Siding Completes Renovation at Boston-Area Condo

The condominiums were built in 2007 and initially clad in fiber cement siding. Just 10 years later, its seaside locale, combined with a poor original installation, resulted in severe damage to the building’s exterior. According to PointsNorth Construction Management owner Nick Hall, this was the worst fiber cement siding failure he had seen in his career.

“Typically, if there is going to be a failure with a fiber cement building envelope, you’ll know it within the first five years. Unfortunately, that was the case here and the system failure just got worse and worse,” added Hall.

PointsNorth had no choice but to completely replace the siding at The Residences at Atlantis Marina, a five-story, 44-unit condominium in Winthrop, Mass. Just east of downtown Boston, the building offers residents outstanding views of the Atlantis Marina, the Boston skyline and the Belle Isle marsh below.

The construction company chose to rely on Chelsea Building Products, makers of Everlast siding, when faced with resurrecting an ocean-front condominium’s exterior cladding last summer. To remedy the situation, PointsNorth performed a complete exterior remodel, which included stripping the building back to its sheathing and installing a new adhered water-resistive barrier. Then, crews removed the previous fiber cement siding and trim, replacing it with Everlast siding and trim over 2-in. of rigid insulation.

“We had previously completed two smaller projects using Everlast siding, and my entire crew held the product in high regard,” said Hall. “From that initial experience, we saw no negatives in its performance, so it was an easy choice to use again on the Atlantis Marina project.”

Hall selected Everlast siding’s 6.875-in. reveal in Seaside Gray. The siding’s mineral composite construction is ideal for ocean-front locations where moisture and salty air are a constant strain on the exterior. The product’s appearance mimics that of real wood but with performance characteristics that far surpass wood, vinyl and fiber cement.

The siding consists of a thick and solid composite substrate called C CORE, which is ma de from a composition of inorganic minerals and polymer resins. The substrate is then fused molecularly to a color-tinted acrylic capstock and embossed with an authentic cedar grain finish, producing durable, natural-looking siding.

The siding also features an industry-leading warranty that protects against excessive color change and ensures the product will not peel, flake, crack, rust, blister or corrode, regardless of color choice, for life.