Proper installation of wood sidings is critical to their longevity. Marks Lumber recommends following Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) guide lines for installation and finishing wood siding. With correct installation and maintenance, wood sidings should last for decades.

Getting Started

Acclimatization

As with most wood products, acclimating siding is critical to quality installation. Stacking siding materials with space between them for a minimum of 10 days is recommended for dried Marks Lumber products.

Step 2: Pre-finishing/Finishing

Finishing is obviously a critical step to achieving a long term installation, and in dry climates pre-finishing is advised. Both sides, edges, and all cut ends should be pre-finished or primed. Make sure pre-finish is compatible with the final finished products.

Note: Water-based finishes can add significant moisture to boards, and lead to swelling. Make sure that siding is allowed to re-dry and acclimate after pre-finish application, before installation.

Step 3: Installation

Natural wood siding should be installed over a weather-resistant barrier for all sheathing materials. If sheathing or the weather resistant barrier gets wet prior to installation, allow surface to dry before siding is installed. When siding is applied over wood-based sheathing, nail penetration should be 1 ½ inch for smooth-shank nails (not recommended) and 1 ¼ for ring-shank nails.

Horizontal Installation

When installed over sheathing, siding should be nailed to vertical studs on maximum 24 inch centers. If nailed directly to studs, 16 inch centers or less are called for.

Step 4: Maintain

Most finishes on natural wood sidings benefit from regular washings. A light pressure power wash with a product such as Perma-Chink Systems’ Log Wash will remove dust and harmful pollen.

Note: Wood never dies, it IS going to swell, shrink and move with changes in temp and humidity over its life. Good installation techniques have been developed to take this absolute fact into account.

These instructions draw heavily from the Western Wood Products Association guidelines. Complete installation guides can be purchased at their site: http://www.wwpa.org

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