Wood began to regain its position as a finishing material used for exterior cladding of facades. One of the most popular options for this design was the decoration of the facade of a wooden house with an overlap board. This method of sheathing is also called “American”.
Where did such a name come from, what is good about such a lining and how such work is done, we will consider further.
This method of facing the outer walls of buildings appeared in America, where medieval sailors arrived to develop new lands. For the construction of houses, ship boards were used, which had a selection at opposite corners, and such details were laid on the walls overlapping each other – “herringbone”. The result is a beautiful and functional surface at the same time. The edge of the upper plank protruded above the bottom and did not allow water to penetrate into the structure. In addition, an additional layer of insulation and protection from the wind was created. Due to the fact that for the first time the cladding of the facade with an overlap board appeared on the American continent, the name “American” was assigned to this cladding option.
What types of boards can be used
Almost all types of boards are suitable for cladding in this way. Different degrees of processing of the material allows you to get one or another decorative effect:
- The slab does not look very presentable, however, it can be successfully used to decorate auxiliary buildings. Fitted with the oval side facing out.
- An unedged board makes it possible to fix it both with the flat side outward and with an uneven cut from the visible side. The option is very budgetary and quite beautiful even when the raw edge of the plank is visible.
- The trimmed variety is used more often than others. It will allow you to get an even “herringbone”, as in classic American buildings.
- The last type of slats is made specifically to obtain the surface of the desired type. This is a lining of a special profile that completely imitates the overlap of the board. In this case, the design will be monolithic.
When finishing the facade of the house with an overlap board, in addition to the type of planks used, the type of wood from which they are made also matters. Some breeds will work better, while others are not recommended at all:
- Larch. An ideal choice for this kind of cladding. The wood will resist moisture well, is easy to process and warps less than other types of wood.
- Spruce contains much more resin and will not last as long. In addition, many knots that give a certain beauty will subsequently become a source of problems – cracks form around them.
- Pine and hardwoods are much less suitable and are not recommended for use. Pine will warp very strongly from moisture, and hardwoods simply split when nailed, and are also very difficult to process.
Having dealt with what exactly the boarding of your house in the American style will be done with, you can proceed to the actual design procedure.
