Clapboard Siding Maintenance

Clapboard siding is a traditional wood siding used in homes for many generations.

Clapboard siding maintenance.

Pine and cedar siding. Wood siding is one of the most beautiful of all types of siding and one of the most expensive. We used cedar siding to replace the rotted clapboards. How to maintain wooden clapboard siding.

If you d like to avoid repairs that could cost thousands of dollars and you d like to keep your clapboard shingles or board and batten lasting for decades regular upkeep and maintenance is critical. Leaving clapboard unfinished is still an option however since proper air circulation and semi hardwoods will help to keep the board from rotting or decaying. Giving a natural warm appearance and timeless beauty builders often choose wood for premium projects. While it used to be known to crack and fade with time technology has advanced making vinyl siding more durable and effective and a good alternative to clapboard.

Hardboard siding referred to interchangeably as pressboard siding is a synthetically constructed home siding product that is made from a mixture of wood fibers glues and resins. Your climate and landscape will determine how often these processes are required. If you have an older historic home the original exterior finish is usually clapboard siding wooden shakes bricks or stucco. Clapboard siding has long been a favorite finish for the outside of a home.

During the manufacturing process the materials are bound together using heat and pressure. First to help avoid any future insect damage back prime the cedar with oil based primer image 1. Tannin a resin found in cedar is a natural insect repellent. A mild non phosphate detergent is recommended.

Dusty climates will require more frequent washing. Power wash every two to four years. Vinyl siding is an alternative to clapboard and has grown in popularity since the 1950s. If at any time.

With proper care the siding can last the lifetime of the home. The inexpensive manufacturing costs of hardboard siding made it a. Wood siding comes in a variety of styles. Traditional clapboard is made of wood but today we have vinyl clapboard that mimics the wood siding both in shape and woodgrain but is easy to care for.

Genuine cedar siding is going to require washing and staining sealing or painting on a regular basis. With proper maintenance and care wood clapboard siding can last for many years outlasting even vinyl. Before the siding can go up 1x4 starter strips of treated lumber should be nailed to the sill where the lower most course of siding will go up image 2. After this washing is the best time to check for paint maintenance issues.

A traditional choice with some maintenance requirements photo by webb chappell.