The use of aluminum and vinyl siding really involves two separate
industries. The siding materials themselves, including a variety
of inside and outside corner pieces, trim and molding pieces and
panning for window and door frames, are produced by a comparatively
small number of manufacturers. The product information, advertising,
and any manufacturer's warranties on the product itself are handled
by this part of the industry. The installation of aluminum or
vinyl siding is generally carried out by independent contractors
or applicators, who are frequently called "home improvement"
contractors, and they are not affiliated with the manufacturers.
The manufacturer's warranties normally do not cover the installation,
or any damage or defect resulting from the installation process.
Since the manufacturer has little control over the quality of
the installation, both the quality of the work and the sensitivity
of the application are variable. This variation in quality has
traditionally been a problem in the industry and one which the
industry and its professional associations have attempted to correct
through publishing and disseminating information on the proper
application of vinyl and aluminum siding.
 When a building is in need of maintenance, such as the house on the right which needs painting, some owners consider installing aluminum or vinyl siding. The result (see left) can be a complete loss of architectural character due to the covering of details and change of scale due to inappropriate siding dimensions. Photo: NPS files. |
Although it is sometimes argued that an artificial siding application
is reversible since it can be removed, there is frequently irreversible
damage to historic building materials if decorative features or
trim are permitted to be cut down or destroyed, or removed by
applicators and discarded. The installation process requires that
the existing surface be flat and free of "obstructions"
so that the new siding will be smooth and even in appearance.
To achieve the requisite flat surface, furring strips are usually
placed over the wall surface (vertical furring strips for horizontal
aluminum or vinyl siding and vice-versa for vertical siding). The
potential danger in this type of surface preparation is that the
furring strips may change the relationship between the plane of
the wall and the projecting elements such as windows, door trim,
the cornice, or any other projecting trim or molding. Projecting
details may also cause a problem. To retain them, additional cutting
and fitting will usually be required. Further, additional or special
molding pieces, or "accessories" as they are called
by the industry, such as channels, inserts and drip caps, will
be needed to fit the siding around the architectural features.
This custom fitting of the siding will be more labor-intensive,
adding to the cost of the siding installation.
The existing wall fabric is further damaged by the nailing necessary
to apply siding. Either by nailing directly to the building fabric
or by nailing the furring strips to the old siding, the installation
of aluminum or vinyl siding will leave numerous holes in wood
siding, molding, trim, window and door frames. When applied to
brick or other masonry units, the nail penetrations attaching
the furring strips and siding can cause irreversible cracking
or spalling of the masonry. Although this reference to damaging
masonry is included as a point of fact, the application of aluminum
or vinyl siding is highly inappropriate to historic masonry buildings.
"Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings" an Historic Preservation Brief
