Different styles of Wood sidings have become popular options for home exterior due to their timeless, elegant, and classic look. They can provide a secure and grounded feeling for homeowners, and they are also biodegradable, which makes them perfect materials for leading a green lifestyle. The installation cost of wood sidings is considerably lower than other cladding materials, and the production material is readily available. It is straightforward to remove or replace wood panels with damaged sections to reduce expenditure on costly repairs. Additionally, individuals can stain and paint their sidings to complement the design of their facility. It is easy to paint wood materials, but they require costly and regular maintenance for potential crack, warps, rots, water, and insect damages prevention.
Standard Profiles for Wood Siding
Wood sidings are perhaps the most traditional type of cladding material. However, many homeowners choose aluminum and metal sidings, which are also very durable and practical materials for different projects, whether commercial or residential. People who decide to utilize wood sidings are often attracted to these products’ beautiful and natural look. They can either leave the material in its natural state or paint it to further their appearance to their desires and taste. Additional to color and wood species, it is possible to customize the overall look by choosing the profile in which the siding is applied to the facility. Here are the most common shapes for this type of siding. Each of the sub-types in the below section has its unique pros and cons.
Board and Batten: This wood profile is one of the classic materials available, known as barn siding. The board and batten profile consist of wide board joining together, batten, thin material made of wood put at the joints of two panels to cover the gap and create a vertical design.
Shingles: By combining lightweight pieces of wood with tapered shape materials, another type of siding is created, which is called shingles, also known as shakes.
Shake Siding: Shake sidings are very similar to shingles. However, there are some differences between them. The most notable difference is their texture and shape. For example, cedar siding has the flexibility of taking two different finishes. The shake made up of cedar is split off while shingles receive saw tooth process on both sides.
Composite Sidings: Modern manufacturers found a way to create and construct sidings from pieces of scrap wood by compressing them together with resin to produce a composite material for the exterior. Other composite materials are also practical for exterior applications.
Clapboard: This type of siding is also known as lap, bevel, or weatherboarding. These sidings are long and thin boards that require horizontal installation with a sparse overlap.
Drop Siding: The Drop siding is similar to clapboards in which the top of each horizontal board fits into a groove in the lower edge of the panel on the top section.
Vertical Boards: The vertical board’s profile consists of a series of vertical placements of wide boards with thin panels between them.
Wooden Sheet: The rigid sheet profile is perfect for inexpensive buildings and consists of installing simple wood materials for the exterior section of the facility.
Log: This siding profile is built with panels to create an interlocking system between the siding materials.
Wood Species for Creating Sidings
As told, wood sidings offer environmental, aesthetic, and practical advantages to homes. However, different species that create this durable material come with their unique characteristics and properties. The curing and preserving methods for wood sidings can enhance durability and sustainability implications. The followings are some of the practical wood spices for creating elegant exterior sidings.
Cypress: This wood material is highly durable and is perfect for exterior siding products for older houses. This type of siding is costly due to its difficulty in milling. Despite its rot-resistant characteristics, it is a lightweight material and is easy to manufacture.
Cedar: Cedarwood has natural insect repellant properties which means homeowners will not need to cure the material with chemical stains or insecticides. This type of wood has a straightforward working process, and it is more robust than other wood species such as pine. Cedar has a natural straight texture which allows manufacturers to apply beautiful finishes after staining them. The existing grains having natural white and red colors offer a significant cabin feel to any house.
Redwood: The redwood material is widely considered some of the most towering trees in the world. They are naturally fast-growing trees, and by using them, manufacturers can produce durable sidings with shrinking and warping resistance characteristics. Redwood does not require a regular maintenance process compared to other types. However, it would be better to check the sealing and stains every three to five years.
Pinewood: Like redwood, pinewood is another common type of material for sidings, and its tree is considered very fast-growing. In general, it is common to find white pinewood used for exterior applications. The primary benefit of this type of wood is its inexpensive cost. The downside of these wood species is that they are not resistant to insects, and the sweetness of the material will attract the mots, and they will cause damage. However, it is possible to apply chemical substances to the material’s surface as a protective coat for insects.
