Siding A building's historic character is a combination of its design, age, setting, and materials. The exterior walls of a building, because they are so visible, play a very important role in defining its historic appearance.
Synthetic materials can never have the same patina, texture, or light-reflective qualities.
These modern materials have changed over time, but have included asbestos, asphalt, vinyl, aluminum, and artificial stucco. Sidings have been used to artificially create the appearance of brick, stone, shingle, stucco, and wood surfaces. Avoid applying synthetic siding. In addition to changing the appearance of a historic building, synthetic siding can make maintenance more difficult because it covers up potential problems that can become more serious. And siding, once it dents or fades, needs painting just as frequently as wood.