Siding Terms Glossary O to S

Check our glossary of siding terms to help make sense of siding contractor and manufacturer jargon.

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

Owens Corning : Manufacturer of aluminum and vinyl siding.

Panel Projection: The amount that a panel of vinyl sticks out away from the wall, you should choose the largest profile for the style of panel you want

Panel Siding: comes in sheets, normally 4 feet by 8 feet. Examples of panel siding include Texture 1-11. Because panel siding can be installed quickly, it can be a less expensive option than other types of siding.

Plywood siding : Plywood sheets, some with a grooved or decorative outer surface Positive Lock:

Positive Lock : ensures that the panels can be locked together, but can also easily slide back and forth for ease in installation. This ensures that the panels stay permanently affixed during adverse weather.

Plumb : A position or measurement that is truly and exactly vertical, 90° from a level surface.

Profiles : The actual siding panels are called profiles. Some commonly sized profiles are D4, D5 and Dutchlap.

Scarfed joint: Joint used in plywood siding where edges of abutting sheets are angle cut to fit snugly and prevent water penetration

Shake Siding: Sometimes known as shingle siding, shake siding comes in widths from about four inches to 12 inches. It is installed like lap siding, starting at the lowest row, and moving up the wall. The random widths of the shakes provide a distinctive look to the wall.

Single Coursing: Single layer of siding shingles applied with a small overlap along the edge of the course below.

Single Wall Siding : Exterior wall siding that is not applied over sheathing.

Soffit : Material used to enclose the horizontal underside of an eave, cornice, or overhang. Some soffit panels may also be used as vertical siding.

Spalling : Crumbling and falling away of bricks, concrete or blocks

Square : Unit of measure for siding equal to 100 square feet (or a 10-foot by 10-foot wall section).

Square Feet : (also known as: Exterior Square Feet) Exterior Square Feet is a term used to denote the total amount of siding material needed for a particular siding job including material waste.

Stucco : A type of water resistant, plaster like siding material made of cement, sand and water; it may have an acrylic finish