Siding, fire bowls, outdoor kitchens and more!

By Emma Peterson. 

Westlake equips contractors and professionals with the products they need to expand and grow their businesses. 

Westlake has made itself a name in the roofing world as a “Recognized national leader in durable and sustainable concrete, clay, steel, composite roofing systems and components.” but they are far from a one trick pony and operate in a variety of different markets beyond the roof, including siding, trim, windows and outdoor living. While at the International Builder show, The Coffee Shops™ crew had the chance to see the true extent of their offerings from Chris “CJ” Johnson and Sarah Lograsso. 

CJ is the director of product and product marketing for the Westlake Siding and Trim Solutions division. He led us on a tour of the different products that Westlake offers in the siding market, emphasizing that, “What's cool about Westlake is that we have everything from economy products, like vinyl siding, to premium sidings. We have the product breadth to find right product for every home.” 

The first siding line he showed was the aforementioned economy vinyl product. CJ explained, “Vinyl siding is the most economic choice out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser in quality or aesthetics. For example, we have a new board and batten that really elevates the look of the siding without sacrificing the fantastic performance.” From there, we took a look at their Celect® line, which is one of their premium siding options. CJ shared, “I like to talk about this as contemporary styling with unsurpassed low maintenance. We’ve got a board like siding, so much thicker than vinyl, and then install is as simple as stacking it up. And it has amazing performance, the cellular PVC base doesn’t absorb any water and it is coated with Kynar paint, so it resists fading.” 

Then, he showed us their True Exterior display. This line features polyash siding made from recycled materials. CJ elaborated, “Not only is it environmentally friendly, but the polyash absorbs hardly any water and therefore is very low maintenance.” Our team also had the opportunity to take a look at Westlake’s very popular Versetta Stone siding. As CJ explained, “Everyone likes the look of stone, but it can be hard to find a mason. So, this is siding that looks like stone but has a built-in rain screen so that if water gets behind it, it drains out effortlessly.”  

Last but not least, CJ showcased their Cedar Renditions and Grove Collection lines. This line brings homeowners the beauty of stained wood without the ongoing and time-consuming maintenance. CJ explained, “It’s got a very flat, plank look, but if you touch it, you can tell it is aluminum siding. It’s created with a PVDF paint that resists fading, so you get the look of wood and the performance of aluminum.” 

After showcasing Westlake’s siding offerings, CJ handed the mic over to Sarah, the director of marketing and product management for Westlake’s stone and roofing solutions group. She opened the conversation by illustrating the extensive offerings Westlake has for outdoor spaces. She explained, “We have decking, fire bowls and outdoor kitchens as some of our categories. With this division, we’re really tapping into the potential of usability with people’s outdoor spaces.” The rise in interest for outdoor living products was in part fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah shared, “COVID really accelerated people to look at their outdoor spaces as areas where you can build social connections.” 

Westlake makes it easy for contractors and professionals to meet this rising demand for outdoor products. Sarah explained, “We have a beautiful plug and play style fire bowl. You can literally drop them into place, they come with either a liquid propane or natural gas burner and they are made with a proprietary limestone aggregate blend, so it is simulating or emulating natural limestone, but it doesn’t have the weight of actual stone.” 

At the end of the day, the incredible breadth in Westlake’s portfolio is not just a testament to their brand’s innovation and quality products; it’s also an opportunity for professionals. For example, if a roofing contractor can expand their offerings to include siding or other exterior home improvements, their revenue streams will be diversified and their relationship with the client becomes stronger. And this doesn’t just go one way, outdoor professionals can also diversify to add things like siding to their business and reap similar benefits. 

See the full tour of Westlake’s siding and outdoor offerings for yourself!