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What Is Cypress Wood Siding?
Cypress wood is extremely durable and used to be a standard exterior wood siding in older homes. Today, however, this type of siding is costly, mostly due to the difficulty of milling the wood. Despite being tremendously rot-resistant, this wood is lightweight, easy to work with, and naturally repels insects that cause wood damage. If cypress wood siding is hard to source or too expensive, you might be able to find reclaimed cypress wood siding from hundred-year-old homes set for demolition.
What Is Cedar Wood Siding?
Cedar has natural insect repellant properties, which means that homeowners can avoid the need to “cure” the wood with chemical stains and insecticides. Cedar is also relatively easy to work with and is harder than other softwoods such as pine. Cedar siding also has a straight, which allows for beautiful finishes once stained. The grain's natural red and white colors offer a brilliant “log cabin-feel” to any home.
What Is Pine Wood Siding?
Pinewood siding is one of the most common types of wood used for exterior cladding. Pine is fast-growing and abundant throughout North America. In general, white pine is used for exterior walls, while yellow pine is the preferred option for 2x4 framing. The main benefit of opting for this type of wood is the relatively inexpensive cost, especially when compared to other wood species. On the downside, pine is not rot-resistant nor repellant of insects. Instead, the “sweetness” of the wood will naturally attract termites and other types of insects that feast on the wood.
One alternative to the chemically intense process of protecting pine boards is shou sugi ban, a traditional Japanese architectural technique. Shou sugi ban involves charring the wood planks with fire and then immediately cooling the wood, effectively creating a charcoal surface finished with natural oils.
The carbonized layer on the wood’s surface acts as a natural sealant. It will preserve the pine boards without chemicals, paints, or other surface treatments.
While offered at a premium, another alternative is thermally modified pine, which takes away most of the cons associated with more inexpensive wood species used for siding.
How Much Does Wood Siding Cost?
The wood siding cost will largely depend on the type of wood you use, how the wood is treated and sealed, and the milling style. Some of the most common wood siding methods include lap siding, drop channel siding, tongue-and-groove siding, split logs, board and batten siding, and shake or shingle siding. Cypress wood siding made into individual shakes will be much more expensive than more simplified white pine boards assembled as lap siding. In general, however, homeowners can expect to pay between $3 and $11 per square foot installed. A 2,000 square-foot home, then, would cost between $3,000 and $8,000 for wood siding.
Is Wood Siding Durable?
With proper maintenance, exterior wood cladding can last for a lifetime, especially when large overhangs cover the wood to protect it from driving rains. Opting for specialized hardwoods such as redwood or cypress might represent a higher upfront cost but could pay for itself over time through reduced maintenance costs.
The methods used to cure and preserve the wood also impacts its overall durability. Painted or stained wood products will create more maintenance but will increase your wood siding's longevity compared to a raw and exposed siding option. Thermally treated wood products also offer additional benefits and prolong the typical lifespan of untreated wood products, such as water resistance, insects, rot, warping, and cupping.
While wood siding may not yet be the most popular exterior cladding option for homes, it is easily one of the most sustainable and natural options for a home when properly sourced.
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
