Wood For Exterior Trim

This guide will help you compare the various materials available so that you can decide which one will work best for your next job.

Wood for exterior trim.

It absorbs moisture much much faster than heartwood and it moves 2x more when the moisture content changes because it s not vertical grain. Even pine though a relatively inexpensive and not particularly attractive wood will hold up well outside if sealed with a proper varnish. Many homeowners prefer wood trim because of its natural look and feel but quality wood products are becoming scarcer and therefore more expensive. So when it comes time to choose exterior trim many builders are considering new engineered alternatives to solid wood.

The wood is mostly sapwood not heart wood. With harsh weather conditions being a mile high sun is intense. The wood is also mostly facegrain or mixed grain not vertical grain. I used it on a barn door restoration.

It rivals redwood in weather and insect deterrents. They represent the broadest and largest category of mouldings that we carry encompassing corner mouldings rope mouldings quarter rounds half rounds full rounds dowel cove mouldings bar rails counter top edging drawer pulls and accent mouldings. Softwoods are usually favored for exterior wood trim with cyprus and redwood being popular choices. That is the real problem we have to solve and we solve it by using new woodworking techniques like priming end cuts which you now have to do with almost all exterior trim products.

Exterior house trim materials. The most common woods for use on trim are cedar and redwood because they naturally resist moisture and insect activity making them longer lasting than other woods. Solid wood as well as composite options are available. The rest of my exterior trim is cedar solid color exterior stained.

It will never rot and remains stable the lifetime of the home. It does weather in extreme sun and need care every 3 5 years. Painting 1000 s of homes around denver co. More and more customers are insisting on low maintenance exteriors while builders are facing rising prices for quality lumber.

Cedar is another one of the exterior trim woods that is underused. Pt yellow pine holds iup very well if painted regularly. Using satin exterior paint finish is almost a given with every home painted today. Questioning the paint sheen rarely comes up as satin if the exterior standard finish.

I have also worked with cypress and it s my new choice for exterior wood. By making sure it drains quickly. It weathers well and is great to work with. Solid wood trim is one of the oldest materials around.

Trim mouldings provide a great way to finish off a project create added detail and to help cover up gaps. The most classic choice for exterior house trim is wood. Wood composite plastic and fiber cement trim products promise to hold paint better than solid wood. A good exterior primer is required use kilz.