We are "Over-vinyled"

This grand old "four-square" is vinyl-sided to the point of losing the charm of the window frames.  And this is just one of many throughout Crookston.  In our search for a "quick fix" we want to "cover up" not "uncover" the beauty of the original home.  First people replaced wood siding with pressed wood siding, then it was asbestos siding, by the time vinyl siding was invented, these folks are probably covering up the previous three laysers forcing the windows to have no depth to them anymore.  Making it worse is the fake munions (you know those vinyl strips inside the vinyl window,) and the width of the original woodwork around the windows is down from four to five inches to one or two inches! 

The living room window probably had a stained glass upper and clear glass on the lower windows.  What a loss.  And where did the window to the side of the door come from?  These are typical of modern structures, '70's and above.  Now I ask you, why didn't the person sell the old beauty and just buy a newer house?

I will give it one "saving grace" and that is they kept the double-hung look of the upper story windows.  A lot of people have flipped out over casement styles inappropriate to the four-square, or more "munioning" (is that a word?) than was ever on the original house. 

If you must vinyl side your home and windows, then at least do it in an appropriate way.  Although munioned, the following home right across the street shows a classic look that preserves the original look and proportion of the the house.

 
 Watch for the next post on (top 10 things I hate about Crookston, MN)