Scalloped Siding For Roof Gables: 4 Reasons To Choose Vinyl

If your home has a gabled roof, installing decorative siding on the gable end walls can be a practical and cost-effective way to make your home more attractive. Scalloped siding shingles are an especially popular way to add architectural flair to gabled roofing. This eye-catching siding is available in a wide variety of shapes, designs, and colors.

Traditionally, scalloped siding was almost always made from cedar or other types of timber. However, many modern homeowners are choosing scalloped siding made from vinyl plastic. If you are considering adding scalloped siding to your home's roof gable(s), here are four reasons to choose vinyl scallops instead of timber:

Low Maintenance

Timber siding can be very beautiful, but only if it is properly maintained. Without regular surface treatments designed to prevent mold and repel woodboring insects, your timber scallops can quickly become rotten, damaged, and unsightly. Because gable scallops are located several feet above the ground, they can be more difficult and time-consuming to maintain than the rest of your home's siding. 

Vinyl scalloped siding, on the other hand, requires virtually no maintenance to stay looking its best. It is completely immune to damage caused by rot or insects and does not require any surface treatments. Any mold that grows on its surface can be easily cleaned away using a damp rag or hosepipe, and will not leave any lasting discoloration.

improved Insulation

Heat transfer through attics and roof cavities is a common cause of increased heating and air conditioning usage in homes. Adding insulated siding to the exterior of your roof gable(s) will not prevent heat transfer as well as interior insulation, but can still provide noticeable improvements. Unfortunately, timber scalloped siding is rarely insulated, and timber itself has mediocre insulation properties.

Finding vinyl scallops with built-in insulation is much easier, and can help make your home more energy efficient. Insulated scalloped siding is fitted with foam backing or encapsulated foam cores, which can prevent heat transfer and thermal bridging.

Just As Beautiful As Timber

You might assume that vinyl scalloped siding looks cheap and plastic-y, but modern vinyl manufacturing techniques can make siding that looks virtually indistinguishable from 'real' timber siding. High-quality, timber-look scalloped siding has three-dimensional grain patterns and convincing, variegated coloring, and will look identical to timber scallops when viewed from the curbside.

Cost Effective

Despite these advantages, vinyl scalloped siding is considerably cheaper than timber scallops. It is ideal if you want to fit or replace gable scallops on a tighter budget, or if your home's design features several gables that must be fitted with matching scallops.

Vinyl's immunity to rot and insect damage also means that vinyl scallops will generally last longer than timber scallops before they need to be replaced. This makes vinyl scalloping a much better long-term investment than traditional timber scallops. 

For more information, contact a local company like Leon Construction.