Wood siding - Exterior cedar siding

Wood siding is arguably the oldest and most traditional siding system on the market today and has been used on both residential and commercial buildings for hundreds of years. In these modern times, countless other materials have been introduced with competitive prices and undeniable advantages but natural wood products have still maintained popularity thanks to their warm and rustic appearance. For as long as wood products are financially feasible, they will be used across the construction market because they are environmentally friendly and, in some cases, even reusable while offering a beautifully rustic appeal.
Wood siding can be made from a variety of different wood species and manufactured into endless different profiles. Because of this, there is a wide range of products to choose from when considering using wood siding but among the many available species used to produce such products, Cedar has become the most popular. Even though it is the most expensive option, its natural resistance to moisture and rot gives Cedar the upper hand when comparing it to other wood siding systems. Cedar Panels and Siding will last for many years longer than alternatives like Pine while requiring much less maintenance over time. All other species of wood require yearly maintenance and regular repainting and treatments to resist continuous exposure to the elements.

Western Red Cedar Siding - The Most Popular Wood Siding in Western Canada

As we already know, Cedar products, while offering many advantages, are among the most expensive types of wood siding options on the market. There are many different types of cedar, but one stands amongst the rest as the most popular for siding products in Western North America and that is Red Cedar. Even with Redwood holding the highest price for wood products, the high demand and lowering supply has only made this product more attractive to builders and homeowners alike.
Western Red Cedar is often seen installed as either Shiplap siding or, more commonly, shingles, however, there are quite a few other products available such as trims, lap siding, panels and even roof shingles.
These systems are very rarely painted or primed as each of these different products are manufactured from Western Red Cedar logs and retain a beautiful reddish hue throughout their service life without fading or cracking. Thanks to elements naturally present within the composition of the base materials, all products made from western red cedar, especially the heartwood, is extremely resistant to decay and insect damage. Another reason red cedar is more sought after for construction applications is its ability to resist expansion and contraction when exposed to temperature changes and moisture.  Once Western Red Cedar has completely dried, it will only react minimally to environmental changes compared to other lumber products.
With all this in mind, it is easy to understand why this specific species of Genus Thuja is so popular among North Americans everywhere. If you are interested in seeing Western Red Cedar products to truly be able to appreciate their unique beauty, feel free to contact us for free samples or to schedule a site visit at one of our previous cedar siding projects.

Engineered wood or composite siding

Manufactured in much the same way as flooring, Engineered Wood siding is composed of wood chips or fibers combined with resins to combine the materials into a solid form. With the addition of a Zinc-Borate treatment used within the composition of the newly fabricated wood siding products, they will be nearly immune to damage caused by moisture and insects. Though engineered wood siding has seen some issues in the past with water damage over time, the technology used to fabricate the siding is advancing every year and new systems being installed today should not see any water absorption or decay.
These products are remarkably similar to natural wood thanks to convincing wood grain textures on the surface of the finished product. If you choose to invest in this type of cladding for your home or business, you will immediately come to know the undeniable benefits of engineered wood siding. With treatments increasing its resistance to thermites and other insects, this type of siding is also very resistant to rot and decay while requiring minimal care. Furthermore, these panels are prepainted during the manufacturing process which increases the lifetime of the coating, which means you will not have to think about repainting your siding for much longer than if you were to use natural wood products.

Types of wood siding:

Beveled or Lap siding

Lap siding is likely the most common style of siding installed on homes across the country. Consisting of thin long planks that are tapered in thickness from top to bottom, the siding is installed one plank at a time with each overlapping the last by at least 1-1/4”. This small area that is covered subsequent planks is where the nails should be placed during the installation. By concealing the fasteners and providing a positive overlap, this system becomes very efficient at preventing water from infiltrating the siding while also wicking the water away from the wall system itself. Due to the convenience of the installation, the relatively simple profile and effective performance, Lap Siding has been popular for over a hundred years and continues to be used today.
Granted that other materials like vinyl and fibre cement are also manufactured into this beveled profile, the appearance that comes with natural wood products is unrivaled. With multiple different exposures and thicknesses available, it is easy to find a profile that fits both your taste and budgetary requirements. Each different profile can greatly affect the overall appearance of your project; if you are interested in seeing samples or even seeing the wall system installed in person, feel free to contact us at Orbis Group and we would be happy to show you the different options at hand.

Modern wooden style

There are wood siding products to meet almost anyone’s preferences, even those searching for a modern design for their siding project. It is quite simple to achieve a modern style; by using thicker profiles that create bolder shadow lines with smooth finishes as well as exploring different installation options like vertically installed panels combined with metal trims. The huge variety wood siding profiles available and endless installation methods provides nearly infinite possibilities which makes wood products a great choice for anyone wanting to experiment with their architectural design.

Contemporary style

Wood siding is well known for its application on heritage style projects. Because of how popular natural lumber products have been over the past century, wood siding has become nearly synonymous with rustic design. Most wood products are available with wood grain or even rough sawn finishes which give a very classic and homely feel to any project. If you are wanting the appearance of a simple and unsophisticated cottage or looking to create a rustic style paradise for you and your family, there is an abundance of natural wood products that can meet your needs, from shingles to board and batten systems.

Board & Batten wood siding or vertical panels

Board and Batten siding is distinguishable by its vertically mounted panels combined with trims used to cover the joints created where the panels meet. This system is known for its architectural effect of making walls seem much taller compared to other siding systems like horizontally mounted panels or lap siding. This cladding system can offer great character to your home especially when using stained natural wood products or untreated western red cedar. It is possible to install the battens at different intervals to completely change the overall appearance of this system which can be a great advantage for those looking to create a unique finish for their siding project.

Drop Channel wood siding

This type of siding is similar to Tongue and Groove siding in the way it is installed but provides a very unique and distinctive appearance thanks to a square groove cut into the top section of the material.
The hard edge gives this siding a remarkably interesting channel reveal between each plank and creates beautiful shadow lines that accentuate the profile. This siding can be cut from any type of wood including Western Red Cedar and the siding system can be painted before or after the installation process. Installing Drop Channel Siding is quite simple, it can either be installed with nails driven through the top section of the siding in order to achieve a concealed fastener installation, or installed with fasteners directly through the face of the siding.

Cove style

Cove style siding was very common decades ago and is still seen on heritage style homes. This product is often requested when renovating and revitalizing old homes or as replacement siding used to match existing materials. This siding is another variation of drop channel or tongue and groove siding and it can be manufactured using pine, hemlock, cedar and other species of wood. The characteristic that separates Cove siding from similar siding products is the rounded inward shape cut from the top of the siding planks. Available in multiple different profiles within the same general shape, this siding is a great choice for anyone looking to give their home an authentic heritage appearance.

V-Joint Style and Fineline Tongue-and-Groove Siding

Easily the most popular of all wood siding products, this profile is seen across the country on both walls and soffit installations. This profile gets its name from the subtle lines created by the fine V shaped or square line that becomes apparent between each piece of siding as they are installed.
Thanks to a groove cut into the bottom of the siding plank and a tongue left at the top that fit together nearly perfectly, this siding system looks seamless once completed. This tongue and groove connection is exceptionally water resistant which can be a huge advantage compared to other wood siding profiles. To install this type of siding, it is best to use small nails fastened into the tongue of each panel with the groove of the following panel hiding the fasteners of the previous one.

Split Logs

Split log siding is possibly the most interesting profile among wood siding products and it gets its name from the remarkable effect it has on any structure it is installed on. This siding is cut into a nearly semi-circular shape on the outside and a flat surface on the back. This half moon shape combined with a concealed tongue and groove used to tightly combine the siding gives any project the appearance of being made of solid logs. There are multiple different sizes available in this profile and each one simulates different sized logs.
This siding is perfect if you are looking to give your home or business an extremely rustic charm. In fact, many engineered log homes are built using logs that are cut into a double tongue and groove profile whereas the siding only uses a single T&G system. Because of how similar this siding is to the real log framing systems, it can match a log cabin perfectly and is a great option if you are planning a renovation or addition for your log home.

Cedar shake and shingle siding

Extremely popular in Western North America, Cedar shingles are chosen by homeowners wanting to achieve classic and authentic appearance for their home. Shingles made from many different materials are available on the market today, including vinyl. A shingle siding system consists of multiple rows of small and overlapping wood boards installed side by side, leaving only a small gap between them. Often seen installed within the gables of classic style homes, this type of siding is a great way to add some flare to your home’s appearance.
There is one type of shingle that stands out among the rest and that is Western Red Cedar shingles. Despite the individual shingles being quite thin, these can last decades with minimal care to maintain the wood itself. It is possible to paint this type of cladding, however, the appearance of a uncoated wood grain finish combined with the famous natural reddish hue is part of why this specific type of shingle is so sought after and, as a result, so expensive relative to other shingle siding systems.