live edge siding

[fuzzybear]

  I have seen many pictures of this type of siding and have decided to try it on our new stick framed house.
   The problem is I'm not sure how to mill it. Do I just make slabs from the log or should I cut it like ship lap/shingles at an angle? If so what angle should I cut them at?
   These are going to be cut from Black Spruce logs 16' long x 18"-22" small end. I have access to many logs that have burls and some kind of feature that would make them stand out.
   This is just the pondering stage of the build. Just got the walls up yesterday between rain.
   Thanks in advance.
FB

[isawlogs]

I put live edge siding on my shop in Chelsea Qc. I put it up vertical much like board on board , having the live edge on the outside. If this is how you would like it , just saw a log about half way turn it 180° and saw the rest of it.  I used my log wizzard and a draw knife to get the bark off.





  All of the above part of the shop is live edge board on board , wish I had a close up pick  :

[barbender]

Black Spruce logs 16' long and 18-22" tops I think the biggest Black Spruce  I've ever seen around here were about 10" DBH.

[Jim H]

I've made a fair amount of live edge lap siding (horizontal)  for customers. I just cut boards with one bark edge, I'm not sure how you would effeciently cut bevel siding with a live edge. I like the look of 3/4" boards, but I've cut up to an inch in thickness and the customer was happy with the result.

[paul case]

mine is actually interior paneling. erc



i just cut the ''boards'' the same way as isawlogs described, except for interior paneling they only needed to be 3/8'' thick. i can see some advantages to having 1 straight edge on each piece though. pc

[fuzzybear]

  Paul,  That is exactly what I want the look to be. That is an amazing job on both houses. smiley_clapping
   I thought to do it about the same way Isawlogs had described, but I thought I had better ask the ones who have done it before me. It helps eliminate most learning curves that way.
I had not really given thought to the interior walls as of yet, but, after seeing Paul's walls, I'm thinking Birch. I have access to pink flame paper birch, I think it would look fantastic.
   I promise pictures will be coming this fall. Our computer is a  . So I can't upload any pictures. New computer has to wait until the house is finished for winter.
FB

[ljmathias]

Sawing for live edge siding is very different from sawing lumber, at least in my experience.  Once you've done a few logs, you realize that you can re-cut some of the flitches to make them more or less the same width.  One word of caution: I agree that I don't think you can cut wedges shaped siding easily with live edge as you normally flip back and forth to get the tapers cut efficiently- if you have a cant with one side with bark on or off, you only get one board out of two with the live edge at the right end of the wedge, if that makes sense.  Besides, if you line up your boards carefully as you put them up, flat boards lap-sided look great (at least to me).  I do both board and batten and lap siding, sometimes on the same house- lab below and vertical on the upper gable end for a neat transition which really defines the look (see below).  Another wisdom that someone else posted on: put your stain/seal on both sides before you put up each piece.  For me, that means cutting the board for the length needed, staining/sealing and hanging it wet and dripping.  It dries beautifully and I've not seen any bowing or cupping because both sides dry the same.  Oh, and that requires an air path behind the siding- I read somewhere that 30 lb felt cut into strips and tacked up over the studs was enough and this serves two purposes: drying and drainage (if needed) behind, plus you know where to put your screws.  Oh again, I always use screws on siding since the fastener is hidden by the next board and if it's a nail and works loose a little, you can't get at it to nail it down tight again...  :(

Just my opinion and experience.

Lj

[nlrwrangler]

ljmathias  I greatly appreciate your information.  I am in the process of sawing my first logs and I am sawing for live edge siding on my children tree house.  My plan is live edge cedar laped horizontally.  Great information and I will post pictures when finished. 

THANKS a million