The downturn in the housing market is causing an upswing in at least one area of remodeling right now — exterior trim. With more Americans playing it safe by investing in their current homes, low-maintenance exterior trim is gaining ground while homeowners also look to increase the curb appeal of their home in more creative ways.

“What we’ve seen happening in the trim market is not only is it growing and consumers are starting to think about trim, but they want to make sure it is long-lasting,” says Kristen Baer, channel marketing manager for AZEK. “I think consumers are thinking more creatively and want a grander look on their home. With the current economy, homeowners are staying put and doing the things to their home to enhance the look that they might not have bothered with even five years ago.”

There’s a huge future for exterior trim products and it’s growing exceptionally. Consumers are actually thinking about trim when they’re thinking about their home. Whether it’s on a home, enhancing a deck or creating an outdoor kitchen, trim boards are being used in more creative fashions. Homeowners are much more aware of what is out there and their demands are increasing about the look that they want. With this push from consumers, new products are emerging all the time, such as thicker profiles, more mouldings and more milled products.

Low-maintenance demands

“I think low maintenance is driving trim,” says Rick Kapres, vice president of sales for Versatex. “I think people want to get away from maintenance. They want products that are long-lasting and are built to last. The contractor is in favor of a low-maintenance product as well because they don’t have callbacks or issues in the field. With many of the low-maintenance products, they are easy to install with the same tools and fasteners.”

Kapres also feels that the reason there has been an uptick in things like gingerbread homes and decorative esthetics on the exteriors of homes is because of low-maintenance products lending themselves to all of these things that a homeowner can do to beautify their home. Better still for the homeowner is that a low-maintenance product will last much longer than a wood product.

“When putting up trim, it’s important to ask the consumer what they really want and generally that is low maintenance,” adds Baer. “Like the fact that you don’t have to paint it, but if you choose to paint it, it will hold up very well for up to 25 years; that can be enticing to a homeowner.”