Case Study: Punta Gorda, FL

Punta Gorda, a sunny coastal city on Florida’s southwestern perimeter, has been described as a “paradise for fishermen, boaters, sun-worshippers, and shoppers alike.” However, like many towns across the state, Punta Gorda has been the scene of significant destruction over the years from numerous tropical storms and hurricanes.

During severe weather in Dec. 2021, the vinyl siding was torn off of the Boudreau family home. Seeking to install a more durable product than the vinyl siding, the Boudreaus used the opportunity to replace the home’s entire exterior with a more robust product that could better withstand future weather damage.

"We were looking for a different product and knew we did not want traditional vinyl siding,” said homeowner Bob Boudreau. “We considered using fiber cement, but we were looking for siding that required no maintenance. As a former contractor of 17 years, I’ve had too many issues with fiber cement in the past. A requirement in our siding search was finding a product that we would not have to paint every seven or eight years either.”

To meet the challenge, the Boudreaus chose Everlast^® Lap Siding in the 7” plank in Spanish Moss color.

As a former contractor, Boudreau installed the siding himself. When asked about the benefits of the product, he explained how he loved the idea of having joints that were directly butted against each other, minimizing visible seams.

Because the home is located within a hurricane zone, a key selling point was Everlast siding’s wind resistance. The product is rated to withstand winds of up to 198 miles per hour when installed with screws and 175 miles per hour when fastened with nails.

Fast forward to Oct. 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in southern Florida. Neighboring homes to the Boudreau’s that were also in the storm’s path experienced significant damage to the siding, gutters, roofing materials, and more. However, the newly installed Everlast siding on the Boudreau residence withstood Hurricane Ian and the severe weather that came with it, including heavy rain and winds that topped out at 155 miles per hour.

From early in the manufacturing process, Everlast siding is extruded for superior dimensional strength. The siding’s stability can also be attributed to its EZStack design, which assures that each plank sits firmly in the one below for a solid and sturdy installation. This helps secure the siding system during heavy bouts of wind.

"We live in a community of more than 450 manufactured homes, and when we first had Everlast siding installed, I spent much of my time telling curious neighbors about it,” said Boudreau. “After Hurricane Ian, neighbors were even more impressed by the product. At first, it generated attention because of its appearance. Now it has demonstrated durability and performance under the harshest weather conditions. The product speaks for itself, and our home is the proof.”

In addition, as the installer, Boudreau was amazed at how simple the process was, completing the job using what he learned from watching the official Everlast siding installation videos. Everlast siding’s light weight and tongue and groove design makes small crew or single person installation possible.

From a performance perspective, Everlast siding has undergone rigorous testing proving its value and durability to builders and homeowners throughout the country. In 2018, Everlast siding received approval from the Texas Department of Insurance after an evaluation of wind loads, and Florida Building Code approval from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation after undergoing durability, surface burning, weather resistance, and wind-load resistance tests.

The Everlast siding installation on the Boudreau home was completed in the summer of 2022. In addition to Boudreau as the installer, the project team included Everlast siding representative Continental Building Solutions.