Hemlock Clapboards

[SherwoodM]

I have a new building (combination garage work shop) which is ready for siding this summer and will be making 6" clapboards using an attachment to my Woodmizer saw mill.  Available species are white pine, red spruce, white cedar and hemlock.  Hemlock and pine are best as far as being relatively clear. Has anyone ever heard of using hemlock for clapboards.  This is extremely high quality hemlock with no ring shake or rot and no tension wood problems. Thanks for your help.

[glenn kangiser]

Welcome to the forum- Nice to see someone else with a sawmill using real wood.  What area are you in?

I've been around logging areas with Hemlock for years.  Trouble is people don't use real wood much so hadn't seen it used as siding although nearly any wood raised off the ground properly and allowed to dry between weather seems to work fairly well.  I'd suggest a rain screen wall application- just space it out a bit from the felt or other housewrap if you dare.

Googling it it seems it was the wood of choice in someHistoric New England areas and historic styled houses are currently being built using Hemlock Clapboard siding.

Hemlock clapboard siding with some areas to receive flush vertical rough boarding. (Cedar shingles can be applied for an additional cost.) All siding to be of historic solid stain colors chosen by customer.

As seen at Mitch Construction

[SherwoodM]

Hello Glen,
Thanks for your incouraging advice. I am in Vt.  I happend on this site while searching for "hemlock siding".   My new building is two stories, 30 x 38, and is framed with  native hemlock.  Hemlock has a bad rap for twisting and cracking but material we sawed was from sound, straight, huge logs.  We air dried it for about 2 months before using it.  I see no signs of any twisting and it was top notch material to build with.  I assume the clapboards would need to be quite dry before putting them on or they would cup.  Again, I appreciate your advice.  It was especially interesting to learn that hemlock was use for siding in early days.

[glenn-k]

That would probably be best dried and bundled with dry stickers between.

For my shop I used poor quality pine but it looks OK for a shop. It was down for too long but free.  I wasn't too picky - just wanted to cover the wall.

[peg_688]

 Should be fine , can you quarter saw it as in quartersawn clap boards, with a wood miser :-/ ?

  Siding: Quartersawn clapboards

That would greatly reduce warping . Good luck , PEG

[SherwoodM]

Thanks much. Yes I will quarter saw them.