A Colonial-Style Home Gets a Second Life Without Losing Its Charm

Homeowner Brian Truss knew he was in trouble when he started noticing the insects. 

The cedar siding on his family’s colonial home in Far Hills, New Jersey was finally showing its age—and not gracefully. What had once been a charming traditional exterior was becoming a maintenance nightmare of rot, mold, and pest infiltration. 

"Being wood, it absorbs water, it rots," he says. "And also was something where we noticed a lot of insects, and that was something that we knew we were going to have to replace."

The challenge wasn’t just replacing damaged materials—it was preserving the picturesque character that had drawn his family to the house in the first place. Colonial homes are notorious for their complex trim work, and this particular house featured extensive molding profiles that defined its period charm. 

Rather than suggesting simplified alternatives that would compromise the home’s character, the team at CREO Construction understood the need for a seamless facade restoration: Sales and design specialist Joe Hydro and operations manager Mike Crowell proposed AZEK Exteriors’ comprehensive PVC system that could replicate every existing profile. 

"This system is the only system we can use because there were probably about 10 to 12 different types of molding on the home," explains Crowell. "We were able to come in and show the homeowner the entire system and say we can do AZEK from trim to siding to blocks. And they were completely sold on it."

As the installation process progressed, it became clear that the material provided more than just durability. "It’s lightweight, so it is very easy for them to move around. It goes up a lot faster. It’s installed with a clip system, and it was flying up the wall," explains Hydro, highlighting how the lightweight material and clip system also significantly reduced labor time. 

Building on this, the floating installation system addresses a common issue with exterior materials: movement. Rather than being rigidly attached to studs, AZEK Lap Siding and Trim System allows for natural expansion and contraction, particularly around openings. "The biggest advantage is that this is a floating system, so it floats on the wall where other products need to be now tied to the studs," says Crowell.

Perhaps the most noticeable improvement, however, is the elimination of those inevitable maintenance points that plague most exterior renovations. "There’s no ugly caulk around windows and doors and trim, which is probably my biggest complaint from homeowners on other projects," notes Crowell. The 16-foot panel lengths minimize visible seams, creating cleaner sight lines across the facade. Combined with hidden fasteners and rabbeted trims, the result is remarkably seamless compared to traditional installations. 

For the homeowners, the real value lies beyond the aesthetic benefits. "The main thing we like to focus on is longevity for their house, as far as maintenance and upkeep goes," says Hydro. "AZEK Lap Siding doesn’t have a need for paint. Years later, it’s going to look just like it did on day one."

The result is a home that looks virtually unchanged from its original state, while eliminating the ongoing maintenance cycle that the homeowners found themselves in. The architectural details that initially drew them to the house remain intact, but now they’re rendered in materials designed to withstand decades without degradation.

Learn more about AZEK Lap Siding at azekexteriors.com.