Clapboard: The Quest to Imitate Wood

by Kim Kinrade

In almost every movie featuring a New England setting there are the huge Cape Cod-style homes situated either on treed boulevards or overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The regal white with ornate trim and multi dormers make it the classic American home, even more so than the log home of the pioneers. After the dormers the main feature of these homes is the pine clapboard siding, the beveled planks which both shed water and tighten the home making it impervious to the elements.

However, even the best wood siding has a shelf life and, in shady areas can attract mildew and other destructive rot inducers. In these cases clapboard should be scrubbed, primed and repainted which means a great cost or outlay of time. For the bigger homes there is the added aggravation of renting scaffolding to reach the high points.

The past few decades have seen the introduction of many products which either mimic wood or the shape of the clapboard - or both – in order to retain the classic elegance of this American standard.

Types of Wood Clapboard

Pine and Other Wood

This is the oldest form of clapboard. In fact the name comes from the old Dutch word "klappen" mean "to split" as the planks were spit from pine trees. Later on saws could cut them into precision, beveled lengths. Properly finished pine will last a century, longer than vinyl and other imitators. In fact there are historic homes in the country that are over 200 years old. It is also one of the most inexpensive products to buy but costs a little more to install. Pine is the best product although douglas fir and hemlock are also used.

Cedar

Light, beautiful and naturally impervious to rot cedar can be stained, oiled or left to weather to a classic silver. Depending on where you live cedar can be more expensive or, if you live in the northwest, roughly the same price. Some homeowners like the red and embellish upon the look by soaking the planks with red, automatic transmission fluid. This also makes the planks more malleable and less likely to crack on installation.

Engineered Wood

This clapboard is made from a composite wood product like oriented strand board (OSB) which is molded in the shape of solid wood plank. This means that it is cheaper to buy and, like many wood products, can be bought pre-painted. This is a good alternative to the other products however if the surface is scored moisture can get in and cause blistering.

Aluminum

More popular today as soffits and gutters aluminum siding is still an option for siding. In the 1950's it was called "tin siding" and revolutionized the siding business as multitudes of homeowners changed their drab exteriors for the pastel colors offered by the companies. The finishes weren't great and needed to be repainted after a few years because of fading and peeling. In addition they dented easily. However, there are many homes sporting 50 year-old aluminum as it is non-corrosive and, if taken off, is completely recyclable. The new aluminum is covered with a powder-coating process which resists ultraviolet rays maintaining its bright colors. Aluminum siding installers can put it up in seamless strips so, unlike its competitors, will not have to be overlapped during installation.

Steel

Like aluminum, this is a product that can also be ordered in exact lengths for a seamless appearance. It can also come in a variety of wood textures however steel is stronger than aluminum and resists dents. It is also cheaper than aluminum and, with its advanced methods of treatment is not as prone to rusting as its predecessors. As well, siding contractors install steel much like aluminum.

Cement Fiber

Unlike the rest of the imitation-wood products, fiber cement has the advantage of appearing like wood, stucco, or other masonry products. Fiber-cement siding is made up of Portland cement, sand, and a cellulose fiber mix cured with pressurized steam for strength. Without the fiber the masonry mix would warp and crack. Like metal fiber cement siding will not burn, rot or suffer from insect infestation. As for cost, fiber cement siding is between vinyl and the higher cost stucco and wood siding.

Vinyl

Probably the most popular siding on the market vinyl is cheap and easy to install. Unlike the older versions the modern vinyl siding is tougher, more fade-resistant and comes in a huge variety of colors. Because vinyl is made from a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic it is impervious to insects and rot and never needs refinishing. However, over time vinyl will fade and become brittle due to weathering. Unlike the other products vinyl is processed using petrochemicals so there is are environmental concerns.

Whatever product you use clapboard will still hold a large chunk of the home market because of its classic appeal.