Engineered wood products use wood or other cellulose fibers bonded together to manufacture finishing materials. These materials allow more efficient use of forest products by using mill waste or wood fibers from smaller trees to manufacture materials that were previously sawn from larger trees. Materials covered in this section include exterior siding, interior and exterior trim and cornice materials, and domestic and tropical hardwoods.

Recycled and reconstituted materials include substances that are salvaged from the waste stream, such as sawdust and other cellulose.

Recycled trim refers to the reuse of trim salvaged from building demolition.

Tropical hardwood refers to wood harvested from tropical rain forests. Most tropical hardwoods are harvested by clear cutting large sections of forest to obtain a few usable trees, though some tropical hardwoods are now certified as sustainably harvested. Most domestic hardwoods currently have a positive growth/removal rate.

Metal siding usually contains some recycled material. Vinyl siding is produced from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Finger-jointed material is lumber made from short lengths (16 - 48 inches) of off-cuts from various milling processes that is finger-jointed and glued together. Finger-joint lumber may be used as trim material.

Fiber-cement materials are made from cement, silica and sawdust.

Over 50 percent of residential siding bought today consists of wood or wood composites. Most solid wood siding materials require considerable maintenance to be long lasting.

Reconstituted and recycled-content (engineered) siding materials can offer superior longevity over solid wood siding. The increased density of the materials resists cracking and other deterioration. Fiber-cement materials, for example, offer very long warranties and have zero flamespread. They are cost effective and used extensively. This material combines wood fiber with cement and its manufacture is less energy-intensive than that of steel and vinyl siding.

Steel and aluminum siding materials are made using 10-15 percent-recycled content materials. Although the embodied energy is high when the materials are originally made, they require much less energy in a recycled form. They can also be recycled again after use in a building.

Vinyl siding is a low maintenance material and some manufacturers may add a small amount of post-industrial scrap. However, several environmental groups have targeted the PVC that is its principal component as a major contributor to environmental pollution.

The use of domestic hardwoods for moldings and trim is listed since domestic hardwood trees are maturing at a faster rate than they are being removed (positive growth removal rate).

Using recycled trim reuses trim in its same form, achieving the most resourceful recycling. Since trim is not structural, it is acceptable for use in new construction. This will require going to different sources for material, such as salvage businesses. Finding a large enough quantity of the same style can be challenging.

A very small percentage of tropical wood is sustainably managed and most of that is being used in furniture. The Resources section notes tropical species that are being sustainably managed. It is recommended to look for a commonly recognized certifying label on the wood such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

There is not a problem with weak points in quality finger-jointed trim materials. For aesthetic reasons, finger-jointed material would go best where it will be painted.

Fiber-cement materials can be worked with woodworking tools.

Alkaline resistant primer is recommended for unprimed fiber-cement products (see Resources ).

Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems
8604 FM 969
Austin TX 78724
(512) 928-4786
www.cmpbs.org

Center for Resourceful Building Technology
P. O. Box 100
Missoula, MT 59806
(406) 549-7678
www.montana.com/crbt

See "Building Materials - Retail", "Building Materials - Used", "Siding Contractors", "Siding Materials" in Yellow Pages.

ABTco.
10115 Kincey Ave.
Huntersville, NC 28078
(800) 566-2282
www.abtco.com
Hardboard trim, panel, lap, and board siding, also fiber-cement products

Advanced Wood Resource
34363 Lake Creek Dr.
Brownsville, OR 97327
(541) 466-5177
COMPLY® and Versatile V-Groove lap siding, OSB laminated material eliminates need for sheathing, can be installed with 2'-0" framing spacing

AERT Inc.
P O. Box 1237
Springdale, AR 72764
(479) 756-7400
(800) 951-5117
www.moistureshield.com
"Moistureshield" "Cornerlock" wood-plastic composite exterior trim; distributed by Weyerhauser

BMS
P.O. Box 631247
Nacogdoches, TX 75963-1247
(800) 657-2239
Rick Hagel (936) 569-8211
www.bmslp.com
Framesaver® finger-jointed wood door frame with TimberTech® ends which prevent damage from rot or insects

Benjamin Obdyke Inc.
65 Steamboat Dr.
Warminster, PA 18974
(800) 346-7655
www.obdyke.com
"Home Slicker" nylon mesh drainage and ventilation sheet for behind siding

Cemplank
Excelsior Industrial Park
P.O. Box 99
Blandon, PA 19510-0099
1-877-CEMPLANK
Fiber cement siding and trim

CertainTeed
750 East Swedesford Rd.
Valley Forge, PA 19482
(800) 782-8777
(800) 233-8990
www.certainteed.com
"Weatherboards" fiber cement siding and trim

FCP
Excelsior Industrial Park, P. O. Box 99
Blandon, PA 19510-0099
877-CEMPLANK
www.fcpinc.com
Local distributor:
DW Distribution
Hutto, TX
(512) 846-2955
Fiber-cement products for wall panels, siding, fascias; soffits, 0 flame spread, impact resistant, 50-year warranty

FibreCem Corporation
11000-1 S. Commerce Blvd. Box 411368
Charlotte, NC 28241
(800) 447-2882
Ann Faust (Sales Rep), Houston
(713) 465-4499
Fiber-cement lapped wall siding, fascia, soffit, gable materials; non-combustible, 50-year warranty

Georgia Pacific
133 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
800-BUILD-GP
(800) 284-5347
PrimeTrim® wood fiber composite interior and exterior trim

Habitat for Humanity RE-Store
310 Comal
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 478-2165
Recycled or overstock building materials

James Hardie Building Products, Inc.
26300 La Alameda, Ste. 250
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(888) 542-7343
www.hardie.com
Fiber-cement Hardiplank® Lap siding, Hardipanel® vertical siding, Hardisoffit soffit, Hardislate/Hardishake® roofing tiles, Class A fire rating, available at most local lumber and roofing suppliers

Louisiana Pacific
P.O. Box 10266
Portland, OR 97296-9936
(800) 648-6893
(409) 546-0541 (Houston sales office)
www.smartsystembuilding.com
Bonded wood fiber Inner-Seal lap siding, SmartStart® trim and fascia products treated with Composibor® rather than ACC

Masonite Corporation
1 South Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 750-0900
Hardboard siding

Nailite International
(305) 620-6200
www.nailite.com
Recycled content plastic roofing shingles

Nichiha, USA Inc.
2625 Cumberland Pkwy., Ste. 450
Atlanta, GA 30339
(866) 424-4421
www.n-usa.com
Fiber-cement siding panels using a clip system

Perfect Choice Building Products
1618 Lynch Rd.
Evansville, IN 47711-2800
(800) 776-8060
www.americansheet.com
Interlocking thermoplastic shingles with cedar shake appearance, Class A flame protection, 62 lbs. per square ft.

Temple-Inland Forest Products
303 S. Temple Dr.
Diboll, TX 75941
(800) 231-6060
www.templeinland.com
Trim Craft® bonded wood chip trim material, non-structural, 10-year warranty

Wolverine Technologies
17199 Laurel Park Dr.
Livonia, MI 48152-2679
(800) 521-9020
Weathestone® solid vinyl siding uses reprocessed materials, 100% recyclable according to manufacturer, limited 50-year warranty

APA-The Engineered Wood Association
P.O. Box 11700
7011 S. 19th St.
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 565-6600
www.apawood.org

American Architectural Manufacturers Association
1827 Walden Sq., Ste. 104
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4628
(847) 303-5664
Standards for aluminum

American Hardboard Association (AHA)
1210 W. Northwest Hwy.
Palatine, IL 60067
(847) 934-8800
Standards for hardboard siding

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
100 Barr Harbor Dr.
Conshohocken, PA 19428
(610) 832-9500
www.astm.org
Standards for cement based materials

American Wood Council
1111 19th St. NW, Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 463-2769
www.awc.org
Consumer information, codes, and standards for wood engineering

Composite Panel Association USA
18928 Premiere Ct.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879-1569
(301) 670-0604
www.pbmdf.com

International Hardwood Products Association
4214 King St. W.
Alexandria, VA 22302
(703) 820-6696
www.ihpa.org
Information on sustainably managed tropical forests

Southern Forest Products Association
P. O. Box 641700
Kenner, LA 70064-1700
(504) 443-4464
www.sfpa.org
Technical information on lumber products

Western Wood Products Association
522 SW Fifth Ave., Ste. 500
Yeon Building
Portland, OR 97204-2122
(503) 224-3930
www.wwpa.org
Technical information on wood products

Publications

The Wood Use Reduction Guide
Pamela Wellner & Eugene Dickey
Rainforest Action Network
221 Pine St., Ste. 500
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 398-4404
www.ran.org