Good news: ‘Vinyl is now final’-er

In 1961, the first vinyl exterior products came to Hawaii. That was vinyl siding.

Since then, vinyl window and vinyl fencing have become leaders in the maintenance-free home improvement industry for Hawaii.

When vinyl siding first appeared on the local market, most homeowners thought vinyl would not last. After all, it was plastic. Most homeowners were familiar with cheaper forms of vinyl in products like toys, plastic trash cans, trash bags and Tupperware.

However, Hawaii homeowners have now learned that there are different grades of vinyl. Some examples are treated lumber versus non-treated lumber. Time has proven vinyl a superior product for Hawaii because of our salt air conditions. Examples of other competing products are:

• Wood: In Hawaii, there is salt rot and wood rot, as well as termites. Plus, regular maintenance is key to preserving wood for any period of time. This will fail.

• Aluminum: Salt air will corrode aluminum, and it needs regular sanding and painting. This will fail.

• Steel: Hawaii’s salt air will rust steel sooner or later. A perfect example is about 30 years back, builders started using steel studs to build homes.Today, as we do home repairs, contractors open the walls up are finding that though the steel stud was enclosed in the wall, the studs are rusted almost completely. This, of course, is because Hawaii is surrounded by salt air. This will fail.

As fragile and non-maintenance-free as all these products are, many Hawaii homeowners prefer the look compared to the look of vinyl products. Some think vinyl looks cheap and fake.

However, there is an option that gives Hawaii homeowners the best of both worlds. The option is vinyl paint.

About 30 years ago, Matt Houar’s (the owner of Tropical ) father Richard invented vinyl paint. After semi-retiring from the vinyl siding business, Richard had too much extra time on his hands. During all these extra hours, he tinkered and toyed with the idea of vinyl paint. There are so many areas on a home that need protection that vinyl siding, windows or fencing could not protect from the elements.

So, vinyl paint arrived.

Over the next 30 years, vinyl paint was perfected. Vinyl paint can be used on wood, stucco, concrete, steel and aluminum. So, now you know vinyl paint is available in Hawaii with a lifetime warranty.

If you are wondering where Hawaii homeowners can get vinyl paint, call Tropical.

Tropical is the oldest vinyl siding and vinyl window company in Hawaii. Tropical is the only Hawaii-authorized distributor for vinyl paint. Tropical can sell and install vinyl paint.

For more information, call Tropical at 593-2000 or visit Tropical’s showroom at 1351 S. Beretania St.

So, if you prefer not to have vinyl siding, use vinyl paint for your home. For the best vinyl products, call Tropical, where “‘Vinyl is now final’-er.”

And remember, buy local!