A contractor recently went viral on TikTok after showcasing a “plastic” alternative for house siding, leaving many viewers outraged. TikTok user Your Favorite Contractor (@your_favorite_contractor) shared a video demonstrating how easily fake materials, like vinyl stone siding, are used in construction, prompting questions about rising home prices.
In the clip, the contractor holds a rectangle of vinyl stone siding, highlighting its lightweight design. The text overlay reads, “Literally plastic stone siding.” He then shows the back of the piece, climbs a ladder, and nails it to a house’s exterior. While acknowledging its appearance in the caption, he writes, “Well, I suppose it doesn’t look too bad. But it is, in fact, still vinyl stone siding.”
Viewer Reactions
The video garnered over 871,400 views and sparked heated discussions. While the contractor presented the material as a home improvement hack, many viewers took issue with its quality and implications for rising home costs.
- “So we’re paying thousands for toy houses?” one frustrated commenter asked.
- “House by Fisher-Price,” joked another, referencing the toy company.
- “Material gets cheaper, but somehow house prices skyrocket,” remarked a commenter, earning over 12,000 likes.
- “It looks like plastic on the wall as well,” another viewer noted.
Some highlighted concerns about durability. “A year or so with the sun = color fades and becomes brittle,” one commenter wrote. Others offered advice: “This is why when you tour houses, you touch the exterior first. They’ll distract you with the inside of the home.”
The Phundi reached out to Your Favorite Contractor for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
What Is Siding?
Siding is a material attached to a house’s exterior, offering protection and decoration. Common siding materials include wood, metal, fiber cement, and vinyl.
Despite backlash against the vinyl stone siding in the video, vinyl remains one of the most widely used siding materials in the U.S. Its popularity stems from its affordability, versatility in colors and styles, and fire resistance up to 750°F. However, some critics argue that its appearance and long-term durability leave much to be desired.
