood plank siding made from either rectangular planks or taped planks |
| Composition board |
planks or sheets of weather resistant compressed wood fibers used as siding
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| Course |
each row of siding material |
| Cupping |
a warp across the board in wood plank siding |
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| D |
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| Detachment |
separation of the siding material-veneer or stucco- from its attachment to the house |
| Double course |
an undercourse of shingles or shakes, not exposed to the weather, is covered completely by a top course |
| Dust mites |
virtually walking stomachs |
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| F |
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| Face |
The part of the vinyl panel that is visible once the vinyl is installed |
| Flashing |
a type of sheet metal used at intersections of building components to prevent water penetration, flashings are commonly used above doors and windows in exterior walls and are used under the siding to prohibit water penetration |
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| J |
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| J-channel |
a manufacturing component of vinyl or aluminum siding systems which have a curved channel that the planks fit into, used around windows and doors to make a weathertight seal |
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| L |
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| Lintel |
a steel angle iron or beam over window and door openings that spans the opening and transfers the weight of the masonry to the sides of the opening |
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| M |
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| Milled planks |
various cuts of plank siding, including V-groove, channel, rabbeted bevel, shiplap and drop |
| Model Building Code |
these building codes vary by area of the country and are considered the standard for that area |
| Moisture permeable |
a surface that allows moisture to pass through it |
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| P |
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| Panel Projection |
the amount that a panel of vinyl sticks out away from the wall, you should choose the largest profile for the style of panel you want |
| Plywood siding |
plywood sheets, some with a grooved or decorative outer surface |
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| S |
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| Scarfed joint |
joint used in plywood siding where edges of abutting sheets are angle cut to fit snugly and prevent water penetration |
| Shiplap |
a style of milled plank, used in siding, that is laid close enough so as to appear to be butted |
| Single course |
wood shingles or shakes applied where each course is exposed to the weather |
| Spalling |
crumbling and falling away of bricks, concrete or blocks |
| Stucco |
a type of water resistant, plaster like siding material made of cement, sand and water; it may have an acrylic finish |
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| T |
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| T & G |
tongue and groove, a connection system between components, like wood, in which the tab or tongue of one board is placed into the grove at the end of another board |
| Termites |
social insects that live either in the ground or in wood and eat wood, they can cause serious structural damage to a home |
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| V |
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| Vinyl siding |
horizontal polyvinyl chloride planks |
| Veneer |
veneer is one ply or one thickness of something; in siding there are brick and stone veneers, there are also veneers of one wood bonded to another |
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| W |
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| Wall cladding |
another term for siding |
| Wall sheathing |
sheets of plywood or wood planking used to cover the wall framework of the house |
| Windload Pressure |
is a measurement of how well a panel might perform in high wind areas |
| Wire mesh |
a mesh attached to the wall sheathing and studs used to anchor a stucco base coat to the wall |
| Wood plank siding |
rectangular wood planks, installed horizontally or vertically |
| Wood shakes |
thick, rough, uneven shingles that hand split, split and sawn on one side, or sawn on both sides, used as siding |
| Wood shingles |
sawn shingles that are of uniform thickness |
