PANELING AND SIDING

Founded in 1911 by Antone V. Beronio, Beronio Lumber has supplied fine

wood products to architects and builders for over ninety years. From its
original yard on Powell and Beach Streets on San Francisco’s bustling
waterfront, Beronio sold lumber, millwork and mouldings to the
contractors busy rebuilding the city after the devastating earthquake and
fire of 1906. It was these proud craftsmen who created the rich
architectural heritage for which San Francisco is famous today.

From the beginning, Beronio Lumber has offered high quality wood
paneling and siding. Over the years we’ve amassed a wide assortment of
patterns and profiles. This catalog includes snapshots of some of the
many patterns and profiles presently in inventory. While we’ve tried our
best to show representative pieces, it’s impossible for just one piece to
convey the full range and depth of the natural characteristics found in a
particular wood species or lumber grade. Naturally, it’s best to come and
see for yourself which species and grade best meet your needs.

Can’t find something in this catalog that meets your needs? No

problem. We look forward to working with you to produce a custom
pattern or profile.

All patterns are subject to change without notice. Please check with
Beronio Lumber before making final choices.
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

4
Wood paneling enhances any décor. Whether it’s smooth, textured,
patterned, stained, tinted, waxed or natural, real wood has a unique look
and radiates a warmth unmatched by other interior finishes. With so many
options to choose from, how do you decide? We recommend Rob Thallon’s
Graphic Guide to Interior Details published by The Taunton Press as a good
introduction to millwork in general and to paneling in particular. Or, you
might try the Western Wood Products Association’s idea booklet Real
Wood Interiors—A Design Workbook. A great source for specific
installation details is the book and companion video Trim Carpentry
Techniques by Craig Savage, also from The Taunton Press. These books
and more are available at our Marin Street store.

Naturally, most wainscot patterns serve equally well when used as wall or
ceiling paneling.
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J3 1x4 J3-C 1x4

Douglas Fir Alaskan Yellow
C/Btr VG Clear TG C Solid TG VG

3/4” Thick 3/4” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face

J4-C 3/8 x 4 J4-C 3/8 x 4

Cherry Bead Cherry
V Reversible TG

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J4-G 3/8 x 4 J4-G 3/8 x 4

Genuine Mahogany Genuine Mahogany
Bead V Reversible TG

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face

J4-M 3/8 x 4 J4-M 3/8 x 4

Maple TG Maple
Bead Side V Reversible TG

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J4-R 3/8 x 4 J4-R 3/8 x 4

Red Oak Red Oak
Flat Sawn Bead V Reversible TG

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face

J5 1x4 J5 1x4
Douglas Fir Douglas Fir
C Solid VG TG Single Bead Face
Double Bead Back

9/16” Thick 9/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J5J 1x4 J5J 1x4

House White House White
TG Bead TG V-Side

9/16” Thick 9/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face

J6C 1x4 J6C 1x4

Red Cedar Clear Heart Red Cedar Clear
VG TG Beaded Heart TG V-Side

5/8” Thick 5/8” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J6J 1x4 J6J 1x4

FJ Pine FJ Pine
TG Bead TG Bead V-Side

5/8” Thick 5/8” Thick

3-1/4” Face 3-1/4” Face

J6K 1x4 J6K 1x4

Pine/Spruce Appearance Pine/Spruce
Knotty TG Beaded TG Bead V-Side

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

3-1/8” Face 3-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J15-DF 1/2 x 4 J15-DF 1/2 x 4

Douglas Fir Douglas Fir
B VG Resawn TG B VG V/Smooth SE TG

1/2” Thick 1/2” Thick

3-1/4” Face 3-1/4” Face

10

J16V 1/2 x 6 J20 1x8

Douglas Fir VG Alpine Knotty
Smooth T&G Country Beaded TG

1/2” Thick 11/16” Thick

5-3/16” Face 6-3/4” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J21 1x6 J21 1x6

Alpine Knotty Pine V-Side
Beaded TG

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

5” Face 5” Face

11

J23J 7/16 x 4 J24 1x6

Pine FJ Primed Douglas Fir B (10% C)
Bead-Wall TG VG Clear Square
Edge TG

13/32” Thick 3/4” Thick

3” Face 5-1/4” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J25 1x6 J29-J 3/4 x 6

Douglas Fir B (10% C) House White
VG Clear “Eased Beaded TG
Edge” TG
Special Order

3/4” Thick 23/32” Thick

5-1/4” Face 5-1/8” Face

12

J29-J 3/4 x 6 J46 W 1x6

House White Red Cedar
V-Side VG TG “Channel Reveal”
Special Run

23/32” Thick 11/16” Thick

5-1/8” Face 4-7/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J46 DF 1 x 6 J47 4x8

Douglas Fir Arauco Clear Beaded Plywood
C VG TG “Channel Reveal” 2” OC Smooth Plybead
Special Run

11/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

4-7/8” Face 48” Wide Panel
2” Pattern Repeat

13

J48 4x8 J53 2x6

Victorian Beaded Plywood SPF Select Deck Knotty
Unfinished TG V

3/16” Thick 1-7/16” Thick

48” Wide Panel 5” Face
1-9/16” Pattern Repeat
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J54 4x8 J55 4x8

MDF Preprimed MDF Preprimed Nantucket
Harbor Bead Bead
3" OC (1/4") 1-1/2" OC (1/4")

1/4” Thick 1/4” Thick

48” Wide Panel 48” Wide Panel
3” Pattern Repeat 1-1/2” Pattern Repeat

14

J2-12 1 x 12 J57 1/2 x 6

#1 Knotty Pine AZEK PVC Beaded TG
Colonial Bead TG (18' Only)
Special Order

11/16” Thick 1/2” Thick

10-5/8” Face 5-1/8” Face
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J57 1/2 x 6 J58 2x6

AZEK PVC Beaded TG Douglas Fir Select Struct “V”
(18' Only) V-Side Face / “SE” Back

1/2” Thick 1-7/16” Thick

5-1/8” Face 5” Face

15

J63 1x3 J63C 1x3

Douglas Fir C VG Red Cedar Clear
“Screenwall” VG “Windscreen”

3/4” Thick 11/16” Thick

2-1/2” Face 2-1/2” Face
(Not including gap) (Not including gap)
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

J74C 1x4 J74DF 1x4

Red Cedar Douglas Fir C VG
Clear VG “Windscreen” “Screenwall”

11/16” Thick 3/4” Thick

3-1/2” Face 3-1/2” Face
(Not including gap) (Not including gap)

16

J74K 1x4 W504 1x6

SPF Appearance Windsor One
“Screenwall” Beaded Wainscot
(SPBC6)

3/4” Thick 23/32” Thick

3-1/2” Face 5-1/8” Face
(Not including gap)
 PANELING AND WAINSCOTING

W504 1x6
Windsor One
Beaded Wainscot V-Side
(SPBC6)

23/32” Thick
5-1/8” Face

17
 SIDING

Wood has been used as siding for centuries. It provides weather protection
and insulation in a wide range of siding types and patterns affording
unlimited design possibilities. When properly installed and maintained,
18
wood siding will provide decades and decades of service. The ancient temples
of Japan, the 12th century stave churches of Norway, and the colonial
houses of New England attest to the longevity of a well designed and
properly constructed wood building.
For best performance, it’s important to select a siding type and pattern that
is suited to your local climate. In addition to appearance, several things
must be considered when determining the wood species, the lumber
grade and the siding pattern that’s best for your project. Will the building
be subject to driving rain or to hot, dry winds? How wide are the roof
overhangs? Will the siding be installed horizontally or vertically? What kind
of finish will be applied to the siding?
While choosing the right siding may sound complex, a lot of it is just
common sense. Wood has been the siding of choice in the United States for
over 300 years, so there are countless examples to be seen. Take a walk
around you own neighborhood. What siding types and patterns have
traditionally been used? Do they complement the buildings’ design? How
are they holding up? The beautiful painted Victorian houses that grace the
Bay Area attest to the natural longevity of painted siding of redwood and
western red cedar.
Even if your design calls for something apart from the commonplace or
traditional, there are a few things to always keep in mind when selecting
wood siding. Narrower patterns shrink and swell in width less than wider
ones and thus are less likely to cup and split as the ambient environment
cycles between wet and dry. Thicker patterns have less tendency to cup or
split than thinner ones. Vertical grain siding is roughly twice as
dimensionally stable as flat grain siding, so it holds paint better and longer,
and is much less likely to cup, split or exhibit raised grain. Clear grades of
siding always outperform knotty grades. Bevel, Dolly Varden, and Channel
Rustic siding patterns allow for more dimensional change without adversely
affecting siding appearance than do drop and tongue & groove patterns.
Most wood siding is installed horizontally. Vertically installed siding is a
special case that often warrants the use of higher grade siding and more
careful installation. All other things being equal, siding patterns that are
narrower, thicker and made from clear, vertical grain lumber always
perform best.
The performance of even the best grades of wood siding can be undermined
by improper installation and poor maintenance. Fortunately, there are
several excellent guides that spell out how wood siding should be installed
and maintained to ensure best performance. We keep on hand for distribution
to customers copies of the Western Wood Products Association’s Natural
Wood Siding Selection, Installation & Finishing and the California Redwood
Association’s Siding Patterns and Applications. The Canadian Wood
 SIDING

Council’s Wood Reference Handbook is without equal as a general guide to
the use of wood in building construction. We stock and recommend The
Builder’s Guide to Mixed Climates by Joseph Lstiburek.
Poor performance of siding is most often caused by building design flaws,
improper installation, and inadequate maintenance. Compared to the
traditional “energy wasters,” today’s energy-efficient houses present a
particular challenge to the performance of wood siding. The main
difference is that the walls of older houses are leaky, warm and forgiving
of getting wet, while those of new houses are tight, cold and unforgiving.
The result is that wood siding on new houses that gets wet stays wet
longer and often accumulates enough moisture to cause problems such as
extractive staining*, mildew and peeling paint.
and bottom to keep out insects. Used in the wetter regions of Europe with
great success for more than 30 years, rain screen siding is gaining
acceptance in North America. Installation details can be found in ‘Rain-
19
Screen Walls: a Better Way to Install Siding’ in the February/March 2001
issue of The Taunton Press’ Fine Homebuilding Magazine.
*Western red cedar, redwood, and Alaskan yellow cedar are rich in natural organic compounds
called extractives. These compounds impart to these woods their color, aroma and decay
resistance. Sometimes, when these woods get wet, the extractives migrate to the surface and
cause discoloration. These spots are natural, unavoidable, and tend to lessen in intensity over
time.

These and other moisture-caused problems in wood siding can be avoided

by installing siding according to the rain screen principle. Traditionally,
wood siding is installed directly over sheathing and housewrap, with no
gap between the two. With the rain screen principle, siding is installed on
furring strips or over a 3-dimensional plastic mesh to create an air space
between siding and sheathing and housewrap. The air space allows water
vapor to escape from the rear of the siding as well as from its face. "Rain
screen" siding dries quickly after getting wet, so it doesn’t stay wet long
enough for problems to arise. Furring strips, which are about 1/4 inch thick,
are located over framing members. The air space is screened at the top
 NATURAL LUMBER SIDING AND SOFFIT

K31 1x8 K31 1x8

Redwood Select Heart Redwood Select Heart
Smooth Face Sawtex Face

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

7” Face 7” Face

20

K33 1x6 K33 1x6

Redwood Select Heart Redwood Select Heart
Sawtex Face TG Smooth Face V-Side

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

5” Face 5” Face
 NATURAL LUMBER SIDING AND SOFFIT

K40V 5/8 x 4 K40V 5/8 x 4

Western Red Cedar Clear Western Red Cedar Clear
Heart (10% B) Vertical Grain Heart (10% B) S TG Smooth V
Sawtex Face TG Face

5/8” Thick 5/8” Thick

3-1/2” Face 3-1/2” Face

21

K42V 1x6 K42V 1x6

Western Red Cedar Clear Western Red Cedar Clear
Heart (10% B) Vertical Grain Heart (10% B) Vertical Grain
Sawtex Face TG Smooth V Face

3/4” Thick 3/4” Thick

5-1/4” Face 5-1/4” Face
 NATURAL LUMBER SIDING AND SOFFIT

K50V 3/4 x 6 K55V 1/2 x 4

Western Red Cedar Clear Redwood Clear Heart
VG Sawtex Bevel VG Resawn SE TG
Special Order

11/16” Thick 7/16” Thick

5” Face 3-1/4” Face

22

K55V 1/2 x 4 K58V 1x6

Redwood Clear Heart Redwood Clear Heart
VG Resawn SE Smooth V TG VG R/S TG (11/16” Net)
Special Order Resawn
Special Order

1/2” Thick 11/16” Thick

3-1/4” Face 5-1/8” Face
 NATURAL LUMBER SIDING AND SOFFIT

K58V 1x6 K59 1x6

Redwood Clear Heart Western Red Cedar
VG R/S TG (11/16” Net) Tight Knot TG Resawn Side
Smooth
Special Order

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

5-1/8” Face 5-1/8” Face

23

K59 1x6
Western Red Cedar
Tight Knot TG Smooth Side

11/16” Thick
5-1/8” Face
 PRIMED HOUSE RED SIDINGS

24
The patterns featured here are those most commonly used in the Bay
Area over the past 150 years. Found on everything from elegant
Victorians to the sidewalls of refined buildings of the 1920’s and 30’s in
such areas as Piedmont, Pacific Heights, and St. Francis Woods, they
provide the ideal means of cladding a building in harmony with the
neighborhood’s existing architectural style.

The bulk of the details are stocked in premium quality fingerjointed

western red cedar or redwood. The sidings contain a large percentage of
vertical grain stock for maximum dimensional stability and better overall
performance. Unless otherwise noted, each board is finished on all
sides with two coats of a premium stain-blocking primer that improves
topcoat performance. The combination of predominantly vertical grain and
the two coats of primer greatly minimizes the chance of grain raising and
extractive staining.
 PRIMED HOUSE RED SIDINGS

K1-8J 1x8 K1-10J 1 x 10

House Reds House Reds
VG FJ-EG Primed “Cove” VG FJ-EG Primed “Cove”

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

7” Exposed Face 9” Exposed Face

25

K4-6J 1x6 K4-8J 1x8

House Reds House Reds
VG FJ-EG Primed “V” VG FJ-EG Primed “V”

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

5” Face 7” Exposed Face
 PRIMED HOUSE RED SIDINGS

K4-10J 1 x 10 K5-8J 1x8

House Reds House Reds
VG FJ-EG Primed “V” Primed Siding Channel Rustic

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

9” Exposed Face 7” Exposed Face

26

K5-10J 1 x 10 K6J 1 x 10
House Reds House Reds
VG FJ-EG Primed “Channel” VG FJ-EG Primed
“Triple Lap”

11/16” Thick 11/16” Thick

9” Exposed Face 9” Exposed Face
 PRIMED HOUSE RED SIDINGS

K9-SJ 7/8 x 8 K10-SJ 7/8 x 10

House Reds House Reds
FJ/EG VG (10% FG Dev) FJ/EG VG (10% FG Dev)
Smooth Bevel Smooth Bevel

7/8” Thick 7/8” Thick

7” Exposed Face 9” Exposed Face

27

K14C 1/2 x 6 K45J 1x4

House Reds House Reds FJ/EG VG
FJ VG “Clapboard” Bevel “Belgium Shiplap” SE
Acrylic Primed

1/2” Thick 11/16” Thick

4-1/2” Exposed Face 3-3/16” Exposed Face
 CEDAR SHINGLES
Wood shingles have a special warmth and elegance and a classic architectural
look that speaks of quality, taste, and timelessness. No other cladding
offers nature’s own formula for unrivaled, weather-defying protection and
insulation that ensures that your investment will last and last. We stock
Stave Lake #1 Blue Certi-Label™ shingles in both Western Red Cedar and
Alaskan Yellow Cedar. All of our shingles are 100% heartwood, 100% clear,
and 100% vertical grain. Beronio is proud to be an associate member of the
Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau and supports the bureau’s dedication to
rigorous quality control and technical support. Shingle selection, installation,
finishing details, and other information is available at www.cedarbureau.org.
We inventory a wide array of shingles. The most popular is the standard,
unseasoned KS 10 16” (Five-X) sidewall shingle, which has an A-grade face
and butt. 16” Five-X shingles are 2/5 of an inch thick at the butt and are
typically installed with 5” of wood exposed to weather. Where tight-fitting,
parallel joints between shingles are desired, our KS 14 Rebutted and 29
Rejointed shingles are an ideal choice. All sides and ends of R&R shingles
are machine trimmed to have parallel edges that meet at 90 degrees. The
faces have been sanded smooth, providing an ideal surface for finishing.
Five-X R&R’s are available in both Red Cedar and Alaskan Yellow Cedar for
those who prefer a lighter colored shingle. We also stock 18” perfections
for those jobs where a larger scale is preferred.
We stock Fanci-Butt red cedar shingles in all of the popular designs.
Whether you’re looking for Fishscale, Round, Diagonal, Arrow, Diamond,
Half-Cove, Hexagonal, Octagonal, or Square, we have the profile in stock
that makes your project unique.
 CEDAR SHINGLES

KSP 1 Shakertown KS 10
Shingle Panel 16” Red Cedar
Unseasoned “A” Butt

8-1/4” x 96” Panel

7” Exposed Face

30

KS 10D Bundle Dipped KS 13

Special Order 16” KD Red Cedar
Stave Lake, Fire Treated
Special Order
 CEDAR SHINGLES

KS 14 KS 18D Red Cedar

16” Red Cedar KD Rebutt/Rejointed Sanded
Rebutt/Rejointed Face Sanded Factory Sealed with
Cabot Clear Oil
Special Order

KS 99 R&R also available

as 18” Perfections
Rebutt/Rejointed
Sanded
FSC Certified
Special Order
Look for
FSC-marked products

31

KS 16 KS 30
16” KD Red Cedar 16” Alaskan Yellow Cedar
1 Coat Cabot VG R&R's
Bleach/Weather Stain Special Order
Special Order

Note: Shown aged 6 months

Southern Exposure
 PLYWOOD SIDING

32
Versatile, economical, and relatively easy to install, plywood siding has been
used for decades. We proudly stock K-Ply’s Western Red Cedar plywood
siding and Roseburg Forest Products’ Breckenridge plywood siding.

K-Ply panels feature a naturally durable western red cedar face and back.
Our stock grade is 303:18S which allows up to 18 small solid knots and/or
knot holes that have been filled with a cedar-toned filler. Panels with clear
faces are available on a special order basis. Beronio Lumber also carries K-
Ply’s unique Panel 4 which features a face composed of 4-inch-wide clear red
cedar strips. Panel 4 offers the look of 1 x 4 T&G lumber siding with the
installation ease of plywood.

Breckenridge is Roseburg Forest Products’ premium grade plywood siding.

Produced from selected face veneers with specific grain characteristics, it
stands apart from typical Douglas Fir plywood siding. The carefully selected
faces create a dimensionally stable panel that has no major visual distinction
between sapwood and heartwood, resulting in a more uniform grain that
enhances the appearance and longevity of applied finishes. For best performance,
Roseburg recommends that the siding be finished with a solid color acrylic
coating. Among all of the wood-base sidings, plywood siding is the most
maintenance-intensive.
 PLYWOOD SIDING

KPB KPB-8
19/32” Breckenridge™ Hardwood Plain 19/32” Breckenridge™ Hardwood 8”
Face SL Groove SL
KPB-3
11/32”

33

KPC-3 KPC8-5
11/32” Red Cedar Select Knotty Grade 19/32” Red Cedar Select Knotty Grade
Plain SL 8” Groove
KPC-5
19/32” Red Cedar Select Knotty Grade
Plain SL
 HARDIPLANK

Hardiplank is a new lap siding product that combines the durability 35

of fiber-cement with the look of wood. Manufactured from Portland

cement, sand and wood fiber, the siding is durable, economical,
and comes factory-primed. Hardiplank will not rot, is immune to
permanent water damage, is not attacked by insects, holds paint
extremely well, carries a Class A fire rating and is backed by a
50-year limited transferable warranty when installed in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions. While no synthetic siding is
an exact match for traditional wood siding, James Hardie’s textured
products harmonize with traditional architecture.

Sold in panels, James Hardie’s Shingleside combines the look of

an authentic wood shingle with the ease of panel installation.
Shingleside is backed by a limited 30-year warranty. Unfortunately,
factory-priming is not yet available for Shingleside.

Information on the entire line of James Hardie siding products,

as well as installation and finishing instructions can be found at
www.jameshardie.com.
 PRIMED FIBER - CEMENT SIDINGS

KH-9 KH-8C
9-1/4” Hardiplank Smooth 8” Hardiplank Factory Primed
Preprimed Smooth Lap Colonial Lap

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

8” Exposed Face 6-3/4” Exposed Face

36

KH-8CR KH-8
8” Hardiplank Primed Colonial 8-1/4” Hardiplank Smooth
Rough Sawn Preprimed Smooth Lap

5/16” Thick 5/16” Thick

6-3/4” Exposed Face 7” Exposed Face
 PRIMED FIBER - CEMENT SIDINGS

KG-1 GAF Weatherside

Fiber Cement Shingle

12” x 24”
11” Exposed Face

37
 FINISHES FOR WOOD SIDING
Selecting the right finish for your wood siding is critical to maintaining
38
its appearance and performance over time. For information beyond
what is presented in this primer on finish types, we recommend The
Forest Products Society's Finishes for Exterior Wood as an excellent
overall guide.
Paints, solid-color stains, clear coatings, water repellents, and
semitransparent stains are applied to wood siding to enhance its
appearance and to protect it from the elements. These and other finishes
are classified as either film-forming or penetrating. Both types can be
either water-borne (also known as latex) or oil-base. Upon drying, film-
forming finishes—primers, paints, solid-color stains, and clear
coatings—coalesce into a thin continuous sheet that sits on top of the
wood. Of all coating types, film-forming finishes provide the greatest
protection to wood by virtue of the physical barrier they pose to the
elements. Penetrating finishes, on the other hand, do not form surface
films, but rather are absorbed into the wood. Water repellents and
semitransparent stains fall into this category. Effective in controlling
surface checking, penetrating finishes do not stop wood from weathering.
The type of finish, the properties of the wood to which it is applied, local
climate, and directional exposure influence the performance and
longevity of coatings applied to exterior wood products. All other things
being equal, paints last longest, followed closely by solid-color stains,
with semitransparent stains, water repellents, and clear coatings all
about an equally distant third. All other things being equal, finishes last
longest on vertical grained surfaces of low density softwoods whose
moisture content stays below about 16 percent. All other things being
equal, coatings last longest on a building’s northern exposure and on
those parts of a building that are sheltered from rain.
Finishes can be applied to new wood siding in a factory or on site.
Because of its many advantages, factory-finishing of siding is fast
becoming the norm. Here, all sides of every piece of siding—face, back,
edges, and ends—are machine-coated with a primer and, if desired, with
one or more topcoats. Because the siding arrives at the jobsite already
backprimed and topcoated, field finishing costs are reduced or eliminated,
and the siding has instant protection from the elements. Site-cut edges
and ends, of course, must be re-primed before siding is installed.
Likewise, the back, edges, and ends of new bare wood siding that will be
finished in the field should be primed before siding is installed. The face
should be primed within two weeks of the siding being installed,
otherwise it will have to be lightly sanded to remove contaminants and to
reactivate the wood for good adhesion. Such surface preparation is, of
course, not possible with roughsawn siding. Best adhesion is achieved on
both smooth and rough siding when finishes are worked into surface
irregularities by brushing. Finishes applied on-site by spraying or rolling
should be back-brushed for this reason.
FILM-FORMING FINISHES
PRIMERS—Applied to bare wood in advance of paints and solid-color
stains, a primer creates a smooth base for the topcoat to adhere to, and
serves as a chemical barrier between the wood and the topcoat. Best
performance is obtained with a primer that contains a fungicide to stop
mildew and a stain-blocker that prevents water-soluble extractives in
wood from discoloring topcoats.

PAINTS—Paints are opaque coatings that, in addition to their decorative
function, protect wood by blocking the sun’s ultraviolet rays, repelling
liquid water, retarding the absorption of water vapor, and preventing
erosion. For each wet coat applied, a dry film 2 or 3 mils thick (1 mil
equals 0.001 inches) is left behind. Oil-base paints generally have lower
permeability to water vapor and are less flexible over time than water-
borne paints. As a consequence, oil-base paints are more susceptible to
cracking and peeling occasioned by swelling and shrinking of the
underlying wood. Performance and longevity of paints can be enhanced
by treating bare wood with a “paintable” water repellent prior to priming.
Paint’s best performance is obtained when two topcoats of 100 percent
acrylic latex paint with fungicide are applied over a primer containing
fungicide and stain-blocker. Depending on local climate and severity of
exposure, such a system should give 7 to 10 years of good
performance before refinishing is needed.
SOLID-COLOR STAINS—Solid-color stains are essentially thin paints, with
a one-coat dry film thickness of about 1 mil. The thinness of the film
permits both liquid water and water vapor to pass more easily into and out
of the wood. Though some solid-color stains can be applied directly to
bare wood, most benefit from being applied over a compatible primer
containing fungicide and stain-blocker. Application of a “paintable” water
repellent prior to priming further improves performance and longevity. As
with paints, best performance is achieved with a three-coat system of
primer containing fungicide and stain-blocker and two top coats of 100
percent acrylic latex solid-color stain with fungicide. Depending on the
environment, this system should give 3 to 7 years of satisfactory service
before maintenance is required.
CLEAR COATINGS—Essentially paints without pigment, varnishes,
urethanes, and other clear coatings require frequent maintenance. The
sun’s ultraviolet rays pass through these transparent finishes and slowly
degrade the wood. In usually two years or less, even the toughest clear
finishes often crack and peel. Additives that block or absorb ultraviolet light
slightly lengthen the service life of clear coatings. Best performance is
obtained by applying a “paintable” water repellent to the bare wood,
followed by three or more coats of finish.
PENETRATING FINISHES
WATER REPELLENTS—Used on exterior wood that is otherwise
unfinished, water repellents retard absorption of liquid water by wood,
causing dew, rain, and snow melt to bead on the surface where it can
harmlessly evaporate. Effective in limiting warping, surface checking, and
end splitting, these penetrating finishes do not prevent wood from turning
gray. Most water repellents are oil-based; some contain a fungicide to
discourage mildew. Applied liberally by brushing or spraying, water
repellents are readily absorbed into smooth and rough wood. Because
water repellents applied to otherwise unfinished wood remain effective for
only 1 or 2 years, they must be reapplied regularly. So-called “paintable”
water repellents are applied directly to bare wood before the primer to
enhance the performance and longevity of paints and solid-color stains by
reducing extractive staining, and blistering and peeling.
SEMITRANSPARENT STAINS—An excellent choice for roughsawn or 39
weathered wood, semitransparent stains impart color to wood without
hiding its natural texture. If used on new smooth wood, only a single coat
of semitransparent stain should be applied initially. Otherwise, a film may
form; surfaces may appear glossy and later begin to flake because of
smooth wood’s inability to absorb the second coat. Additional coats can
be applied once smooth surfaces have become more absorptive after
weathering for 1 or 2 years. Semitransparent stains provide to wood only
slightly more protection from the elements than water repellents.
Reapplication is usually necessary every 3 to 4 years.
 SIDING: INSTALLATION DETAILS

A rainscreen installation uses furring strips, or breather mesh, to maintain

an air space behind the siding. The air gap provides improved drainage,
better drying, reduces the chance of rot, increases the service life of the
coating system, and is generally much easier on the siding by allowing it
to “breathe.” The technique was first developed in the wet climates of
Northern Europe and Canada in an effort to help accomodate siding
problems caused by modern “air-tight” construction. The results have
been dramatic. Now, the “rainscreen” system is beginning to gain
acceptance in North America. We do not have the training to design entire
systems. The panels depicted here are presented to show how the
system works in principle, and are not intended as specific designs. The
Building Science Corporation (www.buildingscience.com) contains a
wealth of information regarding “rainscreen” design and is a great source
for more specific details.

40 Shingle Board Showing Edge Profile of Above Panel Construction Rainscreen with siding and 3/8” ply furring
“Home Slicker” strips
NOTES
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