Some Common Siding Terms
• Batten – vertical strips that cover the seams between boards used in vertical siding.
• Course – a single horizontal row of siding.
• J-Channel – a piece of trim material, usually around windows and doors, that accommodates the ends of vinyl or metal siding.
• Reveal – The amount of material that’s actually exposed and visible. For example, shingles overlap each other and the reveal is amount of shingle that’s not tucked underneath the adjacent course above it.
• Shake – As it refers to wood, a shake is similar to a shingle except it is split one or both sides resulting in a more heavily textured surface.
• Sheathing – the plywood, wood or other material that forms the outer surface of your home’s structure that the siding is attached to.
• Shingle – As it refers to wood, a shingle is a small square or rectangular piece of siding material that’s sawn on both sides.
• Square – The unit of measurement used in the siding industry. A “square” equates to 10ft x 10ft (or 100 square feet of area).