1. What reveal of wood siding am I being offered? Lap Siding, Panels, Board and Batten, or Shingle? What trim reveal and design is being quoted? What thickness of wood siding is being quoted?
Although wood siding is becoming obsolete, it is made in lap siding widths of 4-12” inch reveals, large rectangular panels, panels and batten trim strips to give the board and batten look, and shingle/shake style panels. Trim packages range from 1x2 – 1x12 for wood siding. The thickness and color of trim on a home plays an important role in aesthetics. Make sure your design is laid out in design to ensure the look is exactly what you are going for. For instance, a 1x4 trim looks drastically different than a 1x6 trim, yet it is only a 2” difference. Knowing where all trim pieces are going and the exact reveals of the siding is crucial for aesthetics as well.
Wood siding and wood trim comes in varying thickness ranging from ½” to 1” thick.
2. What is the warranty and does it cover labor in the case the product fails? Any fine print details I should be aware of in the manufacturer warranty language that could nullify the warranty?
Since wood siding is becoming obsolete, lumber yards source the specific reveals from random lumber manufacturers. Finding manufacturer warranty language with wood siding is extremely difficult and the warranties are often only a few years long. Since wood is not a “manufactured” product, warranties typically do not apply.
3. When installing wood siding, what steps are taken to ensure water doesn’t get in the butt joints (seams)? What offset stagger should be applied to consecutive panels to prevent water intrusion?
At butt joints during wood siding installation, flashing is used behind the seams, similar to James Hardie’s installation. If this flashing is not used, water will get behind the siding and cause rot. On consecutive panels above, the stagger should be at least 2 studs away, which is usually 32 inches as most homes have 16” on center wall framing.
4. When nailing the siding, where exactly are the panels to be fastened in the fastening area? When fastening to the wall, how far apart should the fasteners be?
When fastening Hardie siding, it is crucial to fasten to the studs in the wall. The siding SHOULD NOT be fastened to the wall sheathing solely. Wall studs are typically 16” on center and the nails must be placed ¾ - 1” from the top of the panel. Nails must also be placed at least 3/8 inch from the ends of the panels.
5. How often does wood siding need to be maintained? What does “proper” maintenance require? What happens if water gets in?
Wood siding needs to be inspected often to ensure there are no separates in caulk at the panel/trim terminations. This is the area where 90% of wood siding begins to fail. Small cracks occur in the caulk due to the UV rays, water gets behind the caulk, the cracks are so small and hard to see, and then the wood siding starts to show signs of bubbling, softness, and rot. It is crucial to reseal all of these areas around openings, windows, doors, transitions, and blocks every few years to ensure small cracks do not occur. Once water gets in behind the siding with wood, it will quickly rot due to it being an organic material.
In the case the wood rots, or gets soft, the repair process is a pain and extremely costly as it requires a true professional and is tedious to ensure a clean seamless repair.
6. What products, if any, are superior to wood but can give me the same look?
Luxury vinyl siding – Only vinyl options .046” panels or thicker, shake/shingle style, etc, are superior to wood. When it comes to maintenance, saving money, and having a better ROI (return on investment), vinyl is by far superior to wood siding. If the panels are thinner than .046”, wood would be a better option, but not by much. The only reason wood would be considered superior to vinyl is due to it being a “stronger” more impact resistant material. Regarding ROI and maintenance costs associated, vinyl is by far superior. Vinyl siding also offers long warranties to protect homeowners, can give a luxury look (if designed properly), and requires almost zero maintenance.
Composite siding, such as Everlast, and steel siding both, because they are essentially maintenance free, absorbs no moisture, requires no caulking, and is structurally stronger than wood. Both Everlast and Steel have a significant ROI compared to wood.
James Hardie is superior to wood, although not by much due to it still requiring the same maintenance protocols as wood and it being susceptible to absorbing moisture. Therefore, requiring caulking and painting, resulting in costly upkeep to ensure it doesn’t prematurely fail.
