Exterior Mouldings

Cache

I'd like to see what everyone thinks in terms of exterior moulding/trim materials. Let's assume that the trim in question won't be completely hidden from rain/snow. Something like an exterior south or west facing window crosshead. Rank the materials below in order of best to worst for exterior application. I would request that cost be a factor in the rankings because personally I love the polyeurethane mouldings (like Fypon for example), but at almost $10plf it is hard to justify using it instead of another material for 1/3 the cost.

Materials:
Traditional Solid Wood
Finger Joint Wood
Exterior Grade MDF
Polyeurethane
PVC
Vinyl
Fiber Cement

neolitic

1) poplar
2)Azek
3) everything else

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Jason Whipple

1) Solid Wood
2) Fiber Cement
3) PVC (only when I have ground/roof/deck clearance issue's)

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Cache

Looks like I forgot Polystyrene.

Also, for you guys who really like solid wood. What species do you like and how do you prefer to seal it for lower maintenance?

genecarp

fypon
azek
wood, oil primed

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troubleseeker

hmmm, that seems like both extreme ends of the spectrum .Poplar, which has very little rot resistance, to Azek, which lasts forever.
I also rank "exterior grade mdf" as a cruel hoax on the unsuspecting.

neolitic

Around here poplar is
"tulip poplar", not aspen.
It weathers great!
I've seen 80 year old poplar
siding that's never been touched
by paint or stain.
It makes good window sills
and such.

Add any MDF,
and I 100% agree with
that part!

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