Purchasing Resources for Wood Wall Cladding

Wood Wall Cladding Education and Training

Real wood products used for wood wall cladding add beauty, value, and endurance
By Steven A. Ottem Wooden wall cladding for exterior walls comes in many forms and materials. Bevel and wavy-edge bevel exterior wood wall cladding systems run horizontally. Channel systems run vertically, as do board and batten styles of siding, and shingles. You can install tongue and groove boards either vertically or horizontally. Finishes vary from a rustic weathered wood look, including log cabin appearance, to glossy finished surfaces. Materials run from hard woods, such as oak wall cladding, to softer varieties, such as cedar and fir. You may also use spruce and pine, but you must treat it with a preservative to provide protection from insects, sunlight, and weather.

Other products such as vinyl, steel, composites, and fiber cement are available and offer some advantages over natural wood wall cladding systems. However, all such products seek to mimic natural wood. Natural wood is the best and customers will always request it for upscale projects.

Wood wall cladding contractors should consider:

1. Climate conditions where they will install wooden cladding - wind, moisture, and temperature variations.

2. Potential problems with insects and material at grade level, which could influence choice of wood variety.

3. Availability and wood cladding prices, which may vary from year to year.

Find instructions for the best method of installing wood wall cladding

The designer and the customer will choose the look, whether horizontal or vertical, rustic or modern. The contractor is responsible for providing the best appearance while also being durable and problem-free.
Try:  Toolbase Services discusses the effect of moisture and the ways to deal with moisture in wood cladding systems, and includes insight into the use of foam insulation and house wrap between sheathing and siding. Western Red Cedar Lumber Association makes training videos available on many aspects of siding, and while the videos pertain only to cedar, contractors perform all kinds of wood cladding installations in similar ways.

Use wood wall cladding education and training to keep your customers informed

Your customer needs to know how to maintain wood wall panels once you have installed them. In the planning stages, she may have an interest in how you will install panels. Prepare to inform your customer on installation methods and best maintenance procedures.
Try:  APA-The Engineered Wood Association contains articles varying in length from 1 to 50 pages in pdf format on various subjects pertaining to siding, as well as many other topics. Extreme How To features the re-siding of the APA's International headquarters in Tacoma, WA. It details steps taken to replace moisture-damaged sheathing and how to prevent future problems with moisture and weathering by using proper siding procedures.

Find wood wall cladding education and training resources through professional associations

Many lumber and manufacturing associations offer educational and training information. The associations also provide sources for current trends and uses for wood wall panels.
Try:  California Redwood Association shows how to select, install, finish and maintain siding in their guides. BCB Building Info is a great source that categorizes education and training information into Basics and Theory, Procedures, Information, and Issues and Performance.

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