Most Suited To:	Classical house designs such as New England Cape, Rancher or a Craftsman-style home.
Cost:	Can be expensive.
Considerations:	Wood is a permeable organic material, it absorbs and gives off moisture. If not properly maintained, wood siding can quickly deteriorate. Common problems include bowed or expanded panels, shrinkage, disintegration, fading and pest invasion. Certain woods are attractive to certain bird, such as woodpeckers which can cause damage, so check your local environment carefully before selection. Should birds make holes in the wood they must be filled or replaced.
Finishing:	Use only top quality stain or paint to protect longer against ultraviolet deterioration, mold and weathering. For more information on siding care and maintenance go to www.cabotwoodcare.com.
Maintenance:	Wood siding is the most maintenance intense of all house siding materials. It must be meticuloursly maintained against rot, pests, moulds and premature aging, using paint or stain. Minimize exposure to garden watering systems. Paint every 3 to 5 years. Regular inspections of joints, nails and planks are also required maintenance for wood siding.
Options:	Types - Cedar, cypress and redwood are most favored. Cedar is a soft wood with intricate grain. It produces a natural insect repelling tannin, which can cause spots, especially after rain storms for about 3 years. Redwood is similar to cedar except in its color. Color - limitless color palette using stain and paint. Last up to 30 years with maintenance. Cuts - Wood Siding can be cut perfectly rectangular, tapered or with special milled cuts: V-Groove, channel, rabbeted bevel, shiplap, and drop. Special milled give appearance options as well as additional joint protection from water infiltration.
Installation:	Can be installed in horizontally, vertically or diagonally, as well as shakes and shingles.

Further Details

Rectangular Plank

Rectangular Planks are applied vertically with their ends butted together for a smooth look. The vertical joints of the planks are covered by long, narrow strips of wood called battens to help keep out moisture. The battens help give a vertical "rise and fall" look to the siding.

Clapboard

Clapboard is rectangular planking applied horizontally and overlapped. A smoother appearance results if edges of the plank are beveled or tapered.

Shingles

Shingles - usually redwood, cedar or cypress. Shingles are smooth sawn and of uniform size and shape.

Installation - Shingles are generally applied in rows from the bottom up, with the next, higher row overlapping the one below. The extent of overlap gives a variety of look or texture. A single course of shingles means all shingles are exposed to the weather. If a double course is used, only the top layer of shingles is exposed. Shingles are prone to cupping [rolling toward the center] and checking [cracking or splitting].

Shakes

Shakes are a rough type of wooden shingle, usually redwood, cedar or cypress. They are non-uniform in size and shape, giving a rustic appearance. They can be either: handsplit, handsplit and sawn on one side, or handsplit and sawn on both sides.

Installation - Shakes can be applied either in a single or double course. Like shingles, shakes are prone to cupping and checking.

Wood Shakes and Shingle Considerations

Wooden shingles and shakes should not be installed close to the ground where moisture might wick up behind them. If there is soil build up around the bottom of the wood siding it should be removed. Shakes and shingles fade unevenly over time, depending on degree of shading. Shakes and shingles can be painted or stained to help preserve them.

Depending on the climate, painting may have to be done every 3-5 years and staining may have to be done every 3 years.

Related Siding Resources

Project Blog

Keep up with the latest progress in our feature home renovations project....more

Wood Siding / Cladding

Most Suited To:

Cost:

Considerations:

Finishing:

Maintenance:

Options:

Installation: