Over my many years in home construction, I’ve seen more and more builders use synthetic materials. From vinyl fencing and siding to plastic roofing and moldings to fiberglass doors and columns, human-made products often hold up better than natural materials. They are also less expensive than their natural counterparts and worth considering for your home build.
The Skinny on Plastic Polymer Roof Shingles
DaVinci Roofscapes manufactures synthetic slate and wood shake roof shingles from an engineered plastic polymer that resists impact damage and withstand winds up to 110 mph. The roofing carries a Class A fire rating and has a 50-year limited warranty.
To test the impact resistance of DaVinci’s plastic polymer roof shingles, we hit a frozen piece with a baseball bat. To test the fire resistance of the shingles, we applied heat from a propane torch. In both cases, the DaVinci shingles showed little or no damage.
Plastic Polymer Benefits
Plastic polymer roof shingles have several advantages over natural slate or wood shakes. They are lightweight, making them easier to transport and install. The average square of DaVinci shingles weighs 200 to 300 pounds less than natural slate. They also have better impact resistance and do not crack or break as easily as natural materials.
Custom color options allow you to match your roof to your home’s exterior color scheme. The plastic polymer shingles carry an industry-leading 50-year limited warranty and could last 60 years before needing to be replaced.
One downside: plastic polymer shingles have a slightly higher up-front cost than asphalt shingles. However, they can still save you money in the long run through their durability and longevity.
The Deal on Vinyl Siding and Fencing
Vinyl is another plastic material that has recently come into wide use around your home’s exterior. Vinyl siding, such as Exterior Portfolio siding by Crane, is inexpensive, easy to install, and durable. Privacy fencing made by ActiveYards requires much less maintenance than similar wood fencing.
Vinyl Siding Benefits
Vinyl siding has great durability and longevity. Vinyl siding is fade, chip, peel, dent, and rot resistant. It keeps its vibrant look on your home for decades after installation. It also has low maintenance requirements compared to other types of sidings. Vinyl siding does not need frequent repainting. Just occasional cleaning with a garden hose is enough.
Another key advantage is its energy efficiency. Insulated vinyl siding improves your home’s thermal performance, potentially lowering energy bills.
As for vinyl fencing, it never needs painting or staining, saving you from time-consuming annual upkeep. Vinyl fencing will not rot, splinter, or warp like natural wood fencing. And it mimics classic wood fencing designs, such as picket and lattice patterns.
Fiberglass Entry Doors
Natural wood entry doors are beautiful. However, exposure can quickly deteriorate door finishes and curb appeal.
Fiberglass doors like those from JELD-WEN Windows & Doors resemble real wood but withstand the elements much better while enhancing your home’s entrance.
Fiberglass entry doors offer numerous practical benefits over wood doors:
- Superior weathering protection from rain, snow, and sunlight. Fiberglass is eight times stronger than wood because of glass reinforcement.
- More energy-efficient with an insulated core and weather-stripping that seals out drafts, reducing air leaks and lowering your energy bills.
- Lighter weight than wood, simplifying installation for you or your contractor.
- Realistic wood grain textures and painted colors to match your preferred aesthetic.
While moderately pricier up-front than wood, the exceptional durability of fiberglass doors saves money in the long term by minimizing the refinishing costs of natural wood doors over time. For lasting performance, fiberglass merits an extra initial investment.
Clear Acrylic Window Blocks
Glass window blocks allow sunlight into rooms without compromising privacy. However, acrylic blocks offer better benefits around clarity, resilience, and efficiency.
Clear acrylic blocks offer an attractive upside:
- Half the weight of glass blocks, easing installation
- Better insulation because of acrylic’s lower conductivity
- About 90% light transmittance for ample interior brightness
- Greater impact resistance and shatterproof properties improve safety
- Various artistic styles for customized privacy window design
Despite higher prices than same-sized generic glass blocks, enhanced aesthetics, insulation, strength, and light transmittance make acrylic blocks well worth considering.
Give Your Home Character with Urethane and PVC Moldings
Urethane moldings like turned balusters, exterior trim, crown molding, and ceiling medallions simulate carved wood details without susceptibility to warping, rot, and wood-boring pests over time when exposed to outdoor and bathroom moisture.
Urethane moldings mimic wood’s visual appeal without associated drawbacks:
- It won’t rot, split, or warp when exposed to rain and moisture.
- Never need restaining or refinishing to maintain color.
- Intricate architectural details retain sharp definition rather than wearing them down.
- Impervious to termites and carpenter ants.
Urethane delivers authentic wood textures and shapes at a fraction of natural wood molding prices. Their durability, low maintenance needs, and easy DIY-friendly installation make urethane products versatile solutions for enhancing your home’s interior and exterior.
Plastic Laminate Countertops
High-definition plastic laminates like Formica 180fx resist scratches, stains, and wear while realistically resembling natural stone at vinyl siding installation costs that are budget-friendly compared to stone. Their resilience makes these versatile mainstream options suitable for most kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms.
Multiple attractive benefits apply to plastic laminate countertops:
- Hundreds of patterns, textures, and colors fit your decor
- Tough wear layer resists scratches and scorches
- Seamless fabrication facilitates straight countertop sightlines
- Simple soap and water cleaning suits most messes
- Affordable material and fabrication costs compared to stone or quartz
- DIY-friendly installation if you’re a skilled homeowner
While less prestigious-looking than granite, engineered quartz, or marble, plastic laminates suit most homeowners.
Faux Finishes: Achieving Natural Beauty Artificially
Faux finishing encompasses techniques that use paint, glazes, tools, and artistic skill to replicate the visual textures of pricier natural building materials on more affordable surfaces.
Common approaches include marbleizing, which is sponging layers of tinted glaze over base coats that mimic marble or other stone. Another is graining, which is specialized combs and finishes that transform inexpensive wood into faux mahogany, oak, rosewood, and beyond.
DIY-friendly faux wood graining provides cost-effective consistency in pattern, color, and sheen, which is impossible with real wood. Faux stone, metal, and leather finishes also deceptively mimic luxury materials via artisan skill rather than expensive substances alone.
Although a professional faux application runs $50+ an hour, with practice, novice homeowners can learn basic tricks from online tutorials. The illusionary splendor faux treatments add through technique make them smart investments.
So, Are Synthetic Building Materials Right for Your Home?
Today’s engineered synthetics often outperform wood, metal, or stone through enhanced durability, longevity, and resilience against weather, wear, and pests – making them suitable for diverse interior and exterior home upgrades. Their realism and comparatively lower lifetime maintenance costs compared to natural building products favor synthetics as smart long-term investments. And increasing reliance on green chemistry improves environmental and health profiles.
When eyeing synthetic brands for your next siding, roofing, or remodeling project, research manufacturers that engineer and warrant products to deliver decades of reliable performance. With due diligence, you can tap into versatile, durable, and beautiful vinyl, acrylic, urethane, and high-definition plastic laminates to create your dream home.
FAQs About Synthetic Building Materials
How do you clean vinyl siding?
Use a regular garden hose to rinse vinyl siding once or twice per year. For more stubborn stains, mix a mild detergent-like dish soap into a bucket of water and wash the siding with a soft brush. Avoid abrasive cleaners or pressure washing.
What's the best way to clean fiberglass entry doors?
Mix a few drops of dish soap into a bucket of lukewarm water. Gently clean the fiberglass door with a soft sponge or cloth, rinsing often with fresh water. Avoid scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, or pressure washing.
Will acrylic window blocks yellow over time?
Quality acrylic blocks from reputable brands carry warranties of 10 years and longer against yellowing. Cheaper acrylic can yellow after extensive UV exposure. Proper installation and occasional cleaning maintain optical clarity.
Can you paint urethane moldings?
Yes, you can paint urethane moldings. Lightly sanding urethane molding facilitates paint, primer, and finish coat adhesion like natural wood. Painted urethane won’t rot or peel over time.
Is plastic laminate scratch-resistant?
Modern plastic laminates have tough melamine resin layers, resisting scratches, scuffs, and dings from daily use. However, you should avoid direct cutting on countertops in favor of cutting boards to preserve flawless surfaces. Prompt wiping of spills also prevents staining or damage.
