Finger jointed Cedar Clapboards

[Red Horse]

Anyone have any experience with these new jointed clapboards? they come in 16' lengths and are much cheaper than conventional cedar clapboards (51 cents a ft for 6")

 

[Cliff_Johns]

It seems to me that the biggest problem with finger jointed boards is that the different boards used to make up the longer board expand and contract at different rates due to different density and orientation to the grain. As a result, the fingers show up after a while (one board becoming thicker that the other) and when they do, the joint telegraphs through the paint and allows water to enter. It also looks odd.

Now, if I were using such boards anyway, I would reduce this problem as much as possible by priming and painting both sides of the board before installation, then painting over the nails. This would reduce the affects of changes in humidity and would mitigate some of the problem. It would also make for an long lasting paint job.

Cliff

 

[Red Horse]

It seems to me that the biggest problem with finger jointed boards is that the different boards used to make up the longer board expand and contract at different rates due to different density and orientation to the grain. As a result, the fingers show up after a while (one board becoming thicker that the other) and when they do, the joint telegraphs through the paint and allows water to enter. It also looks odd.

Now, if I were using such boards anyway, I would reduce this problem as much as possible by priming and painting both sides of the board before installation, then painting over the nails. This would reduce the affects of changes in humidity and would mitigate some of the problem. It would also make for an long lasting paint job.

Cliff

Thx Cliff. Always leary of new.."best thing since canned beer" items. I have a sample and the stuff looks good-and 51 cents a foot. But I spent a fortune on new Andersen Woodwright 400 windows a few years ago then went the cheap route and used finger jointed 5/4 pine for exterior trim. Stuff looks like **** today-you can see all the joints.

 

[eray1066]

Anyone have any experience with these new jointed clapboards? they come in 16' lengths and are much cheaper than conventional cedar clapboards (51 cents a ft for 6")

My experience is that in ten years the paint will not have protected the glue joint and the joints show and can come loose if the nails are removed. I have had to replace finger jointed western red cedar trim. Paint and stain is not what it used to be. Not really whining...... just saying.

 

[Red Horse]

My experience is that in ten years the paint will not have protected the glue joint and the joints show and can come loose if the nails are removed. I have had to replace finger jointed western red cedar trim. Paint and stain is not what it used to be. Not really whining...... just saying.

Good points-I've never used finger jointed red cedar trim, but its the same issue-I imagine a 6" clapboard would stand less of a chance for success vs a 1" piece of trim.