Vinyl brick siding offers Colonial look on a budget
Colonial-style brick homes are classic American architecture. If you have always loved the look of real brick, but your renovation budget doesn't allow for the high costs of traditional masonry work, consider using vinyl brick siding instead.
There's good reason why so many Colonial homes are still intact: They use one of the most durable building materials available. However, in today's market, real masonry products are extremely expensive. They are costly to use as a building material, and they are equally expensive to ship as well. Vinyl brick siding saves considerably on both expenses.
Brick veneer siding panels
There are two main types of faux masonry veneer siding: Thin-brick, which uses thinly sliced kiln-fired masonry for the brickface, or brick vinyl siding. The first still has considerable weight and cost issues but remains a good application for kitchens, fireplaces, chimneys and wine cellars, where the inherent thermal properties of the masonry can provide added benefits to homeowners.
Veneer panels, on the other hand, are an excellent choice for outdoor living areas and the body of your home. The panels are made from either polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and resins, just like traditional vinyl cladding. As such, they offer the same benefits of vinyl cladding: Solid coloring, moisture and insect resistance and durability. Brick veneer siding panels are warrantied against fading, cracking and peeling as well.
Faux masonry siding costs and colors
There are several well-respected manufacturers in this market segment. Manufacturers typically offer a range of products and accessories, including these:
- Panels
- Column covers
- Corners
Homeowners can choose from many different brick vinyl siding colors, including glacier white, mocha, clay and of course, red. Vinyl siding costs range in price from $5.35 per square foot for polypropylene to $13.10 per square foot for the more expensive, more durable products. If you are seeking those higher quality materials, you might want to stick with panels made from PVC or polyurethane. Some polypropylene -- think of the white cap on a box of Tic Tacs -- can degrade and fade when exposed to high heat and UV radiation from the sun. However, there are many polypropylene products certified by the Vinyl Siding Institute. Ask a building professional -- such as one of the pre-screened, certified contractors you can find through this site -- about their recommendations for imitation masonry cladding.
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