10 Issues with Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding & The Best Alternative

If you’ve been considering vinyl cedar shake siding for your home, chances are the rustic look and lower price point caught your attention. But what happens when the charming look starts to fade, crack, or warp?

The fact is, before you decide to use vinyl cedar shake, you should dig a little deeper. What seems like an affordable solution can come with a significant number of issues.

Keep reading to find the most common issues and problems with vinyl siding.

Why Homeowners Choose Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding

For many homeowners, vinyl cedar shake siding checks two big boxes: It looks good, and it’s affordable—a great combination. But the thing is: finding something affordable can also mean purchasing something with less quality, something with significant issues.

Key Issues with Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding

Here are some of the primary issues of using vinyl cedar shake siding:

1. Installation sensitivity

While installing vinyl siding is not necessarily difficult in itself, it is something to be approached with care. With any siding, you want to find a professional contractor to ensure the job is done correctly. The reason is, if you don’t install your vinyl cedar shake siding properly from the start, the long-term consequences can be disastrous—and costly—to repair later.

2. Maintenance

Vinyl cedar shakes can be tedious to take care of. And when they get dirty, you have to watch how you clean them. You’re not able to use a pressure washer to clean the material like you can with other roofing materials. In fact, a pressure washer could actually damage the siding. To clean vinyl siding appropriately, you will need a non-toxic cleanser that does not fade or damage the siding itself.

3. Color Fading

Another issue is that vinyl siding doesn’t age well—at all—especially in warm, hot climates. The consistent exposure to the sun can cause the color of the siding to fade and become dull, which means:

Instead of having siding with warm cedar tones, you end up with a washed-out, plastic-looking appearance. And even though some manufacturers offer fade-resistant finishes, those materials can also fade over time too.

4. Fragility

Vinyl siding has little to no resistance. Not only can they split or break as they expand and contract when temperatures change but they also can be easily damaged by flying debris. Windstorms, hail, or rocks can easily damage the siding and once vinyl siding is damaged, there is no other option other than to replace the pieces.

5. Low fire safety (vs. Class A products)

Vinyl cedar shake siding, in most cases, does not offer much in terms of fire protection. That means that if you live in a location with strict building codes, vinyl shakes may not be permitted for safety reasons. 

It also means that if you choose this style of siding, your home is not as protected as it could be from the risk of fire. Vinyl cedar shakes are also inherently combustible because they are made from wood which is naturally flammable.

6. Repair Costs

Vinyl shakes may be cheaper upfront, but repairs can drain your wallet, especially if they are repetitive. Each damaged vinyl shake of the siding must be replaced individually. And although that might sound good, it won’t be when you realize how often it needs to be done.

Another thing to consider is: if the original color is no longer available, you might have a tough time getting the origins siding to match.

7. Warping

Installing vinyl shake siding in hot, cold, or humid climates works equally well. Vinyl doesn’t respond well to temperature extremes. And if your climate changes consistently, the vinyl material can warp or cup over time, ultimately ruining the aesthetic of the home. Then, because that warping begins, moisture intrusion becomes much more likely.

8. Moisture and Water Intrusion

Moisture is the silent killer of many siding materials, but especially for vinyl siding because it isn’t breathable. This means that any moisture can be easily trapped and has nowhere to go. And once it gets past the outer layer of the roof, it can seep into the walls and start making a negative impact on your home.

What type of impact, exactly? 

To start, it could start causing mold, mildew, or potentially rot behind the façade.

Note: This is also why it’s important to choose a quality installer, like we mentioned above. When installing vinyl cedar shakes or vinyl siding, you need to ensure there is proper keyway space between shakes. The spacing, if done incorrectly, could allow space to trap moisture.

9. Insects and Pests

Gaps in poorly sealed vinyl siding can also create the perfect entry point for insects and other animals. Termites and carpenter ants can also easily exploit those spaces, especially if there’s any wood that’s exposed underneath. Unlike some materials, vinyl doesn’t deter them, and it certainly will not stop them.

10. Growths

Vinyl’s surface can attract mold, especially in shaded, humid areas. Cleaning helps, but you have to be careful not to damage the siding. And again, you’re cleaning more often than you’d probably like.

CeDUR: The Best Cedar Shake Siding Alternative

If you want the look of real cedar wood without all the extra work, CeDUR is where you should start.

Each of our synthetic cedar shake products is molded from real cedar, which helps give each shake a natural grain appearance that actually looks like wood—not plastic.

But CeDUR products go beyond looks They offer:

• A Class A fire rating for high-quality fire resistance

• A Class 4 impact rating for incredible impact resistance

• UV resistant and warp-resistant performance for long time performance

• Zero moisture absorption so mold and mildew don’t grow

• Lightweight materials to simplify installation

• Minimal maintenance required to limit repainting, sealing, or scrubbing

Want to see what they look like? Take a look at our gallery.

Vinyl vs. Synthetic Cedar Shake: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Here’s a quick glance at how vinyl stacks up against CeDUR synthetic cedar shakes:

When comparing vinyl and synthetic cedar shake, you should note the following about synthetic materials: 

• Synthetic Has a Durable, Realistic Appearance: CeDUR shakes not only offer an authentic texture and appearance but also offer limited fading, cracking, and warping.

• Synthetic is Built to Last: Unlike vinyl, CeDUR is engineered to resist UV damage, which makes it a better investment.

• Vinyl Cannot Match the Fire Safety of Synthetic: CeDUR’s Class A fire rating simply offers more protection than vinyl.

• Vinyl is More Difficult to Install: CeDUR’s lightweight design makes it easier to handle, which reduces the time it takes to install or fix installation errors.

Don’t Compromise Longevity. Use CeDUR Synthetic Shake

Vinyl cedar shake siding might seem like a shortcut to a beautiful exterior, but shortcuts come with setbacks. From fading and cracking to moisture and warping, vinyl simply doesn't hold up the way it should.

With CeDUR synthetic shakes, you don’t have to choose between appearance and performance. You get both!

And if you’re thinking about a new installation, repair, or restoration, you might as well choose the best alternative to vinyl cedar shake siding, which is CeDUR.

Interested in learning more? Contact us today or request a sample!