Whether you’re buying a new home or in the market for new siding, there can be terminology that you’ve never heard of before. We’ve compiled a glossary of common siding terms to help you better understand the industry.

Common Siding Terminology

1.Batten

Batten refers to the strip of wood that seals the joints in wooden siding. Modern board and batten siding actually refers to old wood siding that used boards and battens in order to fill in the gaps between boards. Battens are the smaller object that goes in between

2.Channel

This refers to the area of a piece of siding that allows for another piece of siding or trim to be inserted into.

3.Drip Cap

Also referred to as “head flashing”, a drip cap is a piece of trim that’s used to deflect water from the top of vertical siding.

4.Eaves

Eaves are the part of your roof that overhangs on top of the exterior walls.

5.F-Channel

The molding used in trim siding that’s shaped like the letter F and is installed at a 90-degree angle.

6.Fascia

Fascia is a type of board that runs horizontally and conceals the intersection or joint of the exterior wall and the overhanging lower edge of the roof.

7.Plumb or Square

A plumb or square can be used to describe a perfectly perpendicular measurement of an object with precisely 90 degrees from a horizontal, level surface. A square or speed square can also refer to a tool that’s used in order to achieve the perfect 90 degrees level between two objects. Your siding should always be plumb to your exterior walls.

8.Soffit

The soffit refers to the area where the roofline meets the exterior walls. Soffits are generally vented in order to allow proper airflow to come in and out while still preventing any water from penetrating it.

9.Tongue and Groove

This is a type of interlock which joins two siding pieces together. A tongue will fit into the adjacent groove on another piece of siding to create that channeled look.

10.Weep Holes

Weep holes are the tiny holes found at the bottom edge of siding. They’re important for allowing built-up condensation to run off and out of your home’s siding. This prevents water buildup from between your siding and backerboard.

Work With Colorado’s Trusted Siding Experts

Siding Colorado is always happy to answer any siding terminology questions you may have. For more information, please contact us!