Thoughts on Exterior PVC Trim?

Hi all,

We are building a house, and one of the features I am currently trying to tackle is the cornice trim and gable returns.

I don't like the idea of wood trim due to maintenance concerns but I also worry about the design limitations of aluminum.

PVC looks like a possible option, but my builder didn't like the way it expands and contracts according to the temperatures. We live in KY, so summers will get into the 90's and winters can get to 0. In other words, there will be lots of opportunity for expansion/contraction.

Just wondered if anyone has used it and had good results.

 

Despite having followed the manufacturer's instructions exactly, I have not had good experiences with the expansion/contraction issues.

I use it where there are difficult access areas on a house such as a dormer on a slate roof. The next time I try it I plan to spline the ends and look for a better adhesive than the manufacturer's own product.

 

The best results will be had by screwing all the trim on with pairs of composite screws 16" on center, and epoxy each layer with Trimbonder epoxy. I also use it to caulk all edges and fill all screw holes. Very labor intensive to sand the epoxy down but its a premium product... so for the customers who get it, the labor isnt usually a problem. It will expand and contract but you have to take the good with the bad. You also can't paint it dark colors.

 

If you won't have a lot of ornate details and complicated profiles, Boral Trim boards are another option. Don't rot. Don't expand or contract much at all. Can be painted any color and paints like a dream. A little hard on tools (dulls them fairly quickly) but otherwise easy to work with.