Pine for Siding

[High_Water]

Besides being high maintenance, what other problems are associated with green syp for siding on a small building if you plan to stain/seal every few years (in TX)?

[Southside]

Let it dry, seal it with a solid color stain, then paint with a latex over that on all surfaces and your maintenance issues will be non existent. 

[Magicman]

1.  Do not allow any roof runoff spatter.

2.  Bevel the bottom edge ~30° leaving the sharp edge toward the outside of the building.  This presents a sharp
     drip edge and prevents water from wicking back and wetting the bottom of the boards.

[High_Water]

Let it dry, seal it with a solid color stain, then paint with a latex over that on all surfaces and your maintenance issues will be non existent.

I think the owner only wants a stain and already plans to reseal every so often. How dry is dry enough, fully air dry around 15% mc or 20 or 30 or what?

[bannerd]

You could burn the bottoms and use a wire brush to shove tong oil or linseed deep in the wood after a good burn.  That will prevent the grey/rot from happening.  We use seal once as it's guaranteed and comes in a few tints.

As far as high maintenance I would say.. bad design.  I've seen some pine wood siding last 40+ years because the roof/eve overhang was more than a typical house.  It kept the weather off the wood and the wood is just beautiful.

I believe a good design is key, which leads you to fight other issues such as bugs that want to eat wood.  Unless your like my neighbor and apply shellac and diatomaceous earth to your boards, maybe it works?   
:P

[Southside]

Somewhere between 11 and 15 pct depending on where you are. If nothing else seal / stain all sides so moisture doesn't get trapped in from behind and blister off the exposed face. 

[Tom King]

If there are any butt joints, paint, or stain the ends before they go together, but that's really for Any siding-not just Pine.