The goal? Help you better understand your home — or dream home’s — architectural style, so you can speak the language and become more confident at understanding the functions of its exterior components, and what you may want to upgrade to in the future.

Understanding Trim Terminology: Equipping You to Get the Most Out of a Home Remodel

Knowledge is power. But if you can’t communicate your ideas, you’re still stuck at square one. That’s why we’ve created this exterior house trim terminology 101 guide for you. Why?

 Knowing how to communicate with contractors will help you get the most out of a repair or remodel. No homeowner wants to walk away from a project unsatisfied with the finished project because they weren’t able to communicate their thoughts and feelings.

Educating yourself on the basic components of your home can help reduce anxiety during a large project. Knowing the fundamental elements that make up your home, how they function, and why they’re there will help you better understand what to fix, what to upgrade, and what doesn’t need your immediate attention.

Exterior House Trim Terminology 101

Everyone loves coming to a conversation prepared. Think of this section as a cheat sheet — one you can revisit as many times as you need to. We’ll start with the different components of outdoor trim before we survey the additional parts of a house’s exterior. 

Siding

Siding refers to the layer of material placed on the outside or exposed area of a house. Siding comes in a variety of materials, including vinyl, wood, stone, brick, metal, aluminum, and synthetic options.

Fascia

Typically made of aluminum and wood, fascia works alongside trim to create an appealing and finished look to the home’s exterior.

Flashing

Another exterior component designed to divert water away from the home, flashing protects doors, windows, basements, and garages from water damage.

Foundation

Foundations are put in place to keep a home stable and structurally sound.

Frieze Board

The decorative trim of a house, frieze boards are typically placed horizontally at the top of a house’s siding, just below the roof’s edge.

Eave

The part of a roof that extends out from a house’s side is known as the eave. These overhangs are there to shield water from a home’s exterior.

Window Trim

Window trim typically frames the exterior side of a window from the sloped sill to lineals and header. Without the window trim, the window, walls, and floors inside a home would all sustain water damage. From PVC exterior window trim to cedar and vinyl, window trim comes in various materials and styles.

Door Trim

Found at the top of a door frame,  exterior door trim typically resembles a window’s cap and crown molding. A multi-panel door consists of several components, including:

• Rails. These are the horizontal pieces that enclose the panels.

• Stiles. The vertical boards surrounding the panels.

• Mullion. The vertical element that forms a division between two panels of wood.

• Threshold. A horizontally mounted board in the doorway.

Box End

Typically located where the siding and roof line meet, box ends are designed to improve a home’s aesthetic quality and provide a tight seal at the siding and roof connection.

Dormer

Situated at an angle on the roof, dormers enclose a home’s top floor(s) and enclose an attic space, provided there is one.

Additional Exterior Parts of a House

Now that we’ve covered some of the more pertinent elements of exterior trim, let’s take a look at the additional parts of a house’s exterior to help you better understand your home.

Gutters

Usually constructed with aluminum and placed along the exterior perimeter of a house, gutters come in a variety of styles, though their function is always the same: collect rainwater and direct the flow of water to downspouts. Gutter guards are becoming an increasingly popular add-on to gutters as they help prevent leaves and other debris from accruing.

Downspouts

Downspouts attach to the end of gutters and help direct rainwater from the roof and away from your house’s foundation. Downspouts are usually constructed with an aluminum tube.

Drip Edge

Located around the perimeter of your roof on both the eaves and the rakes, when installed properly drip edge is designed to protect the edges of roofing materials from water damage.

Columns

Used for structural stability and decorative purposes, columns are typically found at or near the front of a house. Not every home has a column, and they’re typically seen in larger homes. The three most popular styles are square, round, and interior columns.

Corner Post

Typically constructed from aluminum, corner posts can provide structural support to a home while preventing damage to the attached corners, but in many cases, they are used for decorative purposes. Corner posts are constructed at a 90-degree angle and placed at the corners of a home, hence the name.

Chimney

Necessary for allowing smoke and other toxic gasses a way to escape when using a fireplace or a gas/ oil furnace, most people know what a chimney looks like and what it does. And while they’re still popular, more and more homes are actually being built without a chimney or fireplace. 

Exterior House Trim Terminology Q&A

Even as you gain a better understanding of different types of house trim, it’s still easy to mix up terms (especially when they have similar, albeit different functions). Don’t worry — that’s what this blog is for, and that’s why we’ve compiled a few popular FAQs below to help you out.

Eaves vs. Soffits: What’s the Difference?

Often confused and used interchangeably, eaves and soffits are two different components of outdoor trim, though they serve similar purposes. The eave refers to the entirety of the overhanging part of a roof, whereas the soffit refers exclusively to the underside component of the eave.

While the mix-up is certainly understandable, correctly understanding some of the minutiae of exterior house trim terminology will make it easier for you should you encounter any roof repairs or replacements. 

Rake Board vs. Fascia

Similar to eaves and soffits, rakes and fascia are often confused with one another, though they’re technically different. While they both refer to exterior trim around a roof, rake board trim only runs diagonally across the gables of a home. On the other hand, the fascia of a house runs horizontally along the rafters, trusses, and gutters.

Wood Trim vs. PVC Trim: Which is Better?

One of the most popular and oldest styles of trim around is solid wood trim. The most common types of wood for solid wood trim are cedar and redwood, as they’re durable, moisture and insect-resistant, and last much longer than other types of wood.

As the price of building materials has been on the rise, engineered wood has become a fast-growing alternative. Typically made from a blend of wood, glue, and resins, engineered wood comes in many forms. It typically comes in at a lower price point than solid wood. Other types of popular trim include fiber cement (another popular alternative to solid wood) and plastic.

An alternative to wood trim is PVC trim. While PVC is typically used in pipes and plumbing fixtures due to being impervious to moisture, it is also a common material used in exterior trim. It can be cut, milled, shaped, and routed just like wood trim. Unlike wood, it won’t chip, crack, bow, or rot, and it is also flame retardant.

One benefit of PVC moulding is that it is fully customizable. It can be molded in various shapes, like intricate Victorian-style trim, and can even mimic the look of wood trim. Another advantage is that PVC trim can last a lifetime since it won’t deteriorate. This makes it low maintenance for homeowners who want curb appeal without the work.

J&L offers a wide range of PVC trim options that are moisture, insect, and split resistant, as well as eco-friendly.

The Wrap-Up

Take the information in this blog and do your best to internalize it as you think about the future of your home. While you shouldn’t feel like you have to be an expert in building materials and renovations (that’s what we’re here for), you’ll feel more confident and gain clearer direction when you understand some of the fundamentals.

At J&L, we get homeowners connected with expert contractors able to handle all of your remodeling needs. Contact us today to get started.

But a global pandemic isn’t the only thing that causes building materials shortages, as a number of outside factors routinely contribute to delays and shortages. If you’re a homeowner looking to build or remodel and are frustrated with the hold up, we’re here to fill you in on what exactly causes delays and shortages in building materials.

Lumber Shortages Are Prevalent

The biggest contributing factor to the lumber shortage during the COVID-19 crisis is the delay in the supply chain process. 41% of contractors reporting less availability of building products is a severe consequence of the pandemic, which means less available materials for homeowners. But the weather is also a driving – and much more constant – force in affecting the production of building materials. 

With winter winding down and snow melting, wet weather makes it harder for harvesters to produce as many loads of wood per day as they could in the dry season. As a result, construction projects like housing renovations and new residential builds are routinely delayed due to inclement weather. If you’re a homeowner looking to do some exterior work on your house and are currently held up due to delays in lumber, we’d recommend looking for a quality wood substitute to speed the process along. Quality wood substitutes for exterior use include:

• Cellular PVC and poly ash
• Fiber cement
• Composite and engineered wood
• Steel framing

Building Product Prices Are on the Rise

Weather doesn’t just slow down the harvesting of timber — it also impacts the manufacturing price. Lumber that can be harvested year-round falls within the category of what is called the “wet weather tract”. These are designated areas where timber is easier to harvest because it doesn’t experience as much environmental moisture due to weather conditions. When the typical supply becomes constrained due to weather conditions, the prices go up, a prime example of supply and demand.

While a sellers’ market is good for manufacturers, it doesn’t always make it the most ideal time to purchase materials — hence why the prices of building materials can seem to fluctuate so much. As a whole, lumber prices have continued to rise and, even before COVID-19, experts were expecting high lumber prices.

Despite growing concern over building materials from purchasers and manufacturers alike, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s overall Index score for Q4 of 2020 rose to 60, up 3 points from 57 in Q3. All three of the Index’s main indicators rose, meaning:

• Contractors’ confidence in new business opportunities rose to 57 points
• Revenue expectations increased to 52 points (four points up from Q3)
• Backlog rose to 70 points 

While these gains are promising, the Index still remains below the score of 74 that the building materials industry was experiencing in Q1 of 2020 prior to the pandemic. 

Availability of Materials is Dwindling

With the unpredictability of 2021 and the rising prices of building products, the pandemic has forced more and more people to stay home. This is cited as one of the contributing factors for the residential construction boom of 2020, something that is likely to continue into 2021. 

As the exodus from big cities to more affordable living areas continues, the demand for house remodels, additions, and new construction continues to grow. As a homeowner, you may be looking to add a home office to your house, renovate a basement for a home gym, or even build a new home from the ground-up. To keep up with this demand, many manufacturers are working overtime to keep customers happy in the midst of the building materials shortage.

An Influx of Prospective Homeowners

New construction of single-family homes is set to exceed 1 million in 2021, a number we haven’t seen since 2011. While this is exciting news for many, Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist at the National Association of Homebuilders, is quick to point out that inventory is still below needed levels, and that the pandemic left the industry on uncertain terms. Construction, according to Dietz, is up against the same problem it has been for the past few years: increased lumber prices, limited lot supplies, supply chain issues, restrictive zoning laws, costly permits, and a skilled labor deficit.

Still reeling from the pains of the Great Recession, the sizable exit of 1.5 million workers (who either lost their jobs or quit) has been steadily reduced by adding about 900,000 jobs to the industry, but the shortage is still painfully evident, resulting in delays. All of this means delays for homeowners looking to add-on to their current living space as well as prospective homeowners looking to build a place they can call their own.

Construction Project Delays Are Unavoidable

Some of the primary factors that contribute to construction project delays are:

• Seasonality
• Extreme Weather
• Equipment Failure
• Labor Shortages

As we briefly touched on, one of the biggest challenges presenting itself to the construction industry (and therefore, project completion time) is the labor shortage, brought about chiefly by the Great Recession. 

Lack of Skilled-Labor

A promising study produced by an economist at George Mason University found the reason behind young adults not entering the construction industry may be more a matter of perception than anything else. Young adults, at large, don’t see the skilled trades as a viable, good-paying career. But as the cost of college continues to rise, the promise of a career with growth and few barriers to entry may continue to entice the younger generation to consider entering trades like construction. 

While steady growth won’t have a massive impact on the industry overnight, more skilled labor in the workforce means fewer hold ups for homeowners looking to complete projects.

Weather

Weather, as we touched on in the building materials shortage section, is another contributing factor that routinely delays construction projects. Extremely hot or cold days can slow the production of work, and heavy rain or snow can push jobs back by days. This, coupled with rising cases in COVID-19 during flu season, means even more delays, as 64% of businesses say worker health and safety is a top concern.

If you’ve ever had a project on your house delayed or pushed back because of weather, you know just how frustrating mother nature can be. Because of this, we recommend – if possible – to pad your schedule with a contractor as best as possible. If other major events in your life are dependent upon the completion of your new home, you may be setting yourself up for unneeded stress if the project experiences delays. By allowing yourself some breathing room with a flexible schedule, you can stay on track and still prepare, as best as possible, for the unexpected.

COVID-19 Delays

When it comes to delays in receiving the necessary building materials, it’s important to directly address the “gorilla in the room”: COVID-19. Certainly, this has caused the biggest disruption in the availability of materials in over a decade. 

One of the primary reasons for the disruptions in the building products supply chain stems from the COVID-enforced global lockdowns we’ve experienced. As a homeowner, it’s easy to forget the fact that your shed’s metal handle may be manufactured in China and the lumber for the exterior produced in Oregon. If any of the factories or manufacturing companies for these materials have been shut down or are experiencing delays themselves, the whole supply chain is thrown off, and the wait time can be extended by weeks or even months.

A lot of factors play into the building materials shortage we’re experiencing. Old problems don’t let up when new challenges present themselves, and manufacturers, distributors, and contractors alike are working together as best they can to help homeowners receive the needed materials and move on with their building projects.

At J&L Building Materials, we would love to help you navigate this unprecedented time as a homeowner. We have a team of trusted contractors that can help you complete your project. Feel free to contact us and someone on our team will be happy to speak to you.