Types Of Vinyl Siding: Horizontal And Vertical Profiles

Posted on Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

The versatility of vinyl siding is one of the many reasons vinyl is superior to other cladding materials, not even fiber cement siding can compare. Vinyl with a horizontal profile can be clean, green, and beautiful. The hard part is figuring out which one will work best for your home.

Types Of Horizontal Vinyl Siding

Horizontal profiles come in 3 main flavors:

  • Beaded
  • Dutch Lap
  • Clapboard/Traditional Lap

Beaded is a popular style in the South and Mid-Atlantic. The bottom lip bulges out slightly and curves backwards underneath. The purpose of the bead is to enhance the bottom drop shadow of the siding. The look is classical, yet subtle. The elegant shadow lines and detail is a traditional style with a warm charm.

Dutch Lap also known as Cove Lap and German Lap vinyl siding has two distinct edges. The top edge slants sharply against the house while the falling edge is perfectly flat and parallel with the wall. It is a popular lap siding because it combines the clean look of clapboard/traditional siding with a decorative groove along the top edge of the flat siding face. The depth of the groove helps increase the strength of the siding while the beveled edge gives the siding depth, creating a richer overall look and feel.
Clapboard/Traditional Lap is what most people think of when they think of vinyl siding. Clapboard vinyl siding is a favored option that can add beauty to your home. The appearance of freshly painted smooth clapboards is the most versatile horizontal siding. It offers a colorful selection of siding styles that today’s homeowners want.

Types Of Vertical Vinyl Siding

Vertical profiles come in 2 main flavors:

  • Board and Batten
  • Soffit and Cedar Plank

Board and batten vinyl siding which features a unique, rustic style of alternating wide and narrow cedar boards that will accent any home in both beauty and comfort. Board and batten vinyl siding defines the distinctive carpenter gothic cottages, homes and outbuildings that early settlers relied on to protect and beautify. The beautifully designed panels with beaded edge are a complementing replica of the original wood board and batten structures and are sensitive to the architecture of the day. This type of siding is claimed to be one of vinyl’s most appealing styles.

Soffit and cedar plank are flat boards next to one another. While it certainly adds a little dimension, it’s main focus is to take the focus away from that spot to somewhere else that is probably more interesting. It is normally located on the underside of an overhang, a porch ceiling, or a shed.

Horizontal and Vertical Siding Textures

Vertical and horizontal profile vinyl siding comes in 2 main flavors:

  • Wood grain – cedar, oak, etc.
  • Smooth

Wood grain textures give house a classic look without going overboard. The texture will soften the vinyl siding so that it isn’t to stark or harsh. Since wood has always been used as a house cladding, the look is timeless.

Smooth texture is for a more modern, clean look. It will accentuate the edges and shadows since they are the only lines visible.

Other Profiles

There are even more vinyl siding profiles than what we’ve already listed. If you haven’t figured out which one you want, continue reading about Shakes and Shingles.

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