Mastic Siding: Consider Your Vinyl and Aluminum Options

While the advantages of fiber cement siding make it an excellent option for most applications, it is not the only viable choice. Other siding products have their own strengths that may work better for some specific budgets or project requirements.

Aside from fiber cement siding, two other popular options that have largely replaced wood siding are vinyl siding and aluminum siding. Both vinyl siding and aluminum siding are less expensive and more durable than older wood siding technology.

One manufacturer with experience in both vinyl siding and aluminum siding is Mastic Home Exteriors, part of the Ply Gem family of building products. The best-known Mastic siding product is the company's vinyl siding product line. Mastic pioneered vinyl siding in 1959 and has remained a leader in the vinyl siding industry since then.

Mastic was acquired by Alcoa in 1989, and the high quality aluminum siding previously sold under the Alcoa name is now available as part of the Mastic siding line of products.

A Comparison of Vinyl Siding and Aluminum Siding

While both vinyl siding and aluminum siding share the attributes of durability and low cost, there are some differences between them.

Color - Aluminum siding can be painted at the factory or painted later by the contractor or homeowner. This allows color matching to existing features or the ability to change colors later if desired. Vinyl siding is available in a wide variety of colors, but cannot be painted later. The color is molded in during the manufacturing process.

Thickness - Vinyl siding is thicker then aluminum siding, sometimes more than twice as thick. Partially due to its thickness, vinyl siding is a better insulator then aluminum siding. This can reduce home energy costs.

Flexibility - Aluminum siding is more flexible then vinyl siding. This allows aluminum siding to be bent or shaped to fit as needed.