Moisture-managing mounting blocks offer great margins — and meet growing needs of builders

Dealers know that when it comes to bulk material such as siding, it’s hard to make much of a profit because of the competitive pricing. That’s why it’s so important to educate — and upsell — builders on smaller detail pieces that have higher margins.

One of the latest such products are specially designed, moisture-preventing mounting blocks. These molded plastic blocks can be a great profit generator — and fill a growing demand for builders seeking to prevent moisture intrusion.

Currently, when it comes to water management systems for openings such as vents and electrical, many builders simply tape around the opening and cover it with a makeshift treated piece of trim board. But that slipshod method often creates a weak spot for moisture to enter the structure — and it’s not very pretty, either.

A better, more aesthetically pleasing way is using specially designed mounting blocks that are installed similar to windows. The blocks, often made of recycled material, employ the latest science to maximize moisture movement away from the envelope of the structure while offering an integrated appearance with the structure. They come in a variety of configurations with built-in flanges, flashing, and slope to protect the wall behind the cladding and extend the life of light scones, vents, or other items attached to the blocks.

Though these mounting blocks are slightly more expensive, builders typically find them worth the cost. That’s because the simple design provides a virtually foolproof way for a single sub to install the blocks rather than requiring multiple subs like the old-school method.

Here’s a detailed look at some of the key features specially designed mounting blocks have to offer — and how you can best sell them to your customers:

— Side dams at the top providing a ¼-inch gap required by most FC manufactures.

— Raised center diverter forces water to the edges of the block extending the life of the attached product.

— Angled top edge flows water to front and prevents ice buildup in cold climates.

— Large easy-to-use mount header and pre-punched holes for quick install.

— Bottom drip cap provides shingle style best practice drainage.

— Clean wood grain appearance.

— Arrive primed for field painting or prefinished matching the siding color.

Ultimately, dealers can be confident that helping builders choose specially designed mounting blocks is good for them — and their customers. For their part, builders who choose the blocks gain the confidence of using a specially designed, tested and proven, visually integrated finish material that they can then upsell to their increasingly moisture-conscience customers.

For more on specially designed mounting blocks go to http://www.tamlyn.com.