Good Morning all.
I need to put some siding on my house, and am trying to decide if cypress would weather any better than cedar.
cypress has traditionally been thought of as waterproof, but my research shows that is only true of the heartwood of the old growth stuff, just like cedar used to be real good outdoors.
Southern IL is the location, and lap siding either bevel or rabbeted, and clear or semit-ransparent stain are the specifics.
I am planning for the siding to be in a band starting at the top of the wainscoat, and stopping at the eaves, then finishing the gable ends with steel again.
The pictures are really just cause everyone seems to enjoy them…View Image
So if anyone has any advice or criticism let’s have it.
Alan….. struggling to embed without IE, and wishing to be as witty as Forrest
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A little self satisfyimng bump goin on.
I like cypress. Seems like you should be able to get it a little cheaper than cedar. Keep it treated. If you don't stain it, it will turn silver-grey.
I like white cedar...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm not sure I'm smart enough to know the difference between white, and otherwise.Here in the midwest we have "aromatic" cedar, but I was thinking siding would be western red, but I have always just asked about cedar, not white or red or otherwise.
Put some more windows in before you do the siding...............
On a hill by the harbour
Thanks for the help, ;) that is the North side of the house, towards the road, so we saved all the window budget for the side that matters.The south side...
View Image
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Is that a Marlboro or a Kool?
are you 'simple but elegeant'?
Sonny turned 68 while we were framing, with 2 bad knees and the cheapest generic menthol 100 cig in his teeth, he still walked that south side top plate while us kids threw trusses at him. ;D...I'm the younger fatter one.
This him? :o)
are you 'simple but elegeant'?
LOL! yeah that picture could be 30 years old eh?
OOPS ! That looks better.
On a hill by the harbour
we have places here since before the LA purchase done in white cedar and they are still standing...
use fiber cement... very cost effective... looks good too...
http://www.cedarsidinginc.com/
http://www.wrcla.org/cedarspecs/cedarsiding/overview.aspLife is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
IMHO I would use cement board. Will last much longer and holds paint much better. Its waterproof no splitting or knots falling out and won't allow water to pass through. Also saves on the trees.
Hammerelbow
I appreciate yours and Imercs suggestion of FC siding, but frankly I am unimpressed with the stuff. As wavy and fake looking as vinyl, but much more expensive, and harder to waterproof,(corner boards and butt joints) but that is just IMHO.Intend to stain the wood, so that also rules out the FC.
cedar over cypress then...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
We install a lot of clear vertical grain red cedar. Good stuff.
Around here (Maine) white cedar would mean Northern White Cedar, or Arborvitae, and I've never seen it used as siding and it's usually knotty but it holds up well as decking and fence posts.
Aromatic cedar is actually a juniper. Never seen that as siding either.
Yellow cedar, or Alaskan cedar, or Port Orford Cedar is a nice creamy pale-colored cedar. Shame to waste it on siding.
Vertical grain spruce can make a good siding if it's painted or has a solid-color stain. Boards are usually pretty short though.
Do you plan to finish the siding with a paint or stain, or let it go natural?
I intend to seal all 6 sides, we (SWMBO) would prefer a clear sealer, but it seems that semi-transparent has a better life expectancy, than just a clear sealer, and even though they would be longer lasting yet, paint or solid stains are not really an option.Knots will be fine, this is supposed to end up a little rustic in the end, but it seems there is a fine line between rustic and "trailer park"...similar to simple yet elegant. ;)
In that case you might try something like an appearance grade red cedar, which will have small tight knots. If you put the rough side out it will hold the stain better. A semi-transparent stain is a good idea--you can match the color of new wood and the pigments will protect the wood.
I don't agree with the notion of putting the rough side out to hold the stain better. It will also hold the rain better. As long as the smooth side dose not have any mill glazing the stain will penetrate fine. If it does then a light sanding will take care of that.
One thing that will help regardless of what type of wood used is to seal the back side of the siding. Also battens or this stuff so it can breath.
http://www.benjaminobdyke.com/html/products/slicker.html
Yeah, I intend to do some sort of rain screen detail, I am probably going to end up with somewhat less than the ideal 1/2" airspace, but I am planning on something.I also am going to trim the windows and corners with the same J and Z as I am using on the steel, both to avoid caulk, and to help tie it all together.
Your research is correct. The cypress available today has very little natural rot resistance. I learned this years ago on a deck, I would rate the rot/decay resistance as similar to untreated yellow pine. Go with the cedar.