Replacing Wood and Stone with High-End Cost-Effective Products
Wood and stone are attractive materials for your home’s exterior, but they do come with their drawbacks. For one, they are expensive, and for another, they’re not always reliable–when exposed to water, sun, and other elements, they can damage, fade, and even start to chip or rot.
Fortunately, due to innovations, there are composite options that are high-quality and cost-effective for roofing, siding, soffit boards, window structures, and decks.
In today’s blog post, we dive into these options.
Composite Woods & Cement
Traditionally, vinyl and aluminum have been the go-to substitutes for exterior wood and stone. However, in the last decade, manufacturers have developed composite products that offer better curb appeal, durability, and strength.
- Composite Woods: These products are typically wood fiber-coated with wax and covered with zinc to resist pests and rotting.
- Cement Products: These are a mixture of cement, sand, water, and wood fibers. They are heavier and harder to work with than composite woods but also may resist water better.
These products do cost more than vinyl and aluminum–especially if you select those with the graining and texture to match high-end wood and stone–but they require less maintenance, which makes them less expensive in the long run.
The drawbacks are that these materials are not as available as others, so you may have to wait. Also, you need skilled craftsmen to install them.
Stone-Coated Steel & Faux Wood Shingles
Manufacturers have also developed new products to replace the wood and stone on your rooftop. Asphalt and metal, respectively, have been used for shingles and roofing, but there are newer selections that are highly functional while aesthetically pleasing.
- Stone-Coated Steel: This material is metal, but the sheets are coated in granite granules to replicate the look of stone.
- Faux Wood Shingles: These resemble wood shake but are actually made of resin and UV stabilizers.
Additionally, these products are very fire-resistant and may come with warranties up to 50 years. You can get incredible value from these products, but they do have a high up-front cost.
While you have the best intentions to maintain your roof, siding, deck, and even decorative walls, life gets in the way, distractions abound, and it’s easy to lose sight of the condition of these structures. Very rarely do these areas of your home get the care they need to stay undamaged.
That’s where we come in. We know which materials best handle conditions that can impact your home’s exterior, and we can help you replace old, damaged ones with dependable, high-quality products.
The Len Roofing & Remodeling Difference
When we say that we’re a top-quality home remodeling and roofing company that serves the North Shore and surrounding Chicagoland area, we back it up. We do more than simply cover the basics: we show up on time and nail it. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 847-768-6000 or visit our contact page.
