Vinyl siding has long been popular as a home exterior covering -- it's used in one-quarter of new single-family homes being built today. Yes, some deride it as tacky or pass. Comedians have used it ...

Q: The house I grew up in had vinyl siding, and the trim around the windows was some thin, distasteful vinyl that had an end profile like the letter J. I thought it looked abominable. How can you make ...