Siding Terms Glossary

Definitions of Siding Terms

A-E - F-N - O- S - T-Z

Alcoa : Manufacturer of aluminum siding.

Aluminum Siding : Horizontal planks of aluminum with a baked-on enamel finish that looks like wooden lap siding.

American Hardboard Association (AHA) : The national trade organization for the manufacturers of hardboard products

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) : ANSI is a private, nonprofit organization that oversees the voluntary standardization and assessment of US products, to enable the US to better compete globally and enhance the quality of life in the US by conformity to product standards

Backerboard : A flat material used on the face of the house, between the studs and the siding, to provide a nailable surface for the siding.

Battens : Narrow strips of wood placed over joints in vertical wood plank siding to seal the joints

Beveled Clapboards : that are tapered rather than cut perfectly rectangular

Board and Batten : A style in which a narrow strip of siding appears to cover the seam between two wider boards. Board and batten siding is installed vertically.

Brick veneer : A wall construction method in which a layer of bricks is attached to the wood framework of a house using brick ties

Buttlock : Located on the bottom edge of a vinyl panel which locks onto the previously installed panel

Caulking : Waterproof material used to seal joints.

Certainteed : Manufacturer of fiber cement and vinyl siding.

Channel : The area of the accessory trim or corner post where siding or soffit panels are inserted. Channels also refer to the trim itself, and are named for the letters of the alphabet they resemble, for example J-channel and F-channel are available.

Checking : A crack or split along the grain in wood plank siding as a result of cupping

Clapboard : Overlapping, horizontal wood plank siding made from either rectangular planks or taped planks

Composition board : Blanks or sheets of weather resistant compressed wood fibers used as siding

Corrugated Siding : Siding made out of aluminum or plastic derivatives having ridges and valleys and is attached to the sides of buildings.

Course : A row of panels, one panel wide, running the length of the house from one side to the other or, in the case of vertical siding, from top to bottom.

Cupping : A warp across the board in wood plank siding

D4 Profile : Two four-inch wide horizontal traditional planks per single panel of siding.

D5 Profile : Two five-inch wide horizontal traditional planks per single panel of siding.

Detachment Separation : of the siding material-veneer or stucco- from its attachment to the house

Double course : An undercourse of shingles or shakes, not exposed to the weather, is covered completely by a top course

Double Wall Siding : Siding in which sheathing is installed and is then covered by exterior siding.

Drip Cap/Head Flashing : An accessory installed with vertical siding to ensure that water drips away from panels and does not infiltrate them; it is also used as a vertical base.

Dutchlap or Shiplap : A more decorative variation on the clapboard style where the face (or width) of the board is beveled for added dimension.