Greg Riegler
How does that old saying go? “May you live in interesting times”? For many in the LBM industry, the saying could be switched to “May you sell in interesting times.”
Few would dispute interesting times are upon us in residential siding and trim. Scarcely a month goes by without another big industry announcement. Keeping up with the latest siding and trim developments is a chore, much less trying to identify winners from also-rans in an increasingly crowded field.
What’s going on in the siding and trim wars? What’s trending among architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) customers?
Greg Riegler
Greg Riegler
A good person to ask is Ian Daniels, a 10-year veteran of Tamlyn, a 50-year-old building products manufacturer. Daniels is a student of the industry, bringing a Masters of Architecture degree and a well-trained eye to the cladding revolution.
Even Daniels admits things are … well, interesting. “It’s a time of tremendous opportunity and challenges, as many distributors and dealers try to anticipate tastes and trends,” he says. Here’s Daniels’ take, drawn from his wealth of dealer and show visits:
- Old Is New Again. Like a 25-year-old necktie that’s reborn as a fashion hit, Daniels observes old siding favorites coming back to the AEC mainstream. “You’re seeing an uptick on shiplap-style siding, for example. The difference is, they’re returning in more robust materials,” reports Daniels.
- Wood-Friendly Metal. Wood products, such as shiplap siding, play well with metal trim products. Inside and outside corner trim add a level of durability only metal can provide.
- Commercial Invaders. New players are entering the residential space. Names like Nichiha and Porcelanosa now offer home builders options once only available on the commercial side, such as ventilated porcelain or a diversity of fiber cement styles in stucco, stone, brick, and block looks.
- Unique Shapes and Patterns. “Unusual shapes like X-style reveals or setback pieces are harder to detail,” says Daniels. “Metals and sometimes plastics offer installers the ability to create these crazy, crazy shapes that may be nearly impossible with wood.”
- Cool New Materials. Daniels says engineered wood products have long dominated siding lines. That may be changing as “… cool new products from manufacturers like Boral and James Hardie gain traction. Companies like Arcitell now offer reinforced polymer panels that resemble stone and brickwork. Trespa is also offering alternative cladding ideas.”
- Black Rocks. How popular is black and other dark trim? Daniels says his company “… stocks about half of our profiles in black anodized trim. It works in so many applications. The idea of contrasting trim, even with bright colors, has taken hold in many developments.”
- Speaking of Color. Distributors and dealers always face tough decisions over color. Now those challenges sharpen as siding manufacturers offer new lineups of “dream collections” and other designer palettes.
With so much in play, what’s a dealer or distributor to do? Daniels suggests the trade keep an open mind, attend shows, and stay current through their manufacturing reps.
To learn more about innovations in trim, check out https://www.tamlyn.com/XT/about-xtremetrim.html.
