Installing Board and Batten Siding

Owning a home can feel like a full time job sometimes which is why many customers are looking for low maintenance options for the exteriors of their homes. Board and batten metal is great option for a durable, long lasting, limited maintenance siding.

Metal siding options are becoming more and more popular for a few reasons. One reason is because they are prefinished so do not require painting and should not require painting over their lifespan, that is a huge time saver! And from an environmental perspective, the longer a product lasts and the less inputs needed to keep it functioning, the less it "costs" from a carbon perspective. Additionally, once the serviceable life of the siding has passed (not likely in any generation who is reading this now) the metal is easily recycled. So, while there is a high embodied energy cost to source the ore, refine it, smelt it, and process it into a siding product, I believe the longevity of the product as well as its recyclability at the end of life make it a great option.

Other reasons people choose metal siding are because it is fire retardant, can hold up better to storm damage than other options, and you can relatively easily replace a damaged paned without needing to replace the whole wall if say some accidentally bumps the wall with a vehicle.

There are various types of metal panel options for roofing and siding. Board and batten mimic the older style wood siding of the same nomenclature which does give it a more architectural appeal than standard ribbed sheet metal. Additionally the metal is attached to the wall system behind the battens so the fasteners are not exposed to sun or weather, this one aspect increases the longevity of the product enormously.

There are a couple downsides to metal siding and roofing options. They do tend to be more expense than many other options on the front end. Choosing metal siding is an piton with will cost a little more upfront but over the course of the life of the siding or roofing will save cost less than many other options. Another downside is that working with metal, while not overly complicated, it does require some more advanced skills, and safety measures to avoid injury, so it does not lend it self well to the DIY community.