A home's exterior says as much about its owners as does the interior.

Your new home's framing is complete. For the prospective owner, the home's tangibility is nothing short of exhilarating. Now it's time to dress up the structure in a way that depicts its inhabitants' personality and character, while ensuring the house looks its very best. A home clad in unpainted cedar shingles that are allowed to weather naturally might suggest that environmental stewardship is important to the owners, for instance. A dramatic stone finish might hint at an Italian heritage. And stained cedar and faux brick on a ranch-style home may speak of nostalgia for the '70s (or an exterior that hasn't been updated since then).

Before siding or shingles go on, though, the house must be prepared, layer upon layer, with a series of fundamental and functional building materials such as sheathing and wrap. The most common sheathing materials are plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). These materials help prevent side-to-side movement, or racking of a home in high ?winds. They also form the base onto which your choice of siding will be applied.

To protect work going on below, the roof is generally finished first. Once the sheathing is up and the waterproof covering in on (tarpaper is generally applied as a frost breaker), it's time for the top layer. Roof shingles can add a dramatic look to a home's architecture, with no shortage of options available. The most predominant shingle selection in the Maritimes is asphalt. A good quality shingle is relatively inexpensive, with the price increasing proportionately within the better to best range costing from $20 to $50 per bundle. The slope of the roof, the height of the home and the complexity of installation will also affect cost. Asphalt shingles are relatively easy to install, come in a variety of styles and colours and can be easily repaired and maintained.

Warranties vary, although 25 years and up is the standard. "Warranty depends on the climate," says Jean Allain, manager with Atlantic Roofers Ltd. in Charlottetown, PEI.  "If you have moss-covered trees around the roof, you have to make sure that the moss is cleaned off the roof, and keep an eye on valley areas that have consistent water flow that can damage shingles."

Water itself doesn't damage the shingles, but the accompanying fungus and algae do, as does a persistent freeze-thaw cycle. Keeping warm, moist air out of the attic is paramount in determining the life of shingles, and if large damaged areas or serious leaks are not repaired quickly, the building's finishes and structural elements may be threatened.

Wood cedar roofing, classified as either shakes or shingles, is becoming popular in the Maritimes. Shakes are wood that has been split from blocks or cedar, either on an angle (tapersplit) or straight. Straight-cut shakes are referred to as "barn shakes," and in many cases are still cut by hand, as are tapersplit shakes. Cedar shingles come with a 20 to 25-year warranty and are recyclable, although because of the chemicals used to treat the shingles, homeowners should exercise care.

Budget may be an issue in cedar shingle selection. They're more expensive than vinyl, approximately $18 to $70 for 25 square feet, but they can complement a wooded landscape and present a natural look to the home. When selecting this type of roof system, it is important to acknowledge that cedar needs to breathe. Branches, leaves and other debris should never be allowed to accumulate on the roof. The keyways (spaces between the shakes or shingles) need to be kept clean at all times. As with vinyl shingles, proper ventilation is required year round to prevent heat and moisture buildup.

There seems to be a growing interest in aluminum roofing. It's lightweight and strong, and longevity isn't an issue: it can last a lifetime. However, Allain says, "A lifetime warranty can come with a lot of fine print. It should be studied a bit more. In 20 years your windows might be due for a change, or your doors and siding. You might want to change the whole concept of the home. What do you do with a roof that has a lifetime warranty?"

Aluminum shingles look like cedar shingles. They shouldn't rust and require little maintenance. The natural property of aluminum allows for an increased radiant heat reflection of 94.5 per cent. Unlike asphalt shingles, summer heat doesn't stay on the roof, which can make for a cooler home. These shingles can be used on irregular-shaped roofs or arranged in patterns to create a special effect and cost approximately $3 to $3.75 per square foot. Scratches should be avoided during handling or installation, and your contractor should be versed in manufacturer's stipulations when it comes to aluminum shingles.

Wall work

With the roof done, it's time to move on to the exterior walls. Once sheathing has been nailed onto studs, a line of defense against moisture penetration will be required. A wrap such as Tyvek can be applied to the sheathing. Tyvek is a fibrous material with millions of small pores that resist air penetration while allowing moisture vapour to be expelled, thus acting as a deterrent to rot. Underlayments provide a defense against rain and melting snow. Ensure the wrapping is continuous; a gable or window that isn't wrapped properly, for instance, will allow moisture in that then can't get out, and trapped moisture encourages mold to grow.

Exterior foam sheathing is gaining in popularity, with Dow or Celufort the most common brands. Foam sheathing is lightweight, provides a good noise barrier (according to the manufacturers), improves air tightness and reduces condensation in walls. Dow's Cladmate, for example, comes in 2-foot x 8-foot sheets and insulates an entire wall including studs, thereby decreasing condensation within the wall cavity that can lead to moisture issues. Its rigid panels have a compressive strength of 16 pounds per square inch and provide a smooth level surface for siding. Plastic-capped insulation nails are used to penetrate the foam at least one inch into the wall stud. Because Cladmate is non-structural (in that it doesn't contribute to a wall's strength), it requires adequate corner bracing. Foam sheathing costs less than OSB and plywood and is easier to cut and work with, so is worthy of consideration when looking for added insulation.

Exterior cladding

Once the home is sheathed and wrapped, the most impressive feature of the façade has to be cladding. There are decisions to be made regarding lifestyle, cost, appearance and performance. Next to price, contractors say warranties are utmost on the homebuilder's mind: people want to know that their investment is secure.

Vinyl is the siding of choice in Atlantic Canada. It's relatively inexpensive, depending upon colour and design, ranging from $52 to $200 per square (a "square" covers 96 to 100 square feet), and durable, with some manufacturers offering a limited lifetime warranty. It is essential that vinyl siding be installed over a flat, level wall. Vinyl contracts and expands with temperature changes more so than wood, so the nailing must be done so that the panel can "float." If not, it can wrinkle and buckle.

Heat-producing equipment should not be in close proximity to vinyl siding; vinyl melts. Installation of a satellite dish may require special preparation so that it is secured properly. Vinyl will take on a weathered appearance if not maintained. "Vinyl is like anything else," says Terry Carrier, owner of Carrier Home Improvement in Dartmouth, NS "If you don't maintain it to a certain extent, it can look dingy. However, I have seen homes with vinyl siding that looked like new after a high-pressure wash." Carrier suggests vinyl siding be cleaned every few years with a hose and soapy water. "That's all that's really needed."

There is some concern about fire protection. Some fire chiefs across the country believe that vinyl siding does not afford adequate fire protection and are looking for changes to the building code. Because vinyl melts, it can ignite the underlying sheathing, causing severe damage to the home and homes close by. Experts are suggesting that fireproof material be placed underneath the siding, and the City of Calgary is changing its building code accordingly. The National Research Council (NRC) is looking into the problem.

Engineered or composite wood siding is also prevalent, of which Cape Cod (wood treated with fire-retardant chemicals), OSB and veneered plywood are examples. They are relatively inexpensive. Cape Cod, for example, averages $1.13 per linear foot and is created to look like traditional clapboard. Engineered wood doesn't look like real wood because its textured grain is uniform, but its appearance is more natural than vinyl. It's not as heavy as real wood, which eases handling, and can come pre-primed, ready to paint, or pre-finished with a selection of finish options. However, if not maintained, algae, mildew and moss will grow, leading to rot and deterioration.

Solid wood siding such as pine, spruce or cedar remains a favourite for finer homes. With periodic care and maintenance, this can outlast vinyl, as evidenced in the many great-looking wood-framed homes built centuries ago. Although stain won't chip or peel like paint, stain may fade unevenly, and some contractors recommend leaving solid wood unfinished. Wood siding can come in horizontal lengths like clapboard or vertical like board and batten (where thin strips are run down the seams where the wood boards join), with wood shingles being popular throughout the Atlantic provinces.

Pine has long been the choice in siding as it holds a finish well. Longer lengths of knot-free pine are difficult to acquire and for this reason can make a project more costly. Since it's not resistant to rot, it needs to be sealed and well maintained. Spruce is a member of the pine family and therefore shares some of its characteristics, making it a good substitute for pine. It can be found in longer lengths and can be applied as clapboard. Cedar stains well, thus revealing a rich character. It tends to be straight and resists splitting, and is more moisture and insect-resistant than pine, although as a clapboard, a clear grade-A cedar can be expensive. However, it's advisable to purchase the best grade of siding that you can afford and look for clear grains in the wood. Costs will vary depending upon wood selection.

Fibre-cement siding is a type of fibre-reinforced cement that's generally less than or the same price as wood and more expensive than vinyl, costing approximately $1.50 per square foot. When properly installed, it's resistant to high winds, fire and insects. The panels are coated with a sealer and primer to inhibit fungus and mildew, and have the look of wood siding, but with lower maintenance. Manufacturers' claims that fibre cement will not rot, buckle or warp, and that paint can last several years longer than conventional wood siding are now being tested by the NRC. Most products come with a 50-year warranty.

This material can be cut with a special scoring tool, a carbide-tipped blade in a circular saw or a special electric shearing tool. However, caution is advised since this type of siding contains crystalline silica that when breathed can cause silicosis and other lung diseases. All work should be done outdoors or in a mechanically ventilated area while wearing a Canadian Standards Association-approved disposable dust mask or respirator.

Fibre-cement walls are not specifically covered by the National Building Code, although the NRC is testing the material to determine whether it is equivalent in quality to materials currently covered. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation allows the use of fibre-cement siding in construction financed or insured under the National Housing Act.

It's important to remember that all aforementioned options are still being improved to increase efficiency and meet with technological demands. With continued research, we may one day be able to say that we've found the perfect building material. Until then, we should continue to ask questions, be it from a contractor or manufacturer. Your home will thank you.