Since the performance of wood siding can be affected by moisture, it’s important to take great care during the initial install. The whole house must be properly prepped and built to insure long-lasting service and to prevent moisture accumulation or excessive moisture fluctuation within building components that can induce checking, warping, rotting of wood and failure of the protective coating on the siding.
To prevent moisture penetration from adversely affecting the performance of wood siding:
Use dry materials during construction.
- Using damp plywood, furring strips can trap water vapor inside of walls causing mold, mildew, odors and wood rot.
Keep in Mind Proper Ground Clearance
- Untreated wood must not be in contact with the ground. Moisture from the soil can cause decay and insects can gain entry to your siding. Examine along the base of your home to make sure you have at least 6 to 8 inches of clearance between the ground and any wood siding or wood trim. If necessary, re-grade any soil away from the wood.
Seal the Wood
Using deck oil can help protect wood siding from moisture. The UV repelling attributes of hardwood deck oils can help reduce weathering. If you want to keep the lush look of the wood, simply reapply the oil to siding every other year, or as necessary. If you choose Ipe or Cumaru siding, your chances of insect penetration are diminished due to the intense density of these exotic hardwoods.
Design with Adequate Roof Overhang
- Lack of proper roof drainage is another reason of waterproofing failure. It’s common practice for a roof to have 12 inches of overhang width for each floor. A single-story building, for example, would have a roof that overhangs one foot.
Install Appropriate Flashing
- Flashing is the first line of defense in controlling moisture in wall assemblies. They intercept and direct the flow of water away from the structure.
Choose Custom Exotic Hardwood Siding from AdvantageLumber.com
Exotic hardwood siding is installed on houses for many good reasons. One of them it is to keep the bright new face of any home attractive, this exterior wooden skin should last the life of your home.
Give your home, cabin or business a unique look with our exotic hardwood siding. Exotic hardwood siding is naturally beauty, is timeless and the color and textures available are unmatched by other siding materials. These properties make our exotic wood siding adaptable to wide variety of architectural styles. AdvantageLumber.com carries a wide variety of exterior siding and we can custom mill your order in our own lumber mills.