I am a painting contractor who does new construction painting so I have something to lose by recommending pre-finished siding. As a servant of my customers best interest I need to recommend the processes that fall in line with those best interests. The question I ask is, what would I want on my house?
First: What are some of the problems that are often associated with pre finished materials? When you use a pre finished product you have to be extremely careful to not damage the finished product as it is transported and installed. It takes commitment and expertise to get it right. It is very important to use an experienced installer.
What are some of the reasons for using pre finished siding?
Finishes are applied in a very consistent contorted environment.
Paint is on all four sides of the siding. If you paint bare wood after it is installed you can only paint two sides. If the wood shrinks you will have some bare wood exposed.
Lumber companies and paint manufactures recommend that siding be painted as soon as it is installed. This can be impractical for the builder because it can take weeks or months to install all of the siding.
To find out more visit the prefinishing company I have worked with…
For those who are still not convinced you have other options. One way is to have the pre-finishing company put a one or two coat primer/finish on the siding. (It is important to use a primer that does not need to be coated right away. Many primers will break down very quickly in the elements.) Some of my builders have opted for this option as the best of both worlds.
Final thoughts
My opinion is that it is important to protect the siding as soon as possible and pre-finishing is a very valid option worth looking into. I recommend using a siding installation company that has had successful experience with pre-finished siding. If you use pre-primed siding and trim make sure it is able to handle the elements for the time period that it takes to get the final coats applied.
