When planning a siding replacement or investing in gutter protection services, your contractor may use technical lingo that you don’t understand, which can make the process confusing. Today, Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC provides an overview of common siding terms that you should know.
Backerboard
This is a flat material installed on the face of your home. It’s applied between the siding and the studs, or over the wall surface. This is to provide an even surface for installing vinyl siding.
Buttlock
The buttlock is the bottom edge of a siding or soffit panel. It can also be an accessory piece that’s opposite the nailing slots that locks onto the preceding panel.
Channel
This is the area of the accessory trim or corner post where siding or soffit panels are inserted. It also refers to the trim itself and is named after the letters of the alphabet they resemble, such as a J-channel or F-channel.
Course
This refers to the row of siding that runs through the exterior length of a wall from one side to the other. It’s the same for vertical siding, except the length is from top to bottom.
Drip Cap
Drip cap, or head flashing, is an accessory installed with vertical siding to prevent water from dripping into the panels.
Double Channel Lineal
This is a siding accessory that joins two soffit panels.
Eaves
This is the part of your roof that overhangs the exterior walls of your home.
Face
The face refers to the side of a siding or soffit panel that is visible when the panel is installed.
Face-nailing
This refers to the action of inserting nails directly onto the “face” of a siding panel. This exposes the nails, so this practice is usually not used.
Fascia
Fascia is the trim that covers the ends of roof rafters. You’ll usually see gutters and gutter guards running along the fascia. Fascia boards are installed between the roofing material and the soffit overhang. Fascia caps refer to the covering around a fascia board.
Flashing
This is a thin strip of material used on roofs and around the sides of windows and doors to prevent draining water from leaking into the home.
Furring/Furring Strip
This is usually a wooden strip used to even a surface in preparation for vinyl siding installation. To “fur” a surface means to apply these strips.
Gable
This is the triangular part of the wall where the pitch of your roof intersects.
Lap
This is short for overlap. This means to overlap the ends of two siding panels or accessory pieces to allow for expansion and contraction of the vinyl siding.
Lug/Crimp
These are the raised tabs on a siding panel. They are created by a snap lock punch, which can be used to lock a siding panel into place when the nailing hem has been removed.
Miter
To miter means to make a diagonal cut, usually 45 degrees.
Nailing Strip
This is an additional framing member installed to facilitate soffit installation.
Nail Hole Punches
These are the holes in the flanges in a piece of siding that nails go through.
Plumb
A plumb or square is a truly vertical, or a 90-degree measurement of an object from a level surface.
Scoring
Scoring means running a knife or other sharp implement across a soffit or siding panel face without cutting all the way through the panel. This allows the panel to be bent and broken off cleanly.
Shim
This is a building material used to even a surface prior to installing vinyl siding.
Soffit
This is the material used to cover the underside of an eave, cornice or overhang. A soffit is designed to be installed lengthwise from the wall to the fascia board.
Weep Holes
These are openings that are cut into the siding to allow the water to run off.
Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC has provided excellent solutions to our customers. When it comes to installing gutter guards or other roofing needs, you can rely on us to do an excellent job. For a free estimate, call us today at (815) 788-6699 or you can complete our online form to schedule an appointment. We serve Rockford and nearby IL areas.