Wood

• Q&A: Caulking Siding — or Not?

  Q. When installing cedar clapboard, should gaps between the siding and trim be caulked?

   

• Engineered Trim & Siding (Subscriber content)

  Engineered wood, fiber cement, and plastic can provide the look of natural wood siding and trim without the limitations of the real thing.

   

• Q&A: Comparing Cedar Shingle Species

  Q: How do eastern white cedar and western red cedar shingles compare for durability? I’ve heard that red cedar is more durable, but I wonder if the difference is enough to affect the service life of roofing or siding.

   

• Q&A: Vinyl Siding Over Fan-Fold Foam

  Q: Before installing vinyl siding over existing wood siding, we first install a layer of fan-fold foam insulation. Is the fan-fold foam an adequate weather-resistive barrier?

   

• Reader Survey: Siding Choices (Subscriber content)

  What do you think of today’s siding materials? What would you put on your own house? We asked 1,000 readers for their views; here’s what they told us.

   
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  Q&A: Nailing Cedar Shingles

  Q: A new lead carpenter on my crew says that when installing cedar shingle siding on a house, he was always taught to put a third nail in the wider shingles. Is he right?

   

• Q&A: Backpriming Siding

  Q: I have often read that wood siding should be backprimed before installation. But I believe that a primer without a finish coat is of no value, because I don’t think a primer can slow down moisture movement. Has there been any research or testing on thi

   

• Toolbox: Impulse Angled Finish Nailer

  Angled finish nailer review

   

• Q&A: Using Pressure-Treated Wood for Trim

  Q: We are planning to use pressure-treated wood as exterior trim on a house with fiber-cement siding. The siding will be finished with acrylic paint. Is pressure-treated wood appropriate for use as exterior trim? What precautions, if any, are necessary when painting pressure-treated wood? Can we...

   

• Detail: Wood Trim for Vinyl Siding (Subscriber content)

  On houses clad with vinyl, a simple rabbeted edge detail preserves the look of traditional wood trim at windows, doors, and corner boards.

   

• Stripping & Repainting Wood Siding (Subscriber content)

  Here’s a step-by-step guide to stripping, pressure-washing, and repainting wood siding, by a Texas restoration contractor.

   

• Aluminum Trim for Vinyl Siding (Subscriber content)

  Brake-bent aluminum coil stock makes for crisp, durable trim details at windows, doors, and fascia. A Pennsylvania vinyl siding contractor reveals the tricks of the metalworking trade.

   

• Rain Screen Siding Retrofit (Subscriber content)

  Moisture trapped behind wood siding can cause the finish to fail and the siding itself to cup and buckle. In extreme cases, the sheathing and structure below may deteriorate. Leaving an air space behind the siding is the best way to prevent these problems.

   

• On-Site With Fiber-Cement Siding (Subscriber content)

  We take a close look at handling, cutting, installing, and painting fiber-cement to see how it compares with traditional lap siding.

   

• Job-Site Procedure Manuals (Subscriber content)

  This system of standardized forms, procedures, and construction details ensures good planning and keeps every job running smoothly.

   

• New-Tech Tools and Materials (Subscriber content)

  A survey of new tools, products, and materials that can increase productivity and profit on your next job.

   

• Toolbox: Metal Brake Tips (Subscriber content)

  Metal brake tips

   

• Fast Fascia Techniques (Subscriber content)

  When you’re getting paid by the linear foot, you learn how to work quickly and methodically. A California carpenter reveals his hard-won tricks for hanging fascia without a helper.

   

• Exterior Trim: Alternatives to Solid Wood (Subscriber content)

  While good-quality finish lumber has grown more scarce and expensive, the lumber industry has been developing wood-based engineered alternatives. Here’s an overview of the best options on the market today.

   

• Site Skills for Job Foremen (Subscriber content)

  Good organizational skills are as important to a job’s success as technical know-how. An experienced foreman reviews the rules he and his crews follow to ensure quality while keeping the job moving.