Exterior House Trim Materials
- Solid Wood. Solid wood trim is one of the oldest materials around. ...
- Engineered Wood. Engineered wood has become a fast growing alternative to solid wood. ...
- Fiber Cement Trim. Fiber cement has become another alternative that tends to get a lot of attention as being more durable and longer lasting than wood.
- Plastic Trim. ...
- Preservative-Treated Trim. ...
Full Answer
What is considered exterior trim on a house?
Builders who install trim on the exterior of homes have been facing rising costs for lumber, along with increased demand from homeowners for a long lasting material that won’t require as much maintenance as traditional wood products. This has led to a wide range of different materials on the market, all of them making great claims but not all of them being necessarily the right …
What material is used for exterior house trim?
Jul 31, 2018 · What Is Trim? Trim on a home’s exterior typically includes the material that edges the windows and doors, the fascia board that runs along the lower edge of the roof and the soffits beneath the roof. Depending on the style of your home, your trim could include more elements, like a horizontal trim board that runs beneath the fascia.
What is the exterior trim on a house?
Sep 18, 2016 · Corner Post – The outer corner trim to seal off siding and wall edges. Foundation – The structural base that the home sits on, normally concrete. Windows & Doors. Trim – Decorative board around the edges of windows and doors. Header – Larger decorative trim boards and moldings above windows and doors.
What is the best wood for exterior trim?
樂 Click to see full answer. Also, what is an exterior trim? 樂 Trim on a home's exterior typically includes the material that edges the windows and doors, the fascia board that runs along the lower edge of the roof and the soffits beneath the roof. Traditionally, whether a home has brick, stucco or stone siding, the trim material is wood. ...
What is plastic trim?
Plastic Trim. There are many different types of plastic trim materials on the market. These include polyurethane, vinyl, cellular PVC, foamed polystyrene, polymer composite resin, and polyethylene lumber. All of these materials are much lower maintenance than solid wood, because none of them require any painting, unless desired.
What is the best wood for trim?
Solid wood trim is one of the oldest materials around. The most common woods for use on trim are cedar and redwood, because they naturally resist moisture and insect activity, making them longer lasting than other woods. The costs for these materials have been rising along with availability, however, which has led to many builders looking for less expensive alternatives. Other solid woods don’t necessarily have the same ability to resist rot that cedar and redwood do, which can mean they don’t last as long.
What is fiber cement trim made of?
Fiber cement trim is made from a mixture of sand, silica, cellulose fibers, and Portland cement , which is poured into a mold to give it a realistic-looking wood grain. It can be found already primed or painted, which can make for an easier finish, and many fiber cement trim products tend to be more expensive than solid wood, which can make them a less cost effective solution from a material standpoint.
Can engineered wood be mitred?
For example, some types of engineered wood cannot be mitred, while others are only sold in 12 or 16-foot lengths resulting in a lot of cuts and waste for some projects. Many engineered woods may also delaminate if they come into prolonged contact with water.
Is XT trim good?
Our experiences with XT Trim have been good. I feel it is the best bang for the buck. It is a good trim especially if you are trying to save money.
Do plastic trims warp?
They’re also temperature sensitive, softening in the hot sun and becoming brittle and prone to cracks in the cold. It’s not uncommon for plastic trims to warp in hot climates and to develop a lot of cracks after several harsh winters, so they aren’t always as low maintenance as people think.
Is fiber cement trim cheaper than wood?
It can be found already primed or painted, which can make for an easier finish, and many fiber cement trim products tend to be more expensive than solid wood, which can make them a less cost effective solution from a material standpoint. Fiber cement does have some drawbacks, however.
What is trim on a house?
Trim on a home’s exterior typically includes the material that edges the windows and doors, the fascia board that runs along the lower edge of the roof and the soffits beneath the roof. Depending on the style of your home, your trim could include more elements, like a horizontal trim board that runs beneath the fascia.
What is the exterior trim of a Victorian home?
A Victorian home may have corbels and carvings, scalloped gable board, shutters around the windows and spindles that line a porch — all features that would be considered part of the exterior trim. Traditionally, whether a home has brick, stucco or stone siding, the trim material is wood.
What happens when you paint trim?
Once work gets started, your painters will scrape and sand the existing paint. This will expose the condition of your trim and potentially any additional rotted wood that wasn’t visible before, which could add to the cost of the job.
What is trim painting?
Trim is typically painted with brushes, which is slow detail work compared to the speed of spraying or rolling paint onto large swaths of siding. Find the right painting pro. The first step is to choose a professional painter to work with. Look for one with good reviews and who is licensed and insured.
How much does it cost to paint trim?
The cost to paint your trim can range from the low $1,000s into the tens of thousands depending on your home’s size, the complexity of the project and the cost of labor in your area. In Seattle, where DuPont lives, painting the trim on a typical 1,500- to 1,800-square-foot home would cost about $2,900 to $3,500. A similar job would cost $3,000 to $6,000 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, says John Speridakos, who runs Cosmos Painting Co. there. Outside Mobile, Alabama, in Spanish Fort, the job would cost $1,800 to $3,000. Call around to get a sense of rates where you live.
Why do people hire painters to paint their trim?
Many people hire pros to paint their trim simply because they don’t have the time to do it themselves , says Speridakos, the Massachusetts painting pro. It’s also nice to know that your home is in the hands of an experienced professional who stands behind his or her work. And there’s another reason that the budget-minded might consider: Professionals already have the required tools.
Can a pro repair rotted trim?
An experienced pro will be able to spot most of the rotted or damaged trim that needs carpentry work to repair, though damage could also show up during the job. Before work starts you should get a contract spelling out what specifically is to be done, how much it will cost and how and in what timeframe you will pay.
What is a special area in a house?
Specialty Areas. Dormer – An extra wall area that extends out from the roof plane often containing a window. Chimney – The large protective ventilation area for smoke normally from a fireplace . Porch – An open front extension around the entrance of the home, normally covered.
What is the edge of a gable roof called?
Rake – The rake is the outer slanting edge of a gable roof end that runs from the ridge to the eave.
What is a grid window?
Grid/Grille – Thin inner window trim that visually divide glass. Some are strictly decorative and some also provide structural and stability benefits. They come in many different patterns. Grids are normally rectangular. Grilles often refer to more elaborate patterns. Spelling is seen interchangeably as grille and grill.
What is the overhanging area of a roof that extends beyond the house to keep rain water away from the
Eave – The overhanging area of the roof that extends beyond the house to keep rain water away from the lower part of the home .
What is a chimney?
Chimney – The large protective ventilation area for smoke normally from a fireplace .
What is the triangular part of a wall where roof pitches meet and come to a peak?
Gable – The triangular part of a wall where roof pitches meet and come to a peak.
What is a railing in a house?
Railing – Fencing or barrier with small posts, rails, often around an open part of the house like a deck or porch.
What is exterior trim?
The best exterior trim details are designed to keep water out but to provide easy drainage for any water that penetrates the exterior. This is particularly important when using trim materials that are vulnerable to decay or moisture damage, such as non decay-resistant softwoods or hardboard.
How to avoid water in trim boards?
Avoid exterior miter joints, which tend to open and absorb water. Use Z- or drip-cap flashing at horizontal joints, such as above windows or where corner boards meet the water table.
How wide should a roof be?
Wide roof overhangs, 8 inches minimum, at rake and eaves keeps water away from the side of the house, preserving siding and trim.
What is an illustrated home?
The ILLUSTRATED HOME illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Is hardboard siding exposed to the outside environment?
Our photo below illustrates soft, deteriorating wood fiber or hardboard exterior trim. In my [DF] experience, hardboard siding and trim don't fare well exposed to the exterior environment and are particularly vulnerable at cuts or surface penetrations. The hardboard trim in my photo was installed as the water table, a band of horizontal trim at the base of exterior siding around a building.
Is wood trim susceptible to water damage?
As our photographs illustrate just below, the exposed end grain of wood trim is particularly vulnerable to water absorption and subsequent rot as well as insect damage. At below left the building exterior has been ignored so long that not only is there extensive rot to vertical and horizontal trim, we expected (and found) leaks into the walls and wall structure damage from rot and insects.
Does hardboard siding deteriorate?
You'll notice that where the nails penetrated the skin of this hardboard trim the deterioration was most rapid. The absence of zee-flashing between the siding bottom and the horizontal surface of the trim board's top also contribute to trim deterioration: water runs behind and along the trim surface. My second photo (above right) shows the softening and beginning of deterioration where the hardboard siding nail penetrates its surface.
What color should trim be?
The trim color should highlight the home's architectural elements while allowing the elements to create a three-dimensional effect. Painting window sashes a darker color than the main house will cause the the sashes to recede into the background and visually move the lighter elements of the home forward.
What are the parts of exterior painting?
About Exterior Painting. Three parts exist when painting the exterior of a home: the actual body of the home, the trim and the accent. The body of the home includes the front, sides and back of your home. The trim includes the horizontal and vertical elements, such as door and window frames. The accent involves particular elements ...
What does curb appeal include?
The curb appeal of a home includes the landscaping and how and what colors are used on the home. Present the best curbside impression with trim and accents colors that highlight the features of your home.
What is exterior trim?
Exterior trim provides decorative detail on your home's facade. Trim lines your roof, accents your siding, and frames windows and doors, which means it plays a big role in your exterior color palette. Depending on the siding and trim color combination you choose, trim can provide an unexpected pop of color, blend in with your siding, ...
What color trim should I use for a multi level house?
For multi-level homes, it's typically best to apply the darkest shade on the first floor, medium on the second floor, and the lightest on the third floor. If you paint the darkest trim color on top, you risk making the house appear top-heavy. Houses with shingled upper stories are the exception; these should be painted a lighter shade on the lower story.
What color are downspouts painted?
On masonry buildings, the downspouts often are painted bronze-green to simulate weathered copper. When it comes to painting window trim, as a general rule, window sashes and shutters should be the darkest parts of your color scheme. As a result, the windows recede into the facade.
What color should gutters be?
To make gutters and downspouts as inconspicuous as possible, paint them to blend in with the adjacent siding or trim. On a frame house with olive trim and a light green body, for example, the gutters would probably be olive to disappear against the olive cornice, but the downspouts would be painted light green to correspond to the adjacent siding. On masonry buildings, the downspouts often are painted bronze-green to simulate weathered copper.
