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Wood siding styles like board, batten, and clapboard are beautiful and durable for businesses and homes. The board and batten have vertical grooves, while the clapboard has horizontal panels. As long as it is well maintained, wood siding will last you for decades. With such knowledge, you can choose the best design to use in your home.
Discover their benefits to add value to your property and protect your investment. Contact Big Easy Siding today for a complimentary consultation regarding how our best-quality wood siding can renovate your space!
Wood siding is a favorite exterior house finish, admired for its natural attractiveness and looks. It can be accommodated by both traditional and modern styles, and it is an effective insulator to heat homes during winter and cool homes during summer. The grain and texture make curb appeal, and it can be customized by homeowners with various paints and stains.
Traditional designs such as board and batten or clapboard enhance beauty, the most desired of which is cedar due to its ability to resist rot and infestation. It is also versatile in the installation pattern and with elements such as stone, thereby making wood siding ideal for other combinations. Its natural insulation also ensures the best indoor temperatures, lowers energy usage, and qualifies it as a sustainable development player with maintenance.
Wood siding provides a warm, classic look with unmatched design flexibility. It’s available in an endless array of patterns and materials to suit any building style and perform in any climate. Everyone has unique qualities and benefits.
It’s wise to take a close look at the favorites of durability, maintenance, and the style of appearance you’re looking for before deciding. Here, we examine some of the most widely used forms of wood siding and their distinguishing characteristics.
Clapboard siding consists of overlapping boards installed horizontally, giving a smooth, classic appearance. Cedar or redwood is often what they are constructed of. They come in many thicknesses, typically 5/8 to 1 inch, and widths from 4 to 8 inches.
This natural siding medium is great when the architect seeks easy installation with traditional face-nailing techniques. Long-term stability and weather resistance are qualities in demand. Its linear design pairs well with colonial and farmhouse styles, providing a modern but classic appearance.
Shingles are the same width and length and are usually sawed on the face for an open surface or chopped, whereas shakes are usually hand-split for extra roughness. They are usually both built out of rot-resistant species such as redwood and cedar.
Standard sizes vary but are between 16 and 24 inches. Shakes, with their more rustic beauty, were often used in cottage-style houses of the past, while shingles bring a sophisticated look to any structure. Both can be stained or painted to highlight their amazing durability and add flair.
This siding profile has tongue and groove edges that create a smooth finish. It comes in a tongue-and-groove variety that offers a moisture-proof seal, perfect for humid climates.
Board and groove siding is highly versatile and can look beautiful on an exterior wall or accent interior wall, giving you the freedom to create a new, smooth look.
Board and batten provide vertical installation adding dramatic lines and depth to the façade of a building. Made up of wide boards side by side, and thin battens closing up the gaps in between, the style balances rural warmth with contemporary sleekness and can go with various architectural styles.
Traditionally found in barns and farmhouses, board and batten represents the toughness and simplicity found in early American buildings. These days, it finds appeal among owners of any style, old-fashioned or innovative.
Producing a very firm composition, board, and batten siding is made using wide, smooth planks as the substrate. Thin strips, called battens, fasten the seams. This not only provides a secure weather-tight seal but creates a striking decorative element too.
It is most often used in farmhouse exteriors, but it conveys beautifully in craftsman-style and contemporary homes. The contrast between the wide boards and slender battens creates visual depth, making it a standout feature for any exterior.
The extended vertical lines of this siding’s orientation give buildings a graceful look, enhancing the appearance and imposing a grandiose height. Battens improve longevity by closing seams, providing better protection against harsh weather.
Different woods like cedar, pine, and redwood provide the flexibility of providing aesthetic and functional requirements.
The vertical design creates an elegant, modern appearance. Pairing it with deep paint colors or wood stain finishes can take this angular pattern’s next-level curb appeal to new heights.
Whether it’s paired with horizontal clapboard or stone accents, the result is always unique, original custom designs.
When board siding and batten siding, or clapboard siding, are contrasted, understanding the different types of wood siding and how each is constructed, looks, works, and costs can help in making a correct siding choice. Each has its distinct characteristics to suit multiple architectural styles and climates.
Board and batten siding consists of large vertical boards with narrow battens over the seams which produce a dynamic three-dimensional appearance. This stylistic choice comes from the building of barns and is currently popular on new builds in the styles of modern, farmhouse, and contemporary homes.
Clapboard or lap siding is a group of overlapping horizontal boards that angle the water away from the structure. It is one of the typical choices for homes in Colonial, Cape Cod, and Craftsman styles. Either can be done with wood, vinyl, and fiber cement.
On top of that, clapboard is available in metal, providing even greater flexibility. Vertical installations such as board and batten typically improve water resistance, while horizontal clapboard delivers classic aesthetic and structural durability.
The strong vertical lines of board and batten create a tall, imposing appearance while providing a textured, rustic look. That makes it perfect for helping residential homes stand out in bedroom communities like Ashwaubenon, WI.
Clapboard’s sharp, sleek, horizontal lines are a nod to some elegance and timelessness, adding to the old-world charm that American homes are known for. Combining these styles can produce a unique, stunning look that stands out.
Just like clapboard siding, board and batten siding requires regular maintenance to stave off moisture intrusion, particularly in extreme environments. The clapboard’s horizontal layering makes it easier to maintain but will still need an industry professional to inspect it regularly.
With the right maintenance, neither style has to outlast the other.
Vinyl board and batten siding will typically cost between $3-$8 per square foot, and traditional lap siding, like clapboard, costs between $2-$7. Both siding products have large installation considerations to keep in mind, which greatly affect the budget and offer long-term savings.
Wood siding provides your house with that warm, personal touch and makes your home more energy efficient. Your selection, board and batten or clapboard, will be based on your design requirements, budget, and maintenance options. Accurate material choice and installation are paramount for longevity.
The board and batten give a dramatic appearance, while the lapboard has a timeless charm. With good care, wood siding can endure decades. If you’re interested, call Big Easy Sidings today for a complimentary consultation to realize your dream!
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