Historic Wood Siding

Wood siding is a popular option for home exteriors because of its timeless classic look.

Historic wood siding.

First vinyl siding doesn t allow the house to breathe. Wood siding is the most common type of exterior cladding found on older historic homes and most is lap siding of some form or configuration. Most of the time when i remove vinyl siding from a historic house i find wet spongy and rotted woodsiding. Wood is also biodegradable so it s one way to lead a green lifestyle.

The first settlers that landed in north america brought with them the methods for covering roofs and walls with wood shingles split from short lengths of logs however it was the rich supply of tall straight trees they found here that gave rise to a new and different kind of wood building material. Inevitably the vinyl siding got some moisture behind it sometimes from rain seeping in and sometimes just from water vapor trying to escape the house. Paint peeling from wood siding can be an early warning signal that there are moisture problems threatening the building and can sometimes even indicate where those problems are rooted e g gutters or downspouts that aren t working improper flashing weatherproofing etc. They range from hand split clapboards of short lengths with feather edged ends shown here to pit or mill sawn boards which can be beveled rabbeted or beaded.

Wood siding on a historical building is also one of the most easily read indicators of the general health of the building. Historical wood siding product offerings. Historic wood siding exhibits rich and varied surface textures. Most historic districts require replacement siding to closely match the original hence wood or engineered wood and brick.

It s enough to make homeowners feel secure and grounded in their own homes. For more information about updating your historic home s exterior contact us at beissel window siding. For preservationists historic home aficionados and home remodelers that specialize in historic home renovations authenticity is key and this means sourcing the right type of siding from the right era. Understanding home building regulations based on historic overlays can help eliminate the headache during renovations so it s important to stay in the know before embarking on the project.

We have the ability to source authentic historic siding for all types of historic homes and structures. Lap siding refers to horizontal boards that overlap the next lower board so that they shed rainfall like the overlapping feathers of a duck. If you re set on highlighting the original feature windows choose new wood siding or restore your old siding it s one of the only ways to keep the original interplay between the texture of the siding with the window and its decorative frame.