Traditional Lap Siding Shingles Boards and Battens
Siding, also known as wall cladding is traditionally attached to the outside of homes and many other buildings in Calgary. This may be a throwback to early settler days. Pioneers lived in log cabins back then and built them with what they could lay their hands on. Different styles developed that came down to us as traditional lap siding shingles boards and battens.
Traditional Lap Siding Is Still the Most Popular
Our early forefathers arrived on wooden sailing ships. The frames of their hulls covered over with horizontal planks that overlapped each other in a style they called clinker-built or lap strake.
It’s possible this experience inspired the log cabins they built. Nowadays we cover over backing boards with engineered planks so each one overlaps the one below it. Artisans call this traditional lap siding ‘clapboard’, and shiplap for reasons you now know.
Wood Shingles for that ‘Cape Cod Style’
Early American brought wood shingle technology with them from Scandinavia when they arrived. These differ from traditional lap siding strips in that they are thin, tapered wood pieces suitable for both roofing and walls.
They overlap in a similar way to tiles. In olden days woodsmen split them from knot-free logs. Nowadays machines cut them from wooden strips. Over the years distinctive patterns of laying appeared. It’s also possible to shape shingles with steam bending.
The Distinctive Board & Batten Look
An abundance of wood lead to an early generation of North American carpenters. These inventive artisans built their own timber frame homes they covered over with vertical boards to get the job done quickly
Nowadays we call this style of construction ‘carpenter gothic’ or ‘rural gothic’. Builders often apples vertical battens over the joints to weather proof them and discourage warping or buckling in those early days.
We Only Touched on Most Popular Siding Styles Here
There are other less common siding styles, all with their own particular charm and quite different from traditional lap siding. Some like thatch siding are more a curiosity now. However, wooden sheet siding is still a popular, affordable way for covering over inexpensive buildings.
This short post is with compliments of SilverLine Exterior Solutions, the small company with a big reputation for replacing windows and siding with extra care. Give us a call at a convenient time at 604-942-0488 when it suits. We are active throughout Greater Vancouver.
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