What Kind of Wood Can I Attach to a Stucco House?

All wood will weather with time, but some weather more slowly and more attractively than others.

A home's exterior style depends on many things -- roof color, house size, window treatments, landscaping and siding. When you are looking for siding material, it is important that the material you choose is compatible with the design and style of your house. You can attach all kind of wood and other siding material onto a stucco house, but if the wood choice is up to you, use white pine, red cedar or redwood. These woods contain natural preservatives and have higher durability than other wood siding. In addition, they are also natural, friendly to the environment and easier to maintain than stucco.

Stucco Siding

Stucco siding became popular at the beginning of the 20th century. Stucco is a cement mixture used as an exterior sheathing on houses and other buildings. It consists of water, sand and cement, and it becomes strong and hard when it dries. Stucco looks attractive in bright colors like orange, yellow and white, but you can paint it in any color according to your wishes.

White Pine Siding

White pine siding is also called wood clapboard siding. This is a kind of siding characteristic for older houses, particularly pre- and post-World War II homes built over crawl spaces. Many historic homes have wood clapboard siding. The most common wood used for clapboard siding is eastern white pine. The pine planks are beveled on one edge and overlapped in horizontal rows. White pine sidings look good, but they have one disadvantage -- they are expensive to maintain because painting and caulking are constantly required.

Red Cedar Siding

Western red cedar is often called "the tree of life" because of its durability and quality. Red cedar is lightweight and has dimensional stability, which is important for maintaining consistent coverage. Its color is attractive to most people and has a range from dark reddish brown to a pinkish color. Red cedar has low shrinkage and is insect resistant. If you decide to attach Red cedar siding to your house, use nails that won't corrode, because cedar does not react with nails that can corrode. For example, copper nails are not recommended for cedar. Discoloration is one of the problems with this wood, and corroded nails often cause it.

Redwood Siding

Redwood siding gives good performances for good maintenance. Its color is reddish brown, it is light and easy to install, and it can last for decades. However, if you leave redwood siding unpainted, it can deteriorate in time under sun and water. The good thing is, redwood siding is naturally insect resistant and it can be cut in longer lengths, so you can work with long pieces of wood, creating fewer joints on your home.

References

• Western Red Cedar Lumber Association: Cedar Wood Siding, House Siding and Home Siding Information
• Bear Creek Lumber: Redwood