Dutch Lap vs Clapboard Siding

Dutch Lap and Clapboard. Two extremely popular horizontal siding styles.  Both are popular styles of siding in the horizontal Siding family. That means that it runs horizontally across the house.

Horizontal type of siding is often called 'traditional lap' siding or 'clapboard siding. 

Clapboard Siding comes in different styles:


The difference between the assorted styles is that the traditional lap looks like narrow flat wooden boards. Dutch Lap has a curved notch carved along the top edge and beaded has a curved notch carved along the bottom edge.

Vinyl siding recreates that real wooden plank look only made of modern vinyl, which is virtually maintenance free for live!


Lap or Clapboard Siding
Dutch Lap Vinyl


Shown here is Alside insulated vinyl siding. A great way to help save energy costs. 


The difference between the two styles is the curved notch carved along the top edge of the board.  This produces a distinct shadow line.

In early colonial days carpenters actually, hand carved the curved notch in each wooden board. This took more time and labor to make and therefore cost much more than traditional lap siding with smooth sides.

It became the 'premium' siding used by people who could afford the more expensive style of siding on their homes.


Alside Vinyl Siding

Charter Oak is Alside's flagship siding product, combining authentic wood beauty with unmatched-durability, performance, and maintenance freedom.  Aside's exclusive TriBeam Design gives Charter Oak, Charter Oak XL and Charter Oak XXL superior rigidity, while a double-thick nail hem enables it to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds.

It comes in many different colors from Antique Parchment to Harbor Blue.  Charter Oak color-palette makes it simple to keep your home looking gorgeous-whatever your architectural style. 

It comes in all three of the popular Lap styles, insulated or non-insulated, wood grain texture or smooth texture.


Lap Siding
Dutch Lap

Which is the more popular?  It all depends on your taste and home type.


To see more pictures of homes using these two styles of vinyl siding click here: Vinyl Siding Pictures.


Alside's flagship siding product combines authentic wood beauty with unmatched durability, performance, and maintenance freedom.

  • Exclusive TriBeam Design provides superior strength and durability
  • The siding that changed the industry is five times more rigid than other leading brands
  • Charter Oak siding has been independently tested to resist Category 5 hurricane force winds
  • Charter Oak XL and XXL extended length panels can be used on their own or in combination with standard 12' panels
  • Lifetime Transferable warranty. 

Vinyl siding comes in a wide variety of thickness, colors, textures, styles and yes, different prices.

The good news is that there is a vinyl siding that will fit most any budget from economy to super premium.

The homeowner should have a general idea of the budget they are willing to spend on their home before calling the contractor.

So how do you figure a general budget to install vinyl siding on your house?

First: Pick out several vinyl sidings that you like and would look good on your house. For more help on picking out styles of siding click here.


Second: Measure your house to see how many square feet of exterior walls you have. Siding is sold by the square footage. So, you want to know this number. For more help on finding the square footage of your house click here.

Once you have picked out several styles you like, and you know how many square feet you will need to buy, next you want to determine the thickness or quality of the sidings you have picked out.

Remember that the thicker the siding the more it costs.

Basic Types of Siding:

Vinyl Siding TrimCertainTeed Trim

Trim and accessories   

Cover all corners, facia, soffit, overhangs, window/door frames to reduce maintenance and painting.

To see more information on Vinyl Siding Trim and Accessories  Click Here

Other Types of Siding

Engineered Wood Siding

Engineered Wood Siding is another consideration for home siding. Stronger than vinyl siding and little more costly. 

Click here to see more information on

Engineered Wood Siding

Board and Batten Siding

Board and Batten Siding is one of the oldest siding styles but one of the most popular. Great look. Used a lot for extra highlighting fronts of buildings.

Board and Batten Siding used as accent on front of garage.

To see more information on Board and Batten Siding;

CLICK HERE

Quality of the siding will determine the Price.

Like any product, vinyl siding comes in several different grades.  The higher the grade the more expensive it is. Grade or quality of the vinyl siding is generally referred to as how thick the siding is.  Siding comes in several different thicknesses.

The thicker the siding the better.

  • Economy
  • Standard
  • Premium
  • Super Premium

Sometimes these grades are referred to as.

Builders' Grade, Thin Residential Grade, Standard Residential Grade and Thick Residential Grade(premium)

Be sure to use the same term with each contractor so you both have the same product in mind. If you are thinking of one grade but don't discuss it with the contractor, he may use a different grade.

Also, you can get insulated or non-insulated vinyl siding. Of course, insulated siding costs more.


More Information About Vinyl Siding


If you like this product write it down in your workbook and go over your choices with the contractor. Your contractor can buy this product for you. 


Idea
Mr.Contractor Says

Like one of these products?

If you like any of these products gather some information on the type of siding you like and write it down so you can go over the information with your contractor.

Make a notebook to store information on each product you like.

If you think you might like one of these siding styles, make notes in your workbook and go over them with your contractor. 

Once you have picked out several types, styles, colors, thickness, and textures, sit down and ask your contractor for his input.  He does this type of work all the time and may offer you some money-saving tips.


More about Dutch Lap


This style siding has a hand-cut notch on the top edge of the board giving it a distinguished shadow line well known since colonial times.

The vinyl siding is made to look just like hand-carved wooden planks. It even has the texture of real cedar wood.



Note the shadow line on the top edge of the panels.

This is what gives the siding the characteristic look of hand carved wooden planks.

Early Colonist actually did hand carve the top edge of each wooden plank.  This made i a much more expensive siding because of the extra labor required to make it.


To see an Alside Charter Oak Vinyl Siding brochure click here..Alside Charter Oak

http://cdn.alside.com/media/8369/charter-oak-brochure.pdf


To see more information on clapboard siding styles, click here. Clapboard Vinyl Siding.