It's only fair to share...

Now that the weather is fine, outdoor renovation season will be in full force in no time.

Your home’s exterior determines its curb appeal, enhances your selling price point, and adds to your enjoyment of owning and living in it. Each of these points can be improved upon by using eco-friendly materials when you renovate.

Here is a list of top choices for greening up your home exterior and adding to its value.

Your Most Visible Surface-Siding

Wood Alternative

Avoid the formaldehyde-based bindings used in engineered wood when siding your home, and use formaldehyde-free products. TruWood Siding resists moisture damage, has a 30-year warranty, and is available in a variety of colours, widths and styles for any project.

http://www.truwoodsiding.com/#products

Vinyl Alternative

Vinyl Siding may be economical, but is created with an energy-intense process that also releases dioxins into the environment. An alternative is fibre-cement siding, a non-combustible creation made with cement, silica, sand and wood fibres, made with a natural wood grain. Two leading companies of fibre-cement are James Hardie Industries (JHI) and Allura Plycem. Fibre-cement can be purchased in plank style as well as shingles and vertical siding.

http://www.jameshardie.com/products/hardieshingle-siding
https://www.allurausa.com/fiber-cement-siding-products

Brick, Rock & Stone Alternative

While a natural resource, clay, rock and stone are not renewable resources. Enter GenStone, a polyurethane material that is inert and nontoxic, as well as durable and waterproof. The bonus? It can save you 50-percent on traditional masonry.

https://genstone.com/faux-stone-panels/canada/stratford-dry-stack-stone

Aluminum Alternative

While made of recycled material, the energy to produce aluminum siding negates any environmental gains. Aluminum is also easily dented, it conducts electricity, and provides no insulation value. EcoClad is a sustainable siding made of bamboo fibres, recycled paper, and recycled wood fibre. It continues to get better, as it is also as durable as metal, brick and stucco, but does not host bacterial or fungal growth.

http://kliptech.ciremedia.com/ecoclad-raw/

A Roof Over Your Head

A truly green roof is living plants on a waterproof membrane on top of a flat- or low-sloped roof. Ontario seasons do not lend to this sort of a roof, but we have a number of reasonable green alternatives. Our roofing choices are guided by the slope of the roof, the weight of the roofing material, the aesthetics, and of course budget.

Asphalt Alternatives

Asphalt is the vinyl siding of the roofing world. Inexpensive, not extremely durable, and light weight compared to steel or terra-cotta, the savings of roofing with asphalt are soon lost with having to get it redone every 10 or 20 years.

The same fibre-cement that is used in siding is also a valuable roofing option. Lighter than natural slate, it has the look of wood or stone, is weather and fire resistant, and durable.

https://www.allurausa.com/fiber-cement-siding-products/shakes-shingles

Other roofing options have proven themselves over the centuries, but will require a larger budget. They include steel and aluminum roofing, and terra-cotta tiles.

Driveway Paving

Easy to clean off and long-lasting, asphalt-paved driveways have long been considered the ideal for a beautiful home. But did you know that when floodwaters rise, it is a direct result of paved surfaces, giving rainwater nowhere else to go? Runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems play the biggest part in flooded basements, roads and yards.

Enter permeable paving. This style of pavement absorbs up to 1/4” of rain, allowing it to gradually evaporate with sun and wind. Excess water passes through to a porous sub-base, where it is filtered and can be collected and reused, or directed to a settling pond, creating another eco-friendly ecosystem. More expensive than solid paving, permeable paving costs are greatly offset by avoiding structural and land damage.

http://hydropavers.ca/products/construction/

Decked Out

It’s both an outdoor escape and a family gathering place – your home’s deck must stand up to the extremes of nature, have beauty that helps you unwind and relax, and be solid. There are several durable and eco-smart materials you can use to improve your deck for lasting enjoyment.

Leading the charge? Plastic. Keeping the stuff out of our oceans and landfills has become a top priority, and high-density plastic lumber (PL) helps do this using recycled polyethylene. It is weather-resistant, lightweight, recycled, and easy-to-clean with a hose or mop. You are limited to the colours it comes in, though, so it might not offer a perfect match to your existing exterior.

Baleboard is made right here in Ontario by Think Plastics, Inc,. from the white plastic farmers use to protect hay bales, along with greenhouse film. It’s a win-win for being made locally and up-cycling products used in local agriculture.

http://www.baleboard.ca/baleboard.html

Composite wood-polymer composites have quickly grown to be a preferred option for outdoor decking. It is an environmentally friendly product utilizing plastic and wood fiber. Durable, lightweight, and low maintenance, however, some brands can be slippery and it is not resistant to mold and mildew in shady areas. It will also sag and bend more than natural wood, making it ideal only for specific locations outdoors.

Still the leading choice for a perfect deck? Old-fashion wood plank lumber. Hardwood is the most durable, but should be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure it was harvested in a sustainable, eco-friendly way. It smells good, it looks like the real thing because it really is, and has a natural warmth. If your budget allows for the higher price that lumber brings, it will give you years of lasting enjoyment in the great outdoors.

It's only fair to share...