I went to a local building supply looking for windows and siding options. I mentioned I was looking into fiber cement, and the dealer there mentioned a new option: fiberglass siding. He said it was developed by Marvin, and gave me a link to look into it.
Has anyone heard of, or had any experience working with it? It looks like it installs like vinyl, but supposedly paintable, tighter fitting, and doesn’t expand. Looks promising, but not sure if it lives up to its hype.
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Sounds good, but no doubt expensive. And you should find out how hard it will be to paint in 15-20 years, after the finish has faded.
Likely cutting it is a little bit of a challenge -- similar to cutting FG roofing panels.
It is expensive but it is in the same cost range as fiber-cement or wood. The part you will get a better value is the installation. The installation is very similar to vinyl although the installation procedure is a bit more precise. As for the concern about painting, if you even need to after 15-20 years, it is very easy to paint. You don't need to scuff it up or anything, just use a good latex paint. The finish is the same type of finish used in the automobile industry - quite resistant to fading.
Cutting isn't challenge as long as you use a diamond impregnated tile blade. You may pay a bit more for this type of blade but it will last you for numerous installations. If you use a carbide blade you won't get clean cuts and you will be buying new blades - alot of them.
Yeah, I've only cut fiberglass boats (with a saber saw) and fiberglass roofing panels. For the latter I used a plywood blade and full body armor -- goggles, mask, earmuffs. I'd guess that the diamond blade is quieter at least.
No experience with this product, but I've had some general experience with fiberglass. I would be concerned with UV and heat as they relate to the chemical state of the resin/catalyst bond.
Fiberglass is a lot like concrete; it's a chemical mixture that never stops getting harder, which means that at some point it starts getting brittle and flaky. I'd want to know how they address this issue.
Presumably the UV issue is handled by the finish, similar to the gel coat on a boat.
Apex fiberglass siding
So has anyone actually installed this siding in a cold environment? (Canada) I'm considering it but there don't seem to be many others that have. A bit of a concern.
Apex fiberglass siding
So has anyone actually installed this siding in a cold environment? (Canada) I'm considering it but there don't seem to be many others that have. A bit of a concern.
I have no experience with fiberglass siding but I do have a lot of history with fiberglass and wooden boats. IMHO, these new "no maintainence" wonder products are great when 1st installed but do not hold up to the hype over time. If you are building for the long term - give me real wood any day! I would rather paint than replace.