PVC, Cedar, Pine? What trim did you use?

[the spyder]

I'm finally ordering the trim and siding for my building. I have worked with pine and ceder as trim on our house/beachhouse, but I keep seeing people recommending PVC trim from Azek or Koma. I've also read PVC moves, a lot. What's on your house/garage/shop? What do you/don't you like about what's on there and what would you replace it with?

Thanks!

 

[Pluribus]

Are you on the wet side of the Cascades? I Used cedar at my last house, but will be going with fiber cement or PVC/"plastic" for my current place? Maybe I didn't do perfect prep, but I found the cedar to shrink/swell even after flashing, caulking, priming, and painting. Granted, I had some pretty severe sun exposure as well as wind driven rain.

 

[Thorold]

I used 5/4 rough sawn pine for mine. I used transparent white stain on all edges pre-install and another coat on exposed surfaces after.

It has help up very well though it is not as white as it once was.

 

[Flexia]

I found a product called miratech. They say it doesn't expand and contract as much as wood and It's a cross between fiber cement and treated MDF. I haven't had it long to see how it last but I left a cut off piece laying on the ground and after serval weeks it didn't swell.

 

[SteveCh]

I used cedar. Unpainted. I liberally brushed a linseed oil/turpentine solution on it, both sides. It's been in place for 25 yr. or more with no problems. I hear people complain about cedar now and then [cracks, warps, splits, looks ugly, etc.] That has not been my experience.

 

[the spyder]

I'm just south of Portland on the Willamete River. I read about miratech, I'm concerned about peeling paint issues after finding dozens of complaints about it. My local contractor friend said to avoid PVC and I'm not sure why, he has not responded yet- but at this rate Cedar it is.

 

[aafadca]

I really like the vinyl trim. You can use the textured or smooth side. Never worry about paint unless you decide to paint it. Even then, the paint supposedly last longer because the material is more stable than wood.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I'm finally ordering the trim and siding for my building. I have worked with pine and ceder as trim on our house/beachhouse, but I keep seeing people recommending PVC trim from Azek or Koma. I've also read PVC moves, a lot. What's on your house/garage/shop? What do you/don't you like about what's on there and what would you replace it with?

Thanks!

I don't like cedar and I don't like pvc so that's my answer.

Well...depends on how thick the cedar is, the thicker the better.

 

[ishiboo]

LP SmartSide or similar.

Yeah, PVC seems ridiculous for trim... I was watching a manufacturer install video for PVC fascia boards and you have to have like a 1/4" gap between 8' pieces for expansion/contraction? Looked like ****.

 

[Gerald O]

Hardie plank horizontal lap siding, Miratech cornerboards, vinyl trimmed widows, and formed aluminum fascia. No rot allowed here.