CertainTeed® Cedar Impressions® Polymer Shake Siding Receives Rave Reviews, Completes Craftsman Look for Extensive Southern California Home Renovation Project
(Valley Forge, Pa.) – When Yuriko and Lorne Hirsch decided it was time for a major addition and remodel of their 74-year-old West Los Angeles home near Brentwood, they knew choosing the right exterior cladding was of upmost importance. The original vertical wood siding had to be re-stained every four years due to the strong sun and harsh salty air prevalent in their coastal neighborhood. While a durable product was key, the new siding also had to be aesthetically pleasing, sustainable and complement their plans for the home’s dramatic design transformation.
With a background in architecture and construction management, Yuriko had a specific vision and did not want to use wood again. She designed her new dwelling to be of the craftsman style with the desired look of real wood cedar shakes for the exterior—but without the required painting or staining maintenance.
“I found that CertainTeed had a cedar shake product that appeared to be what I was looking for. But I needed to see it prior to making my final decision,” said Yuriko.
Yuriko found CertainTeed siding partner DLH Distributing. There, she met Ron Meiners, who was happy to explain the attributes of CertainTeed’s Cedar Impressions® Polymer Shake siding and provide her with color samples.
“Southern California is a unique market. It’s the land of stucco, but now homeowners are doing more research and many homes throughout the area have installed Cedar Impressions,” adds Meiners. “It’s perfect for a craftsman style home in the mountains or along the coast. Contractors are impressed and like working with it as well.”
Based on the depth of the shadows and ridges of the samples, warranty, discussion about CertainTeed’s sustainable manufacturing practices and commitment to using recycled materials, Yuriko decided Cedar Impressions, in the color Spruce, was the right choice.
“As a retired designer, I know architecture is not only about ‘seeing,’ but is also about ‘touching’ and the impact it has on the environment. CertainTeed’s Cedar Impressions does it all,” explained Yuriko. “Meeting with Ron made a big difference in our decision-making process.”
Yuriko also ordered CertaWrap™ Weather Resistant Barrier with CertaTape™ for a complete CertaWall Weather Deterrence System™ to provide a foundation layer of protection against air and moisture damage. Her final decision on siding product and color required 44 squares of Cedar Impressions D9 Staggered Edge Rough Split Shakes and 248 linear feet of D9 Rough Split Mitered Outside Cornerpost in Spruce. Ron also recommended accessories to finish the look, which included two rolls of PVC Coated Aluminum Trim Coil and a 1-inch J-Channel window and door trim, also in the color Spruce. The trim was complemented with real redwood trim boards. The combination of trim created the appropriate receiving pocket for the siding and the visual Craftsman aesthetics desired.
Eddie Glass of Eddie Glass Construction supervised the installation and was impressed by the exterior transformation.
“The client had a very specific idea of what they wanted,” said Glass. “The finished results look great.”
The completed renovation has received excellent reviews from neighbors and passers by who have actually walked up to the home to inspect the shakes— because they couldn’t believe that it is not real wood. Film company scouts have also approached the Hirsch’s, and recently photographed the home for production consideration.
“Everyone just loves the siding material,” added Yuriko. “They can’t believe that it is not wood but are more impressed because it is ‘green product’ approved and will never require painting again.”
Featuring 29 designer low-gloss colors, Cedar Impressions polymer shake siding offers consistent quality and enhanced panel thickness to withstand strong winds and harsh weather, combining an authentic TrueTexture™ wood grain molded from real cedar shingles with low maintenance. Cedar Impressions requires no painting or caulking, thus contributing to the sustainability of any project. It is virtually maintenance-free and is backed by a lifetime-limited warranty.
As the North American leader in siding products, CertainTeed offers Freedom of Choice™ that no other manufacturer can provide, with the most comprehensive spectrum of profiles and colors of polymer shakes, fiber cement siding, insulated siding, vinyl siding and trim for finishing touches. The company actively pursues strategies to reduce environmental impact and is the first siding manufacturer to issue and publish third-party validated life cycle assessments (LCA) for its vinyl and fiber cement siding product lines. The LCA carefully examines all environmental impacts—from raw materials and manufacturing, to transportation and use, to disposal and/or recycling—gaining an accurate view of true product sustainability. As a result, CertainTeed is the only siding manufacturer to qualify for double credits according to the LEED product transparency credit. For more information, visit www.certainteed.com/freedomofchoice.
About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.
A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CertainTeed earned the 2011 and 2012 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The group had total sales of approximately $3.2 billion in 2011. www.certainteed.com