Well-maintained wood siding can last 30 years or more if it is well looked after. The category of wood siding includes clapboard and other milled-board siding; plywood and hardwood sheets; and shingles and shakes.
Milled-board sidings are cut into a number of styles of patterned board. These are most often installed horizontally but some interlocking patterns can also be applied vertically or diagonally. Horizontal siding is nailed through the sheathing into the house’s studs, and each board overlaps the one below it. Vertical siding is generally nailed to wooden strips that are attached across wall studs.
Plywood and hardwood sidings come in sheets that are 4 feet wide and 8, 9, or 10 feet long, as well as in boards that mimic the look of milled-board siding. Builders generally nail plywood sheets directly to the studs without including a separate layer of sheathing. Sheet siding is often the least expensive siding option.
Shingles and shakes are nailed over wall sheathing or to horizontal wooden strips. All wood siding should be sealed, stained, or painted for protection from decay, insects, and weathering.
