PROBLEM CLINIC: WOOD, VINYL, AND ALUMINUM SIDING BY PAUL COVE UNDERSTAND THE MATERIALS YOU'RE USING IF YOU WANT TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE When riding around New England we see houses with wood siding that has stood up to the elements for over 50 years (Figure 1). We also see new houses with wood siding that has failed in less than five years (Figure 2). We see many houses, old and new, that have been resided with other materials that have also failed. This article will discuss why some siding applications have such short lives, and how to prevent these premature failures. Wood Siding People often say they like wood siding because it is a natural building material. My reply is