Wood Siding

Wood Siding

Wood siding comes in many styles including planks, shingles, and shakes. Planks installed horizontally may be lapped (clapboard), or may have edge treatments such as rabbit, tongue-and-groove, and shiplap. Planks installed vertically may have wood strips covering vertical joints (board and batten). Shakes and shingles are the same as those used as roof coverings (See Roof Coverings). Thickness of plank siding is usually between ⅜ and ½ inch in modern installations, but may be different in older installations. Installation depends on the siding material. A water-resistive barrier is required under most of these materials for modern installations, but was often not used in older installations. These materials have been used since ancient times. They are still available, but are not widely used in many markets.

Wood siding should be installed according to manufacturer’s instructions. These instructions will vary based on the manufacturer, the type of siding being installed, and the location of the house.

Typical Defects (1) IRC 2018 Section R703; (2) manufacturer’s instructions.