Clapboards are profiled timber boards for facade cladding, with an angled profile so that they overlap and form a weatherproof facade. The difference from featheredge boarding: clapboards have a profile (thinner top edge, thicker bottom edge) so the overlap is narrower and cleaner.
Profile
A clapboard is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom:
The next board overlaps the thin top edge of the previous one
The result: a clean, slightly angled facade that sheds water well
The overlap is approximately 10-15 mm
Types of clapboards
Type
Profile
Appearance
Angled clapboard
Angled cross-section
Classic, most common
Swedish rebate
With a groove at the top
Scandinavian style
Channel siding
Board with a wide groove
American/modern
Timber species
Timber species
Outdoor lifespan
Colour
Douglas fir
15-20 years
Reddish-brown to silver-grey
Larch
15-20 years
Yellow-brown to silver-grey
Thermowood
20+ years
Dark brown to silver-grey
Western Red Cedar
25+ years
Reddish-brown to silver-grey
Pressure-treated spruce
10-15 years
Greenish to grey
Installation
Battening — Vertical battens (50×50 mm) on the wall, 60 cm centres
Ventilation cavity — The battening automatically creates an air gap
First board — At the bottom, minimum 3 cm above the ground
Build up overlapping — Each board overlaps the previous one by 10-15 mm
Fix — Stainless steel screws through the thick part of the board
The installation sequence for a ventilated clapboard facade.
