Siding profile buyer guide
Pick the right siding profile, or mix two on the same North Jersey home.
Lap on the field walls, shake on the gable, board-and-batten at the entry: profile choice drives curb appeal as much as color. NJ Vinyl Siding brings physical samples to your driveway at the free estimate.
5+
Common profiles
Lap through B&B
2
Profiles typical
Field + accent mix
23+
Years in North Jersey
Profile combos
1
Written proposal
Profiles named per zone
Horizontal lap: the default North Jersey field profile
Traditional lap siding overlaps horizontal courses with a visible shadow line at each board. It is the most common profile on ranches, capes, and colonials across Bergen and Passaic counties because it reads classic from the street and installs efficiently on long wall runs.
NJ Vinyl Siding installs lap in standard hollow-back, insulated foam-backed, premium CertainTeed Monogram and MainStreet, Ascend composite plank, and James Hardie HardiePlank depending on budget and HOA rules.
- Traditional lap: flat face, clean reveal
- Insulated lap: foam-backed for comfort upgrades
- Available in vinyl, Ascend composite, and Hardie fiber cement
- Best on main field walls and long side elevations
Dutch lap: deeper shadow lines for colonials and craftsman streets
Dutch lap adds a beveled top edge to each course, creating a deeper shadow line than traditional lap. Homeowners in Ridgewood, Wayne, and Montclair often choose Dutch lap when they want more texture without jumping to shake or vertical profiles.
Dutch lap is available in premium vinyl lines and pairs well with white PVC trim or black anodized window casing on gray and earth-tone walls.
- Beveled edge, stronger shadow than standard lap
- Popular on HOA-reviewed streets in Essex and Bergen
- Mixes with shake accents on gables without clashing
- Same maintenance as other color-through vinyl profiles
Vinyl shake and scallop: cedar look without stain or paint
Polymer shake and scallop profiles mimic individual cedar shingles with factory texture and color. They belong on accent zones: gable ends, dormers, bays, Tudor second stories, and front entries where wood grain adds character.
CertainTeed Cedar Impressions is the most requested shake line on North Jersey accent walls. James Hardie HardieShingle fits when the HOA or design calls for fiber cement stagger at the shingle edge.
- Individual shake courses for gables and dormers
- Scallop profiles for Tudor bays and curved accents
- No exterior paint or stain maintenance
- Pairs with lap field walls on the same house
Board-and-batten and vertical profiles
Vertical siding draws the eye up and reads farmhouse, craftsman, or modern depending on board width and batten spacing. Vinyl vertical panels, Ascend 12-inch board-and-batten, and James Hardie HardiePanel each deliver a different weight and texture.
Most North Jersey homes use vertical profiles on one elevation only: a front gable, entry tower, or porch wing, with lap or composite plank on the remaining walls. See our board-and-batten guide for material comparisons.
- Vertical lines add height at entries and gables
- Vinyl, Ascend composite, and HardiePanel options
- Often mixed with horizontal field siding
- Black window trim pairs well on modern vertical facades
How to mix two profiles on one house
The strongest curb appeal on North Jersey colonials and split-levels usually combines one field profile with one accent profile. Lap on main walls plus shake on the gable is the most common combo NJ Vinyl Siding installs in Bergen County.
Keep contrast intentional: two horizontal profiles on the same wall rarely work, but lap field plus vertical entry or shake gable reads designed, not busy. Bruce maps each zone on your written proposal before materials are ordered.
- Field + accent: lap walls, shake or B&B gable
- Material mix: vinyl rear, Ascend or Hardie front
- Trim ties zones together: PVC, anodized, or stone skirt
- HOA samples show both profiles before submittal
Job photos
Siding profiles on North Jersey homes
Common questions
Siding profile FAQ
Horizontal lap is still the default field profile. Dutch lap, vinyl shake on gables, and board-and-batten accents are the most requested upgrades on North Jersey colonials and craftsman homes. NJ Vinyl Siding installs all three in vinyl, Ascend composite, and James Hardie.
See profiles on your walls
NJ Vinyl Siding brings lap, shake, and vertical samples to your free estimate with a fixed-price proposal that names every profile zone on the house.