A Chanhassen, Minn., home is among the first homes in the state to be protected by a revolutionary new siding made from fiberglass.
The home is one of only a half-dozen installations in Minnesota using Apex Siding, affiliated with Marvin, and is the first stucco-replacement project to be completed in the state. The replacement siding was installed as part of a larger structural renovation to repair damage caused by water infiltrating the home’s stucco exterior.
The project was designed, managed and constructed by AMEK Custom Builders of Bloomington.
The homeowners contacted AMEK after watching the company repair decaying framing on a nearby home also caused by water getting behind stucco siding. That homeowner chose cement-fiber for replacement siding
“The homeowners were interested in using James Hardie fiber cement siding like their neighbor,” said Paul Schmidt, AMEK’s siding specialist and project manager. “We went over all the options with them and after learning all the pros and cons they chose the Apex Siding System.”
The key selling point for the homeowners, Schmidt said, was the water-management system engineered into the siding itself. Apex’s unique installation clip system, combined with the unmatched rigidity of the siding itself, creates a thin space between the siding and home that allows any water that may penetrate to harmlessly drain down to the ground and not soak into the home.
The Apex fiberglass siding system has other unique engineering traits that distinguish it from other siding, including:
- No need for caulk. The system allows precise fitting of the fiberglass siding plank to the door and window frame. Coupled with the water-management system there’s also no caulk required eliminating the need for caulk color matching or future caulk replacement.
- A proprietary manufacturing process for introducing the acrylic finish, making the finish harder and thicker than other siding and more resistant to fading and chipping.
- The material itself is strong enough to resist warping, twisting and buckling.
- The fiberglass is impervious to moisture, and insects and rodents detest it.
- Despite its strength the siding is lightweight enough to be handled by a single person on the job site.
While the proprietary fiberglass manufacturing process may be new to siding, Paul Schmidt notes that the technology has been proven in residential uses for more than 20 years. “It’s the same material used in exterior door sills for 20 years and has been used in windows for 15,” he said.
Apex is increasing in popularity on the east coast and is now being introduced in the Midwest. Apex had representatives following AMEK’s project and told the company their replacement siding installation was “by far the best first installation of Apex that they had seen,” Paul added.
Being among the first contractors in the state to use the new fiberglass siding product isn’t unusual for AMEK. The company has a rich history of deep research of new housing technologies and early adoption of products the company sees raising the residential construction bar.
“We are not afraid to try a new product if we are committed to the overall quality of it,” Andrew Schmidt said. “And we are committed to Apex siding.”
Andrew and Paul are joined by their brother Matt and father Mark in leading AMEK. All four have worked as installers as well as project managers and use that experience to ensure they have the highest quality crews and management to ensure customer satisfaction.