board siding planed or rough

[frwinks]

Now that Canada is slowly thawing out, the temporary house wrap has to come off and I need to install some siding. 8)


Either board and batten or vertical channel siding, haven't decided yet  but I do have a line on 1x12 kiln dried pine, planed one side, which would work for both options... one thing though is I'm not sure how I feel about the planed part?  Always thought the rough finish is superior for outdoor applications.  Would the planed face go to the "inside"(I do have a 1" rainscreen between it and the insulation), or outside?  The guy with the lumber claims the planed face out will cut the stain requirement by up to 50%   @ $40/gallon for the Sikkens, this could add up quick. 
What do you recommend, planed in or out ???

[ely]

i would say it is personal preference, thats my opinion.

one word of caution and i will leave you to it. on my oak siding , which is 7/8 oak planks, i used a mixture of linseed oil, thompsons water seal, paint thinner. 5gal/5gal/2gal.

i had a friend use the same mixture plus he added the sikkens brand into it also.

apparently the sikkens does not mix friendly with one of the other components. he was sick with flu like symptoms after applying his concoction. another friend said it was smoking when he poured it into the spayer.

mine worked great with no ill effects at all. i brushed mine on with 4" brush.

[Jim_Rogers]

When we did this shed:



We did it rough side out, as it was only a shed.

It made the inside look like this:



And to my knowledge he never stained it with anything:



As you will see only one side of your house siding, you should/could do it smooth side out and save on the stain.

Maybe you should get a small sample and see what it takes to stain it and see how it looks. And try and figure out how much it will absorb.

Good luck with your research.
Jim Rogers

[frwinks]

thanks gents.  As long as it's only personal preference, I'll prolly go with smooth out. 
I used this same material from the same guy on some of our ceiling, and it did take very little stain.


But with this being outside, I'm wondering if 50% less stain will translate to 50% shorter life span between maintenance coats down the rd :D 
One of those "save now, pay later" deals I'm famous for I'm digging a hole

[Rooster]

I always put the rough side out, because the smooth planed side looks too comercial/industrial when it is stained or painted. In fact, you can see the flash of Jim's camera in the picture of the shed's interior wall. On the other hand, the roughness gives it depth and it don't reflect the sunlight giving it a softer feel. 

Saving money is good, but looking at an obviously flat surface could very well take away from the beauty of the house.   ;)$.02

Rooster

[red oaks lumber]

smooth side will show pitch leaking more than r.sawn, also the r.sawn hairs offer another line of weather protection barrier if you will.which ever side you chose stain all sides before install, it takes more stain and time but, you don't want to cut corners.

[tyb525]

Putting planed side down will help give a more even surface, i.e. the boards will look closer in thickness.

[Qweaver]

All of our poplar beams, posts and siding are rough sawn and coated with Flood CWF.  The rough surface really "locks" the finish to the wood and it seems to be lasting really well. The adhesion to smooth surfaces is not nearly as good... but it is a rough look.  We like that look on our cabin.

[ReidH]

Raff,

I am using 1x6 TnG pine horizontal siding on my addition the same as what I previously applied to the facade of the existing house.  The siding has one side rough sawn and one side planed.  I used an opaque stain on my siding and produced a few test pieces to show to the wife.  The planed side showing was  chosen over the rough sawn.  I live in town, so the less rustic look was probably a good idea.

I stained both sides and all edges of the siding boards before installation.  The rough sides takes stain more easily.  The planed sides required sanding to remove the mill glaze.

Reid

[frwinks]

hi Reid, welcome aboard.  How are things? Is the frame getting enclosed yet?
Barry signed off on our frame a couple of weeks ago, I just finished cutting all the glass frames and the glass should be getting installed late May.  Tammy set a completion deadline for Thanksgiving can you believe that? I officially have a deadline now   :D

[ReidH]

Hi Raff, Thanks,

1x10 sheathing will start going up this weekend.  After that is up, it is the PERSIST wall and roof system.  Last week or so has been spent applying Landark finish to the timbers.  Couldn't do that when the temp was -20.  I'm scheduled to be "complete" by the end of the year. Don't know which year...

[frwinks]

 :D I hear that.. 3 of those "end of the year" have gone by me already..here's to hoping this will be THE one

[bigshow]

I am 1/2 way through siding my place with reverse board and batton.  Rough all around.  I stained both sides - and lord a mercy did it take alot of stain :(

pics at my blog, which is in my signature.

[frwinks]

looking good bigshow.  Glad to see things are moving along....looks like you'll be in by Thanksgiving too :D

The reverse BB looks great, really cleans up the look.  I'm trying to sell the Missus on the vertical channel...the look of reverse BB without the batten ;D  decisions...decisions.
You were absolutely right bud... the honeymoon is over once the frame goes up :D

[ljmathias]

Good to hear of your progress.  Last house I did was with live edge non-planed on both sides (didn't want to spend all that time in front of a little old planer that I have).  I'd heard that applying finish on both sides is the best preventative medicine- makes sense on several levels.  Water vapor in and out is the same both sides so this may help with warping.  Any water that leaks to the inside just finds a nicely finished surface to shed down- and water always gets to the inside somewhere, sometime.  And bugs don't like it- I know on the house I built, there were some gaps (I know, poor workmanship... >:() but at least I got it all up and in the dry before winter of that year.  The gaps can let carpenter bees inside to drill all their nice holes and tunnels, and the only thing that seems to keep them out is a good coat of sealer, paint even better but who wants to paint beautiful wood siding?

Anyway, keep at it and keep us posted.

Lj

[Raphael]

Our siding is rough as well.  I saturated it to rejection in a trough.
Bone dry EWP can sure soak up the stain, I think I've single handedly kept Cabot in business.  :D

[frwinks]

the verdict is in... the Missuss is diggin' the channel look 
now I get to play...I mean work real hard, with my new router and table I bought a few weeks ago 8)

Rough out with Sikkens SRD 078 (pc on the far left)