Ward Clapboard Mill
Founded in 1868


Click on "what's the difference" to read the article "Beveled Wood Siding - Flatsawn vs. quartersawn" by, Scott Gibson published in issue # 160 December 2003/January 2004 of
Fine Homebuilding.

Reprinted with permission © 2003/2004
The Taunton Press, Inc.

Ward Clapboard Mill
Moretown, Vermont · 802-496-3581
Patten, Maine · 207-528-2933

Call or email for a free sample
and current prices.
wardclapboard@madriver.com

Lumber can be cut from a log in two ways:

• tangent, or roughly parallel to the annual growth rings of the tree, which produces flat grain boards
• at right angles to the annual growth rings, which produces quartersawn or vertical grain boards.

Quartersawing was commonly used in the 19th century to produce durable vertical grain clapboards. Ward Clapboard Mill manufactures only quartersawn vertical grain clapboards, the same way we have made them for over 100 years. Unlike flat grain clapboards manufactured by many mills today, Ward Clapboard Mill's Vertical Grain Clapboards:

• cup and twist less
• shrink and swell less
• are especially suited to certain application, particularly siding
• wear extremely well (some 100 year-old New England homes are still protected from the weather by their original vertical grain clapboards)
• have a square edge, producing a sharp shadow line and a superb drip edge
• accept paint and stain extremely well, producing an even-toned, exceptionally long-lasting finish
• may be left unfinished, resulting in an exceptionally beautiful weathered silver-gray appearance


At Ward Clapboard Mill we use both pine and spruce to manufacture our vertical-grain clapboards. We first prepare the logs for quartersawing by debarking and rounding them on a lathe. Logs are then placed in a carriage and passed over a saw. Depending on the diameter of the log, cuts are made from 4½" to 6½" deep the full length of the log. Each time the log returns for the next cut, it is rotated 5/8" until it has rotated a full 360°. This gives the clapboards its taper and true vertical grain. Our clapboards are manufactured in lengths no longer than 6'. This makes our clapboards easy to handle for one-man installation, and reduces cupping & twisting even more. Cutting clapboards in this way also allows us to make the most economical cut possible from the logs, producing a premium product at a cheaper price.

Ward Clapboards
Quartersawn Vertical-Grain Spruce & Pine
Square-Edged, ending in a taper
Planed smooth on one side
Air- & Kiln-Dried to approx. 12% moisture content

GRADES
Extra Clears
Unblemished Clapboards
2nd Clears
Minor Blemishes, Occasional Small Knots
Cottage
Major Blemishes with Knots
Multi-Purpose Rustic-Look Clapboards

WIDTHS
Clapboards are graded for 2" overlap
6½" - 6" - 5½" - 5" - 4½"

LENGTHS
70% of your order will be 5 to 6 foot boards with the balance in varying shorter lengths.

PRESTAINING
Available upon request with choice of colors & product

ESTIMATING
To determine how many surface square feet of clapboards you should order, multiply the square feet of the area to be covered by the overall width of the clapboard desired. Then divide by the width of the clapboard that will be left exposed (usually 2" less than the overall width).
For example: 1000 square feet of wall to be covered times 6 (the overall width of 6" clapboards) equals 6000.
6000 divided by 4 (the amount of clapboard left exposed with 6" width clapboard) equals 1500.
1500 surface measure feet of 6" clapboards will cover 1000 square feet of wall.