Exterior wall coverings are available in various different materials. Some of those materials are available in different siding profiles.
Not only does your siding choice affect your home’s curb appeal, it is also the first line of defense against the elements. Along with the roof, your home’s siding provides protection against the sun, rain, and all other types of weather. Siding can also provide a layer of insulation to help keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in the summer.
Siding is available in several different materials—some of which are better suited to certain climates than others. To learn more about the different types of siding, click here.
Certain types of siding—vinyl, wood, engineered wood, fiber cement, and metal—are available in several different profiles as well as various textures and colors. These different siding profiles create unique looks.
Clapboard
Clapboard (AKA weatherboard, traditional lap, or bevel) is siding profile that dates to the early 1700s Colonial America. Settlers in the heavily forested areas of the Eastern seaboard realized that it was more efficient to saw the tree trucks into long, thin boards opposed to using the entire log to build homes and businesses. It also used a lot less trees. The colonialists quickly learned that clapboard siding kept out rain and snow better than the walls of log cabins.
With clapboard, the boards are nailed horizontally to the exterior of the building. The bottom of the board overlaps the top of the board that is underneath it. The thicker bottom of the plank helps shed water.
These days, clapboard is still available in wood planks. It is also available in planks or panels of engineered wood, vinyl, fiber cement, and metal. The planks are typically 4 inches wide but can also be 3 inches wide and up to 7 inches wide.
Beaded
Beaded siding is an upgraded, fancier version of clapboard. As more and more early colonialists began to build frame structures that were covered in clapboard siding, some of those colonists decided that they wanted more variety in style. To alter the clapboard siding profile, they began to hand carve a groove along the bottom of the clapboard planks. This groove—known as a bead—caused the horizontal lines to appear more distinctive and created a more dramatic shadow. Because it was difficult and time consuming to carve the bead, beaded siding was more expensive than regular clapboard.
Like clapboard, beaded siding is still available in wood planks. It is also available in planks or panels of engineered wood, vinyl, fiber cement, and metal.
Dutch Lap
Also known as Cove, Dutch Lap is another upgraded and fancier version of clapboard that was created by early colonists. Dutch lap is created by making a bevel cut along the top edge of the horizonal board. The bevel adds depth and creates a distinctive shadow.
Like clapboard and beaded siding, Dutch lap is still available in wood planks. It is also available in planks or panels of engineered wood, vinyl, fiber cement, and metal.
Log siding
Resembling an actual log, log siding is best suited for cabins or rustic style homes. The backside is flat, and the front is curved. The material is then varnished in a way to make it resemble real wood. Unlike real wood, manufactured log siding will not fade, rot, or splinter. It is also insusceptible to mold and insects. It is also not as expensive as real logs.
Board and Batten
This siding profile type dates back to medieval times. Wide boards (typically 10 to 12 inches wide) are fitted flush against each other along the exterior of the structure. A thin board or batten (typically 1 to 2 inches wide) is nailed over where two boards come together. The batten seals the crack between the two boards and prevents wind, rain, and snow from penetrating the structure. Board and batten siding was very often used on barns and it has been nicknamed “barn siding.”
Board and batten is usually applied vertically, but it can also be applied horizontally.
Shakes
Early settlers—especially along the Eastern seaboard and in the Pacific Northwest—crafted shakes to cover the exterior of their homes. Shakes were rectangular pieces of wood that were split from the log. They were rarely uniform in size.
These days, shakes are still available in real wood. They are also available as singles shakes or panels made from engineered wood, vinyl, or fiber cement. Shakes can have a smooth or rough surface. The bottom edges of the shakes can be in a straight line or a staggered line for a more rustic appearance.
Shingles/Shapes
Similar to shakes are shingles. Back when shakes and shingles were being produced by hand, shakes were split from the log while shingles were sawn. Today, there is little difference between how the two are manufactured. While shakes are always square or rectangular shaped, shingles have more variety in the shape of the visible edge(s). Shingles can be scalloped, fish scale, hexagon, octagon, etc.
Like shakes, shingles are available in individual pieces or panels. They are also available in wood, engineered wood, vinyl, and fiber cement.
If you are considering replacing your siding, give us a call at Shakespeare Home Improvement Co. to set up a free estimate.