CertainTeed Cedar Impressions Siding Makes Good Impression On New Jersey Luxury Condos

October 23, 2006
(Valley Forge, Pennsylvania) -- Three hundred squares of CertainTeed Cedar Impressions® cedar-style polymer siding were recently installed at the luxurious Beach Condominiums development in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, meeting with glowing reviews.

CertainTeed Cedar Impressions Polymer Siding at the Beach Condominiums

Located in New Jersey's exclusive east-central Atlantic shore region, Beach Condominiums features three three-story beachfront buildings with 40 units per building that sell for $1 million plus each. Built in 1986, the buildings were originally clad with real cedar shakes. Due to 40 to 50 mile-per-hour gale-force coastal winds and rain from the Northeast, however, the shakes required costly periodical maintenance, says Beach Condominiums property manager Mike Koen, owner of Mike Koen Management Services, Bay Head, New Jersey.

"Because of the strong northeastern exposure of the property, we had to repaint the cedar shakes every four years," he says. "We're right on the ocean, and whenever a strong northeast winter wind would come along, it would sandblast the paint right out of the pores of the wood."

By 2005, Koen had enough, and went looking for an authentic alternative to cedar shake siding that would hold up better against harsh coastal weather. He chose CertainTeed's Cedar Impressions line of polymer siding that is molded from real cedar shakes to give a natural cedar shake appearance. Cedar Impressions siding is available in a large variety of styles and colors to meet the varying design needs of builders, homeowners and residential development managers. Koen hired siding contractor The Nelson Team, Inc., of Shark River Hills, New Jersey, to install 300 squares of Cedar Impressions 7" Perfection Shakes Shakes in Sterling Gray. The crew began work in Summer 2005, and after delays caused by tourist season and winter, finished in April 2006.

The Cedar Impressions siding is a big improvement for Beach Condominiums, due to its durability, color-through finish and authentic emulation of real cedar shake, says Tom Nelson, President of The Nelson Team. "Having a good siding is key. Even if it does take a beating, it's the same color all the way through. Plus, if you are coming up the street, and can see this siding clearly, it looks exactly like the real cedar shakes did before all the weather damage. Everybody who has seen it has had a hard time telling the difference between the Cedar Impressions siding and the real thing."

Koen says he is very impressed with the new siding and The Nelson Team's work at Beach Condominiums. "It's got a great authentic look. The way it's lapped, it looks exactly like the cedar shakes. The condo owners are very happy. People have been going by and asking if these condos are brand new!"

"We are happy to see Cedar Impressions meeting the needs of Ocean Beach Condominiums and many other luxury developments," says Tom Smith, President of CertainTeed's Siding Products Group. "Especially in regions of the country with harsher weather, Cedar Impressions is the ideal solution for those who want authentic cedar shake appeal with long-lasting durability."

About CertainTeed Corporation
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed Corporation has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Company, the firm made its slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is a leading North American manufacturer of residential and commercial roofing; vinyl and fiber cement siding; vinyl and composite exterior trim; vinyl and composite fence, railing and decking; vinyl windows; residential, commercial and mechanical insulation; PVC pipe; foundations; and access covers.

Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, CertainTeed is a Saint-Gobain company with approximately 7,000 employees and 40 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States. In 2005 CertainTeed had sales of $2.8 billion.
www.certainteed.com