What Is Seamless Vinyl Siding?
- Traditional vinyl siding usually is 12 feet long, so one piece generally isn't long enough to complete a row of siding on a house. As a result, installers typically must create several seams on each row to join siding pieces so that they're long enough to extend from one end of a house to the other. That's why you usually see several overlapping seams, or joint lines, on a house covered with vinyl siding instead of one smooth surface.
- References to seamless vinyl siding aren't completely accurate, according to the Renovators Place website. Products referred to as seamless siding often are more than twice as long as traditional vinyl siding, and some are 40 feet long. The additional length allows installers to use fewer seams to hang siding, because one piece of siding may be long enough to complete a row. However, installers still may have to join some pieces in areas that are longer than the siding. Therefore, a seamless siding installation isn't always completed without seams.
- Vinyl siding generally is held in place by nailing it to wood wall sheathing. Siding seams have a small opening that makes the underlying wood more vulnerable to moisture and mold damage, as well as insect infestations. Seamless vinyl siding offers more protection from such problems because the installation process involves creating few seams where moisture can build up and insects can access the wood beneath the siding. The extra protection that seamless siding offers may increase the value of your home, according to Renovators Place.
- According to Renovators Place, seamless vinyl siding costs about 10 percent more than traditional vinyl siding. Contractors usually calculate vinyl siding installation costs by the square, which is 100 square feet. The average cost to install traditional vinyl siding on a 2,000 square foot home ranges from $5,000 to $6,000, according to CostOwl. Therefore, a seamless-siding installation for a home of the same size may cost about $5,500 to $6,600.
