Beveled wood siding has been used since colonial times as an exterior siding material for homes and out buildings. Colonists installed it on their homes to provide additional protection from New England's severe winters, and found that due to its unique shape it worked remarkably well for keeping cold air and moisture out of their homes.
Beveled wood siding is usually 6 or 8 inches wide, and thicker at the bottom. It is installed from the bottom of a home working up toward the roof, with each piece lapping over the piece before it. Usually each lap is about an inch. Beveled wood siding is normally about 1/2-inch thick at the bottom, but a beefy 3/4-inch siding is also available.
Beveled Wood Siding on Historic Homes
If you are replacing the siding on an older home, beveled wood siding can be a good choice to maintain a period look. Single pieces of beveled wood siding can even be used to replace a broken or rotted board of your existing siding by removing a few nails, sliding the new piece in, and re-nailing.
Beveled wood siding for your historic home restoration can often be found at your local lumberyard, or at national distributors such as Buffalo Lumber and Kwaterski Brothers. Most beveled wood siding is made from:
- Western red cedar
- Redwood
- White fir
Western red cedar and redwood are more popular than white fir, which can bit a bit more expensive. If you are planning to stain your beveled wood siding rather than painting it, choose a better grade of wood for your project. All three of these options are easy to work with, and take finishes well. Beveled wood siding finished with period paint colors can help make your historic home look new once more.
