Choosing a Reliable Trim for Your Home’s Exterior
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– Whether you are building a new home or
remodeling an existing one, you want your house to look
its best inside and out. More important, you want it
to look great year after year with as little maintenance
as possible, right?
One simple way to set your home
apart from your neighbors is to install or replace the
exterior wood trim that frames your windows and doors,
caps roof lines and serves as column wraps, porch trim,
corner arches and a variety of other decorative applications.
It is an excellent finishing touch and a convenient
and inexpensive way to accent the beauty of your home’s
style.
When choosing an exterior trim,
material selection is perhaps the most important factor.
Available materials include wood, engineered wood composites,
hardboard and PVC. Wood products such as redwood, cedar
and primed spruce, can look great when first installed,
but may split and swell over time. Many homeowners also
complain about paint peeling, chipping and discoloration
of wood trim, as well as warping and decay.
Hardboard trim products are made
of two pieces of hardboard siding that are glued together.
Over time and with extended outdoor exposure, these
products may separate and lose their durability, requiring
additional maintenance and repair. PVC products may
expand or contract with temperature variations, are
not environmentally friendly, and cost two to three
times that of engineered wood composite trim boards.
Engineered wood composite trim
is a functional, economical and easy-to-use option.
Some composite trim is treated to withstand harsh weather
conditions and to provide enhanced performance. For
instance, MiraTEC Treated Exterior Composite Trim from
CraftMaster Manufacturing, Inc. (CMI) is treated with
zinc borate and made with phenolic resins to offer moisture,
rot and termite resistance. Hardboard trim products
do not offer such protection. Additionally, MiraTEC
Trim is coated with a mildew-resistant primer on four
sides, making it easy to paint, thus eliminating the
need to repaint as often as standard wood trim products.
Available in 16-foot boards, as
well as a variety of thicknesses and widths, CMI’s
MiraTEC Trim delivers enhanced durability and performance
in non-structural trim applications. It is reversible
to meet any home’s style. The smooth side offers
a contemporary look, while the side with a warm-cedar
texture is perfect for traditional homes. Unlike other
trim products, MiraTEC Trim is backed by a 25-year warranty
that covers rot, hail damage, warp, delamination and
splitting -- it’s the most comprehensive warranty
for any trim product on the market.
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