Wood trim may look beautiful when first installed on the exterior of your home, but in just a few short years you may find the paint has cracked or peeled, or worse, the wood has spilt, swelled or warped.
In weather-beaten coastal areas like the Lowcountry, we have found PVC to be a superior alternative to wood for accent trim on any kind of exterior siding. Unlike milled lumber that is prone to knots and defects, PVC trim is consistent and uniform throughout. Strong and rigid, it looks and handles like wood, but is engineered to resist shrinking, cupping, twisting and splitting. Along with the added durability, it won’t rot or absorb moisture and is impervious to insects like termites and carpenter ants. It is not affected by water, humidity or salt air.
While the initial cost of PVC is slightly higher than wood, it will never have to be replaced and you don’t have to prime it or repaint it as often. This versatile product can be bent, shaped, glued and run through the mill to be used as crown molding, window casings, fascia, soffits, finials, column covers, sills, bead boards and decorative corner trim. It can even be molded and heat formed for custom and curved profiles.
Best of all, once it’s painted, you’ll never know it’s not wood.