Before You Buy

Learn the tips and tricks of the trade BEFORE you purchase your wood siding.

CONSIDERATIONS

Lumber barons have been dominant for over 400 years and their industry hasn’t changed much since then. They speak their own language, no one understands it and they act like they don’t even care. This page explains real wood siding in laymen terms. How to price it? What to think about? How to maintain it? Our answers help you decide whether or not you want to use REAL wood.

cedar siding

How Many Square Feet Do You Want to Cover?

Once we know that, we figure how much wood you need. In the lumber industry one does not equal one. They deal with “actual and nominal” and actual sizes change over time. Click below for how to estimate square footage for siding.

How Do You Want It To Look?

Do you want to paint or stain your wood? How much of the natural wood look do you want to see?

Determine the pattern you want. Take a look at our Pinterest page to get an idea of which patterns create which looks. Some patterns can be installed vertically or horizontally, it’s important to understand how they contribute to your final appearance.

tongue and groove pre stained cedar siding
near clear cedar siding

What Are The Maintenance Needs?

Opacity determines your maintenance schedule. Do you want to paint it every twenty-five years or stain it every two? 

Solid stains and paints, every 10-25 years. Semi-transparent stains are in transition, you should watch the webinar for a full report.

How do you qualify an installer?

WATCH OUT! The craftmanship required to install real wood is becoming rare as wood becomes specialty rather than commodity. Not that many guys have experience with it, but that doesn’t stop them from saying they do. People don’t do what you expect, they do what you inspect. Arm yourself with the information to check your architect, your installer and your wallet.

Here are some videos to bridge the gaps!

cedar siding on home
nickel gap cedar siding

How do you price it?

Unlock the gobbledygook of the “lumber guy”. Figure out how much the wood covers on the wall when it’s put together. You have to understand actual v. nominal sizes to accurately assess cost. Contact us for help with cedar siding cost.

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