Understanding a few key siding terms makes it much easier to compare products, read estimates and talk through design choices with your contractor. Here are the most common ones.
B
- Batten
- A narrow vertical strip installed over the seams between wider vertical boards, creating the board and batten look.
- Board and Batten
- A vertical siding style that alternates wide boards with narrow battens, popular on farmhouse and modern rustic homes.
- Butt Edge
- The bottom, exposed edge of a horizontal siding panel or shingle.
C
- Cedar Siding
- Natural wood siding prized for its beauty, warmth and natural resistance to decay. It requires periodic staining or painting.
- Clapboard
- A traditional horizontal siding made of long, narrow boards that overlap, with each board thicker at the bottom than the top.
- Corner Post
- A trim piece installed at inside or outside corners of the house that receives the ends of the siding panels for a finished look.
D
- Dutch Lap
- A horizontal siding profile with a decorative groove along the top of each board, creating a deeper shadow line than standard lap siding.
E
- Engineered Wood Siding
- Siding made from wood strands or fibers bonded with resins and treated for moisture and insect resistance, offering a natural wood look with improved durability.
- Exposure (Reveal)
- The visible height of each siding course once installed, such as a 4-inch or 7-inch reveal.
F
- Fascia
- The horizontal trim board along the roof edge that is often wrapped or covered to match siding and trim.
- Fiber Cement Siding
- A dense, durable siding made of cement, sand and cellulose fibers that resists fire, insects and rot and can mimic wood grain.
- Flashing
- Metal or membrane material installed at windows, doors, roof-to-wall intersections and other openings to direct water away from the wall.
- Furring Strips
- Thin strips of wood installed on a wall to create a flat surface or an air gap behind the siding.
G
- Gable Vent
- A vent installed in the gable end wall to allow air to move in or out of the attic.
H
- House Wrap
- A weather-resistant barrier installed over sheathing that blocks liquid water while letting water vapor escape from the wall.
I
- Insulated Vinyl Siding
- Vinyl siding with a contoured rigid foam backing that adds insulation, rigidity and impact resistance.
J
- J-Channel
- A J-shaped trim piece that receives and conceals the cut ends of siding around windows, doors and rooflines.
L
- Lap Siding
- Any horizontal siding where each course overlaps the one below to shed water. It's the most common siding style.
N
- Nailing Hem
- The top edge of a vinyl siding panel with slotted holes for fasteners, allowing the panel to expand and contract.
R
- Rain Screen
- A small air gap behind the siding that allows water to drain and the wall to dry, improving durability in wet climates.
S
- Shake
- A rough, split-look wood shingle, or a manufactured siding that mimics that texture, often used on gables or accent areas.
- Sheathing
- The structural panels, usually plywood or OSB, attached to wall framing, over which the weather barrier and siding are installed.
- Soffit
- The material covering the underside of the roof overhang. Vented soffit allows air into the attic.
- Starter Strip
- A strip installed at the base of a wall to lock in and properly position the first course of siding.
T
- Trim
- The boards and accessories that frame windows, doors, corners and rooflines, giving the exterior a finished, defined look.
V
- Vinyl Siding
- A PVC-based siding that is affordable, low maintenance and available in many colors and profiles.
W
- Weep Holes
- Small openings at the bottom of siding panels or masonry that let any moisture behind the cladding drain out.