Case Study: Shrewsbury, MA

The historic town of Shrewsbury, MA was settled in 1722, and just a year later, the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury was founded. The church has been at the center of the community since 1723, maintaining a strong presence to this day. On the exterior of its current building, the wood siding was rotted, failing, and had peeling paint that affected the church’s overall appearance.

Seeking a solution, the First Congregational Church contacted United Home Experts (Ashland, MA) for a recommendation on new siding materials. United Home Experts (UHE), founded in 1998, is a family-owned exterior home and building improvement company that specializes in the building envelope. UHE prides itself on being a true expert on the products and services that they offer, possessing 20+ years of experience as exterior specialists restoring New England homes.

United Home Experts recommended Everlast® Advanced Composite Siding for the church – a next-generation product designed to maintain its beauty with very little maintenance, and a 50-year warranty.

Everlast® was ideal for the First Congregational Church, especially because the committee requested a product that would eliminate the need to re-paint. United Home Experts rejuvenated the exterior of the church by replacing the white painted wood siding with Everlast® 4-½" planks in bright Polar White.

“The committee at First Congregational Church needed a siding solution that preserved the historical beauty and architectural integrity of their building,” says John Dudley, President at United Home Experts. “Everlast® was the ideal product because it has an authentic wood-like dimension and texture, and due to its acrylic finish, it never requires painting.”

Everlast® is much more durable than vinyl or fiber cement products, but still lightweight and easy to install. It is also water resistant and impermeable to wood-boring insects, meaning the church doesn’t have to worry about damaged planks from weather or insects. First Congregational Church will also never have to worry about fading or color issues, because Everlast® won’t peel, flake, crack, rot, or blister like wood siding.

“Compared to other ‘composites,’ Everlast’s advertised properties are authentic and true. Many other wood-based composites are failing or destined to fail,” says Dudley.

The First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury exterior renovation was completed in August 2014. Everlast® Polar White has stood the test of time, maintaining the church’s beauty to this day.