I was planning to use miratec but by buddy told be to use aluminum instead because the miratec would rot in a few years if not regularly painted. What do you guys use and is aluminum cost effective?
thanks
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Is your buddy in the aluminum coil business?
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I think what seeyou's trying to tell you is that your buddy is all wrong about Miratech.
I've been using Miratech for 8-10 years now, and haven't seen any rot in it. And I'm back to several jobs on a regular basis where I used it.
You're not supposed to use it near ground level, but I don't see that as a problem with fascias.
It does need to be painted, but so does just bout everything else. If you don't want to paint, consider Azek or Koma.
I like MiraTec. I didn't think I would, but I do. Treat it like wood. Putty, caulk, and paint it every few years. I've had scrap pieces sitting outside just to see how well it would hold up. I would rather use it than wood.
How does aztec compare in price ?
Thanks
For starters Azek is about 2x the price. For example a Miratec 1x4-16' is about $10 and a Azek 1x4-18' is about 21$. I think the difference approaches 3x for the larger 'boards' like 1x10s. When you are paying roughly $60 for a single 'board', the money light comes on bright.
Those prices are what I get at the lumber yard. If you are buying stuff at a home center they might be higher, plus they don't have as long a lengths.
Edited 11/1/2008 8:27 am ET by Matt
Azek is approx. the same price as clear cedar. Azek is oil price driven so I know the price has been coming down.
A nearby company called "Bradco" sells 24" wide, aluminum coil stock in various colors. A 50' coil costs about $95. Then, you've got the cost of having it cut, folded and bent, usually in 10' lengths.
With aluminum, there's a disclaimer on the carton saying you can't use it over bare Pressure Treated lumber due to chemical reactions....
Bill
When we resided at least 15 years back (maybe it's been 20 now) we used GP's "PrimeTrim" composite for the fascias. Primed it well on all 4 sides with MooreWhite red, then painted with BMs best exterior trim paint.
Repainted 3-4 years ago when we did the rest of the house. Otherwise haven't touched it. No sign of deterioration.
what is "GP's "PrimeTrim" composite " made of - ir what does it look like inside?
IIRC it was kind of like your better quality "hardboard" siding -- wood fibers held together with phenolic resin. Fairly dense, with a smooth, non-porous surface. Hard to nail the stuff.
Conscience is the still, small voice which tells a candidate that what he is doing is likely to lose him votes. --Anonymous
Sounds pretty similar to Miratec which is basically treated hardboard.
Yeah, I suspect. It replaced cedar, which had rotted in spots and was badly warped, wouldn't hold paint, etc.I'd definitely use it again.
Conscience is the still, small voice which tells a candidate that what he is doing is likely to lose him votes. --Anonymous
Well, you are almost right. I think that they use borates also. Its some rugged stuff. I'm so happy with it, I've been trying to sell it to everyone who will listen. I've tried to see if I could get the stuff to rot, but it won't. It gets ugly after a few months, but it doesn't rot. MiraTec is about all you see on new houses around here. You can route it too! I just found that out about two weekends ago. Now I can do something with all this scrap I've got laying around.
Edited 11/2/2008 2:19 pm ET by arcflash