A Guide to Understanding Siding Terms

Your exterior siding protects your home from outside elements. With the right color and material, siding can also boost the curb appeal of your property and increase its overall value. If you are in the market for new siding, however, you might want to brush up on a few terms that your contractor may use. Homecraft® Inc., a top local home improvement company, shares some of the common siding terms you might not know. 

Batten

The batten is a strip of wood that seals joints in wooden siding. Modern “board and batten” siding pertains to the old wood siding that had “boards” and “battens” to fill the gaps between the boards. Take note that battens are the smaller parts that go between the boards. 

Channel

The channel is the area on a piece of siding that allows for another piece of siding to be inserted. It also refers to the trim itself and is named for the letters of the alphabet they resemble. This includes J-channels and F-channels, for example. 

Course

The course is a row of panels – one panel wide – that runs the length of the house from one side to the other. In the case of vertical siding, on the other hand, it runs from top to bottom. Multiple “courses” of siding are used to fill up an exterior wall. 

Face Nailing

Face nailing is the action of fastening directly onto the “face” side of a panel instead of using the nail hem slot. The face refers to the side of a siding or soffit panel that is showing once the panel has been installed. Keep in mind that face nailing is frowned upon as it exposes the nails rather than hiding them. 

Furring Strip

Furring strips are 1-inch-by-2-inch wooden strips that are typically attached to the exterior of a house for the siding to be attached. To “fur” a surface means to apply these strips. Furring strips can also be used to straighten surfaces on your home exterior that are not perfectly flat. 

Plumb or Square

A plumb is a position or measurement that is exactly vertical – 90 degrees from a level surface, while a square or square tool is a tool used to achieve a perfect 90-degree level between two objects. It’s crucial that your siding is plumb to the exterior wall of your home. Otherwise, you would have crooked siding. 

Weep Holes

Weep holes are openings that are found in the bottom edge of siding to allow built-up condensation to run off and out of your siding. This way, you prevent water buildup between the backerboard – a flat material used on the face of the house – and the siding.

For your siding installation needs, turn to Homecraft® Inc. We install a wide range of siding products, including the CedarMAX™ insulated vinyl siding by ProVia®.  It has an integrated layer of foam insulation that provides better and more superior thermal protection than siding with thinly applied foam sheets. It is also available in a wide range of colors and finishes, with matching trim and accessory packages for the total look.

Call us today at (302) 798-0302, or fill out our online contact form to request an estimate. We proudly serve homeowners in Newark, Middletown and Bear, DE.