Vinyl Siding Installation in Cumberland, Maine

Premium vinyl fits much of Cumberland's housing: the houses built from the 1960s through the 1990s in Cumberland Center, and the newer homes in West Cumberland's cluster subdivisions. It needs no paint, comes in lap and shake profiles, and keeps its color for years, which appeals in a town where about 91 percent of homes are owner-occupied and owners plan to stay.

Winter is the test. Portland's record low is 39 below zero, and vinyl gets brittle in deep cold, so it should be hung loosely enough to move, with thicker panels and a solid nailing hem that resists wind uplift on the Foreside. Insulated vinyl with a foam backer stiffens the wall and adds a little energy benefit. The draft comprehensive plan notes the town has no historic preservation ordinance, so vinyl is not held to design review, but owners of the two National Register buildings on Winn Road, the Winn Road School and the Captain Merrill House, or of other old farmhouses, may want a material that better matches historic clapboards and trim. Around windows and doors, J-channel and head flashing must be installed to shed meltwater during spring thaws.

Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put Cumberland at about 3,300 housing units, with a median year built of 1984. About 15 percent predate 1940, roughly 24 percent were built between 1960 and 1979, about 26 percent in the 1980s and 1990s, and about 29 percent in 2000 or later. Around 91 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and about 82 percent of units are single-family detached houses; only about 60 are held for seasonal use. The town's 2025 draft comprehensive plan counts 27 houses built before 1800 and another 190 built during the 1800s, about 7 percent of the stock. Most recent building has come as conservation or cluster subdivisions, such as the 72 homes of Mineral Springs in West Cumberland, plus condominiums and apartments near Route 1.

Cumberland has no official weather station; the long-term record for the area comes from Portland International Jetport, where 1991 to 2020 normals put average snowfall at about 69 inches a year and February lows around 17 degrees. The town rises from sea level on the Foreside to about 184 feet at Cumberland Center, so the inland villages see similar snow but little salt. Houses on the Foreside, between Route 1 and the bay, take wind and salt spray from northeast storms, and the draft comprehensive plan lists storm surge and rising seas as coastal concerns. Inland, freeze and thaw cycles and shade from woods do most of the damage to roofs and wood.

The Cumberland Code Enforcement Office handles building permits and inspections, which it schedules Monday through Thursday, and applications can be sent by email. Construction must meet the 2021 International Residential Code, the 2021 International Building Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. The Shoreland Overlay District generally reaches 250 feet from rivers, streams, saltwater and associated wetlands, and 75 feet from certain streams; any building permit there needs a Shoreland Zoning Permit first or alongside it. The town has no historic preservation ordinance, though the draft comprehensive plan asks the council to consider one.

Premium vinyl siding is the fastest way to a tight, low-maintenance exterior. Today's thicker panels come in clapboard, Dutch lap, board-and-batten and shake profiles and in colors that were not possible a generation ago. The projects shown on this site include CertainTeed Monogram vinyl siding, used to replace rotting wood clapboards and 1970s metal siding on Portland homes. Vinyl moves with temperature, so how it is hung matters as much as which panel you pick.

• Old siding is removed and the wall is checked for soft sheathing and past leaks.
• House wrap and flashing go on first, with extra care around windows, doors and roof-to-wall joints.
• Starter strip, J-channel and corner posts are set straight and level so every course lines up.
• Panels are nailed in the center of the slots and left loose enough to expand and contract through a Maine winter and summer.
• Trim is wrapped or replaced with low-maintenance millwork so there is nothing left to paint.

• You are tired of repainting wood clapboards every few years
• The existing vinyl is faded, cracked, or loose after wind storms
• The budget needs a whole-house result rather than one premium wall
• You want an insulated panel to take the edge off drafty walls

• Panel grade and thickness, and whether it is insulated
• Profile: clapboard, Dutch lap, board-and-batten or shake
• Amount of trim, soffit and fascia wrapped or replaced
• Tear-off and sheathing repairs
• House height and access

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our siding page, and the details of this service are on the vinyl siding installation overview.

Back to the Cumberland exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.