After reading the outpour of criticism regarding the vinyl siding article by Mike G., I am compelled to write in defense of Fine HomeBuilding. The magazine has never professed to being pro-traditional in regards to materials. Vinyl siding is a fact-of-life for builders, whether you like the material or not. Would a similar article detailing the use of seamless gutters be received in the same way? After all, wood gutters are the traditional choice! For those who can’t stomach such topics covered by Fine HomeBuilding, read Old House Journal or some such periodical. I tip my hat to Fine HomeBuilding for continued comprehensive, informative and timely articles addressing the broad range of materials and methods used from builders both past and present.
Regards
Replies
This was discussed at length when the article was first published. Although I applaud the efforts of the magazine to provide excellent information on the installation of an inferior product, it does not change the fact that it is an inferior product. No one criticized the lack of tradition, only the total lack of quality and durability. Many new products are universally accepted because they are quality alternatives to traditional products and are at least as good as those they replace. Vinly siding is not as good as anything it replaces.
In its defense, the reasons given for its popularity were: that it is cheap; that it is low maintenance. Both true. No one did (or could) make the argument that it was better than anything else, only cheaper.
Vinyl siding is a fact of life, but that doesn't make it any better than a cheap alternative to suprior products. Mike Guertin (sp?), the author responded that a similar debate might have occured when asphalt shingles were introduced. Mybe so. One could make the argument that some asphalt shingles are as good as that which they replaced. He also started the article off with a statement along the lines of "I winced when I was first asked to put vinyl on a $400,000 home.." The magazine editor, Andy Engle, also responded that the decision to run with was heavily debated on their side as well.
My opinion is that it is a suitable material in some applications. Use of less expensive materials that save time and money and make homes more affordable can be the difference for some people being able to purchase a home.
Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful posts. Andy Engel, The Former Accidental Moderator
When I wrote this post, I'd neglected to read the "Vinyl History" post. Obviously, there's strong opinions on this one; but this thread should die now as it's already been covered. Will have to read more thoroughly before posting in the future.
Regards
Hey Tim...go read the other Vinyl thread..and give me some facts....over there.
Later, Jeff..............Al-ways look on......the bright......side of life...........
.......whistle.....whistle.......whistle........
Cheers to that. I want a publication that has the courage to put these topics on the table. Dustmonkey is right; we accept the latest and greatest in a lot of areas, is vinyl just a permanent taboo?
I can't dispute the quality issue and, personally, I wish vinyl siding and all it's freakish trim cousins would just go away.
Edited 11/26/2002 6:57:21 PM ET by 1STINGRAY
Oh Great!
Now we've got a third vinyl column to wade through...
When you wish that vinyl "and all it's freakish trim cousins would just go away." do you include things like Fypon? I consider these architechturaly true, well made, non-rotting products better than the original wood they replace.
But that's just one man's opinion..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
If the typical vinyl siding job was installed with the attention to detail as decribed in the article, with high-end stock (i.e. thick enough not to sag under its own weight), we probably would not have these threads. There are houses that would have rotted into the ground from lack of maintenance if it weren't for vinyl siding. Now, restorers can remove it and repaint old colonials, victorians and bungalows. It has it's place and it may as well be done right. ...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
Hmmm, do you all feel the same way about products like Trex as you do vinyl? I mean They are bastard cousins.
I don't think it's reasonable to assume that there's any point in history where homebuilding becomes high art, by virtue of either its techniques or materials, and then should stop at that point for all eternity. If the discussion were about Fine Woodworking and someone suggested building an armoire out of vinyl, then the argument might have more merit.
Materials evolve. We might find, in 10-20 years, that vinyl was just a rest stop along the road to some new, amazing material to build our fine homes.
I wonder if there was a furor in imperial Rome when they started using cast concrete instead of stone?
Wonder what the reaction would be if:
We had always used vinyl siding on our homes.
And then someone said "lets use this new renewable resource stuff , its called wood". Wood ?? Whats that???
It comes in random sizes, costs more than vinyl, none of it is quite straight, none of it even in the top grades is quite knot free, it cracks sometimes when you nail into it, it cracks sometimes later after installation for no apparent reason, termites like it, it will burn, it will load up with water and rot out, and it will take several coats of paint to cover it up right, and the paint will peel off frequently even with repainting .
Would we use it??
I guess new materials and ideas will always make some folks feel insecure, don't want to learn new techniques, not sure if it will work, etc. My son the computer genius has to constantly upgrade his skills to keep up with technology...onward and upward
Jennifer
I don't think that the people who despise vinyl siding do so because it is new or because they are insecure. That is a weak argument and does not address the product under discussion.
I think the people who depise vinyl siding do so because they believe it to be inferior to almost all other siding products. I personally beleive that it is popular because it is cheap. I believe that all the vinyl sided houses built in the last few years will require new siding before they are 30 years old.