Key Siding Terms Every Homeowner Should Know

When planning a siding replacement or investing in gutter protection services, your contractor may use technical lingo that you don’t understand, which can make the process confusing. Today, Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC provides an overview of common siding terms that you should know.

Backerboard

This is a flat material installed on the face of your home. It’s applied between the siding and the studs, or over the wall surface. This is to provide an even surface for installing vinyl siding.

Buttlock

The buttlock is the bottom edge of a siding or soffit panel. It can also be an accessory piece that’s opposite the nailing slots that locks onto the preceding panel.

Channel

This is the area of the accessory trim or corner post where siding or soffit panels are inserted. It also refers to the trim itself and is named after the letters of the alphabet they resemble, such as a J-channel or F-channel.

Course

This refers to the row of siding that runs through the exterior length of a wall from one side to the other. It’s the same for vertical siding, except the length is from top to bottom.

Drip Cap

Drip cap, or head flashing, is an accessory installed with vertical siding to prevent water from dripping into the panels.

Double Channel Lineal

This is a siding accessory that joins two soffit panels.

Eaves

This is the part of your roof that overhangs the exterior walls of your home.

Face 

The face refers to the side of a siding or soffit panel that is visible when the panel is installed.

Face-nailing 

This refers to the action of inserting nails directly onto the “face” of a siding panel. This exposes the nails, so this practice is usually not used.

Fascia

Fascia is the trim that covers the ends of roof rafters. You’ll usually see gutters and gutter guards running along the fascia. Fascia boards are installed between the roofing material and the soffit overhang. Fascia caps refer to the covering around a fascia board.

Flashing 

This is a thin strip of material used on roofs and around the sides of windows and doors to prevent draining water from leaking into the home. 

Furring/Furring Strip

This is usually a wooden strip used to even a surface in preparation for vinyl siding installation. To “fur” a surface means to apply these strips.

Gable

This is the triangular part of the wall where the pitch of your roof intersects.

Lap

This is short for overlap. This means to overlap the ends of two siding panels or accessory pieces to allow for expansion and contraction of the vinyl siding.

Lug/Crimp

These are the raised tabs on a siding panel. They are created by a snap lock punch, which can be used to lock a siding panel into place when the nailing hem has been removed.

Miter

To miter means to make a diagonal cut, usually 45 degrees.

Nailing Strip 

This is an additional framing member installed to facilitate soffit installation.

Nail Hole Punches

These are the holes in the flanges in a piece of siding that nails go through.

Plumb

A plumb or square is a truly vertical, or a 90-degree measurement of an object from a level surface.

Scoring

Scoring means running a knife or other sharp implement across a soffit or siding panel face without cutting all the way through the panel. This allows the panel to be bent and broken off cleanly.

Shim

This is a building material used to even a surface prior to installing vinyl siding.

Soffit

This is the material used to cover the underside of an eave, cornice or overhang. A soffit is designed to be installed lengthwise from the wall to the fascia board.

Weep Holes

These are openings that are cut into the siding to allow the water to run off. 

Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC has provided excellent solutions to our customers. When it comes to installing gutter guards or other roofing needs, you can rely on us to do an excellent job. For a free estimate, call us today at (815) 788-6699 or you can complete our online form to schedule an appointment. We serve Rockford and nearby IL areas.