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Cedar Siding: Grades, Patterns, & Photos

Cedar Siding - Delivered Mill Direct To you!

Buy Exterior Cedar House Siding

This is a very large and comprehensive page because there is a LOT YOU NEED TO KNOW if you want to make exterior Cedar Siding work long term. We have prioritized by explaining things that affect your budget the most and warning you about common misconceptions that cause pain, suffering and a LOT OF MONEY!  

If you tour the entire page, study the siding patterns and read the "Need to Know" guides you will know more than 99% of the people you talk to on this subject.

Types of Cedar Siding for Sale

Cedar Varieties: Western Red Cedar, Inland Red Cedar, California Incense Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Sugi Cedar (Finger jointed only).

Cedar Siding Grades: Clear, Clear Finger Joint, Near Clear, Mill Select STK, Customer Select.

Cedar Siding Patterns: Cedar shiplap, cedar lap siding, cedar dutch lap siding, tongue and groove cedar siding, bevel cedar siding, clapboard cedar siding, channel rustic lap siding, wavy edge siding.

Cedar Siding Finish: Primed, painted, stained, or unfinished.

Cedar Siding Texture: Smooth face, Rough face.

Quick FAQ:

Q. What is the most popular wood siding pattern?

A. Tongue and groove has been the most versatile and widely used siding pattern for many years. In the last decade, shiplap surged in popularity after Joanna Gaines showcased it on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper.” Today, both patterns are common, with shiplap leading for interior use and T&G remaining a top choice overall.

Q. What’s the difference between shiplap and tongue and groove?

A. Tongue and groove boards lock together with a tongue on one edge and a groove on the other, allowing for hidden nailing. Shiplap uses an overlapping top and bottom lap, which requires face‑nailing during installation. The main difference for installers is that T&G hides fasteners, while shiplap does not.

Q. Which siding pattern is best for exterior walls?

A. The best exterior siding pattern comes down to the look you prefer, since all of our patterns are designed to withstand the elements. Bevel (clapboard) siding is one of the most common choices because it’s cost‑effective and straightforward to install. Ultimately, it’s a balance of appearance, budget, and maintenance preference.

Q. How do I choose the right wood siding pattern?

A. Choosing the right pattern starts with seeing how it looks on a wall and understanding your maintenance tolerance. Rough‑sawn faces can significantly reduce long‑term maintenance compared to smooth surfaces. Buffalo Lumber can help you compare patterns and finishes so you choose the best fit for your project.

Q. Does the siding pattern affect installation cost?

A. Yes — installation cost varies by pattern. Blind‑nailed tongue and groove takes more labor than face‑nailed shiplap or bevel siding, and installer experience plays a major role. Skilled installers often charge more upfront, but they prevent mistakes that can cost far more to fix later.


How to Order Cedar Siding with Buffalo Lumber

Get in touch with us via email at sales@buffalolumber.com, or call us at 877-960-9663, or fill out our contact form here.

Get A Quote

All Buffalo Lumber orders are delivered MILL DIRECT to your JOB SITE. Our orders are custom milled and factory finished. All communication is handled personally - by phone and email. 

Our normal lead time from order to door is 2 - 8 weeks. 

Once your order is placed, we stay in email and phone contact with you throughout the course of your order. Your salesman will be available to answer any questions you may have along the way. Delays, though unlikely, do happen and you'll be the first to know if that's the case. Buffalo Lumber takes pride in our products and customer service and we are committed to making sure your wood and experience with Buffalo Lumber is the best in the industry...from forest to front door.

We can help you plan your project. We will get your order in the queue so it is ready when you are. 

Shedding Some Light on Decisions that Affect your Budget

Clear Cedar Siding 1x4 Tongue and Groove Pre-Stained
Clear Cedar Siding 1x4 Tongue and Groove Pre-Stained


Cedar Siding Grades

CLEAR CEDAR SIDING vs. KNOTTY: The most significant question is "Do you like knots?". Knotty wood costs half as much as Clear. If you don't want knots, you will pay TWICE AS MUCH. How do you like knots now? :-) 


1x6 BEVEL SELECT KNOTTY CEDAR SIDING STK ROUGH FACE STAIN TWP CEDARTONE
1x6 BEVEL CEDAR SIDING KNOTTY STK ROUGH FACE PRE-STAINED


Cedar Siding Size & Pattern

We can mill almost any size 1X6, 1X8, 1X10 and pattern you want - SHIPLAP, NICKEL GAP, DUTCH LAP, TONGUE & GROOVE, CHANNEL RUSTIC, BEVEL, CLAPBOARD, LOG AND WAVY EDGE. You should know that any size over 1x8" is prone to cupping while smaller sizes require more labor to install. Certain patterns like Bevel can be less expensive than T&G or Ship-Lap because the specific mill cut makes better use of the original board.


Cedar Siding Finish - Prime, Paint, Stain

WARNING: You HAVE to coat ALL sides and edges prior to installation to ensure against ROT. Having your cedar siding Pre-Finished at the mill will be approximately 50% less expensive than on-site finishing.. Opacity determines the longevity of your finish. Figure 1-2 years with Transparent finish, 2-5 with Semi-transparent, 4-7 with Semi-solid, 7-10 with solid and up to 25 years with primer and paint. 

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1x6 Clear Bevel Cedar Siding Stained ROUGH Face TWP Natural 1530 - FLORIDA
1x6 Clear Bevel Cedar Siding Stained ROUGH Face
TEXTURE

Wood Siding Milled Texture directly impacts your long term costs because rough face holds more stain than smooth. Rough face on average will last at least two years longer before requiring maintenance than smooth texture.

GIVE ROUGH FACE A CHANCE!

Cedar siding has traditionally been graded and milled to the ROUGH face. In the last years SMOOTH face texture has become popular but at a cost to your siding performance and endurance. 

These are both beautiful CLEAR WESTERN RED CEDAR SIDING homes. One will need to be re-finished every 2-3 years and the other every 4-7 years. At a cost between $3 and $15 per square foot for re-finishing (depending on who does the labor) those costs stack up. One is SMOOTH texture finish, one is ROUGH. Can you really see a difference? 

Smooth face will need maintenance every 2-3 years

1X4 T&G CLEAR CEDAR SIDING STAINED SMOOTH FACE
1X4 T&G; CLEAR CEDAR SIDING STAINED SMOOTH FACE

Rough Face will need maintenance every 5-7 years

1X6 T&G CLEAR CEDAR SIDING STAINED ROUGH FACE Cabot's Semi Solid Oak Brown
1X6 T&G; CLEAR CEDAR SIDING STAINED ROUGH FACE

Over 20 years, if you do the labor, it saves $4800 and if you hire it saves you $24,000 to use rough face if you get just 1 year more. We actually think it will do better but we use 1 year to quantify it. 

AND the colors naturally "POP" on the rough face. Smooth face soaks in less stain during finish process. Often our customers have chosen a darker stain to achieve the same depth of color. 

If you want to INVIGORATE your color every time you maintain, and maintain less often -  ROUGH FACE is the only way to go!

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GRADES

Cedar Siding Grades

(The Buffalo Lumber Interpretation)

We created Buffalo Lumber's four interpreted grade categories to describe wood grades for different softwood species - especially cedar - in terms a layman can understand because there are several lumber ruling bodies (WWPA, WCLIB, NLGA, NSLB, RIS, NeLMA, SPIB) and most grade descriptions read like lawyer fine print - allowing a lot of room for interpretation.

CLEAR CEDAR

Highest Grade Fewest Knots: This is the top of the line, architect grade wood.  It's the rarest part of the tree- the hardest to get- the best performing and the most expensive option. Your appearance and performance priorities determine your budget with clear grades. Clear and Clear Vertical Grain (CVG) are the highest appearance grades we have.

But even CLEAR grades rules allow some knots. They may be tiny, they may be few, but they are allowed according to grade rules. 

BUFFLO CLEAR GRADE GUIDE

Buffalo Lumber Clear Cedar Grade Example
Clear Cedar Grade


NEAR CLEAR CEDAR

NEAR Clear has very few, very tiny knots and a median price point for the "Knot so fond". Your appearance priorities will determine your budget with clear grades.

There is a lot of Clear in the Near Clear grades- a good trimmer can create the effect of clear and still be under 10% trim and waste (in our opinion). 

Near Clear Cedar is the one step down from CLEAR cedar - a D&BTR; mill siding grade that customers can use to save serious bucks.

BUFFALO NEAR CLEAR GUIDE 

Buffalo Lumber Near Clear Cedar Grade Example
NEAR CLEAR CEDAR GRADE

MILL SELECT CEDAR

Our STK Tight Knot Grade - "Mill Select" means the mill has selected the wood to meet the "Tight Knot" grade rule in the books.

There is no limit to the number of knots but there is a limit to the size and the type of knot. Other grade names that equate to our definition of "Mill Select" are STK (Select Tight Knot), Select Knotty, and #2 and better.

Mill Select is graded to meet the “Tight Knot” description in any given rule book and is the first official “Appearance Grade” tier for projects where codes have to be met. 

BUFFALO MILL SELECT GUIDE

Buffalo Lumber Mill Select Knotty Grade example
MILL SELECT CEDAR GRADE

CUSTOMER SELECT

Our Buffalo Budget Knotty Grade is a "No Prior Selection" tight knot grade. That means that the mill has not officially graded to be "Select Tight Knot" by the rule book as is done with "Mill Select" grades.

Buffalo "Customer Select" means you the customer spend the time selecting out defect from a higher grade saving the mill time and you dollars. 

You will get a few loose knots but nothing that would threaten a 10-15% job site trim and waste margin.  

BUFFALO CUSTOMER SELECT GUIDE

Buffalo Lumber Customer Select Cedar grade example
CUSTOMER SELECT CEDAR GRADE
FINISH

CEDAR SIDING FINISH

Your stain decision is a long term value decision because you are not only deciding your color, you are deciding on a maintenance application for the lifetime of your cedar siding.

SEAL YOUR CEDAR SIDING FRONT AND BACK, EDGES AND ENDS

The biggest and most frequent mistake we see people make is thinking they can just tack cedar siding up and stain the face to save money. This is the Worst Thing you can Possibly do with Wood Siding!

The problem is water. Water gets behind the wood and causes problems. By the time you realize there is a problem the cost to repair it is in the thousands or tens of thousands. 

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Factory Primed Clear Finger Joint Cedar Drying on Racks
FACTORY PRIMED CLEAR FINGER JOINT CEDAR DRYING ON RACKS

Semi-Transparent Through Semi-Solid Stains

Wallet Watch

Water based stains cost more to maintain in most cases. The reason is they form a film which needs to be removed completely when it comes time to re-finish. This involves strippers and chemicals and considerable costs. 

Oil based stains penetrate well enough that when it comes time to cleanup and maintain you just wash them with oxygen bleach to clean and do it again with Oxalic Acid to prep for finish and you are rolling.

In most cases we recommend using oil based stains for this reason. As the laws continue to change it becomes very important to familiarize yourself with finish terminology and read the formulas on each brand's finish to make sure you know what you are getting. 

Factory Finish Machine Rendering
FACTORY FINISH MACHINE RENDERING

YOU HAVE TO BACK SEAL! IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE JOB RIGHT YOU CANNOT FINISH BETTER THAN MACHINES CAN!!

WOOD SIDING SQFT->LFT COVERAGE GUIDE
WOOD SIDING COVERAGE GUIDE
WOOD SIDING COVERAGE GUIDE

Cedar Siding is often sold by the linear (or lineal) foot in 6", 8" and sometimes 10" and 12" widths. These widths are called NOMINAL "in name only" measurements.  The ACTUAL or "dressed" width will be less. Be sure to confirm the DRESSED pattern measurements with the mill or lumber yard BEFORE you buy. Running a hundred SQFT short can cost $$$$ if custom milling and shipping are involved.

Calculate your Cedar Wood Siding SQFT to LFT Coverage

LUMBER

Cedar Beams & Large Timber Accents

Cedar "Trimber-Frame"

6x6 Western Red Cedar Post
6X6 WESTERN RED CEDAR POST

I was at a Timber Frame show and the guy presenting spoke that term in disgust while describing people who use big cedar timbers as accent points instead of a real Mortise and Tenon Timber Framed structure.

I thought “What a great idea!”

3x12 Cedar Beam and Timber

3X12 CEDAR BEAM AND TIMBER
There is something about big Timbers that is just "Sexy". Timber Frames are very expensive to build but Timber Trim and Accents are affordable. Check out the possibilities:  Cedar Lumber - Beams and Timbers in all sizes - prices and pictures
Western Red Cedar Beams and Timber Accents
INSTALLATION

CEDAR SIDING INSTALLATION PRIORITIES

99% of all reported siding problems are preparation and installation related- that means 99% of how your wood performs depends on YOU!

Installer Selection

Installation Gone Wrong
Installation Gone Wrong

It's not rocket science but it has to be done right. Our Do It Yourself Customers do a better job than professionals sometimes because they take the time to read the instructions and do the job exactly right. You have to take your time with wood. You can't be in a hurry. 

Yes we will take experience with wood but above all else give me someone who CARES about the end result.

Drainage plan

Be a drop of water and take the trip from roof to ground.

Not paying enough attention to where water goes and how it flows is the most frequently made mistake we see. Concentrated water carved the Grand Canyon. It will damn sure take some stain off your wall.

Air Space

Water will get behind the wood, whether it migrates out from the inside through condensation or finds its way in from outside it will get there. The important thing once again is to give it a place to go. We recommend Furring Strips for this in most cases.

rain screen structure diagram
RAIN SCREEN WITH FURRING STRIPS

Sometimes Furring strips are not realistic due to several reasons. In these instances we recommend a drain wrap or mesh wrap. These products are much thinner than furring strips but still allow air and water to flow behind the wood. 

 

SLICKER HP RAINSCREEN - housewrap and rainscreen in one product
SLICKER HP RAINSCREEN

Ground Clearance

It is important to keep siding at least 18 inches off the ground if possible. This will guard against splash back - rain water hitting the ground and splashing back against the siding which can cause a finish failure.

example of water splash back wood siding damage
SPLASH BACK WATER DAMAGE

We see a lot of people installing their wood siding all the way to the ground. We advise against this because that bottom 18 inches will need constant care to keep it looking good. We recommend a stone veneer for lower 18 inches.  

STONE VENEER INSTALLATION PROTECTS AGAINST WATER SPLASH BACK
STONE VENEER PROTECTS AGAINST SPLASH BACK
That about covers the basics of doing wood siding the right way. Congratulations, you now know more than 99% of the people you will talk to about cedar siding - grades. finish, texture and installation!
INSTALLATION INCLUDES OVERHANG TO HANDLE DRAINAGE, STONE VENEER FOR SPLASH BACK, RAINSCREEN PROVIDING AIR SPACE AND FACTORY PRE-FINISH
INSTALLATION DONE RIGHT!

Our customer in Upstate New York did it all right - her installation includes overhangs to handle drainage, stone veneer for splash back, rain screen to provide air space and factory pre-finish at the mill for stain back seal. 

Check out more common sense Cedar Siding Seasoning, Storage and Installation Tips.

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What Our Customers Say

We want to thank you for your great advice on cleaning our seven year old western red cedar siding. Although it was a lot of work, the results were worth it! We have had several people ask us if we got new siding!

I started work on Sept. 1st 2023 and had to stop on Halloween because of the temperature. The front of the house is 64 x 20. I plan to do the back and two sides in the spring.

I followed your recommendations for two applications each of Stain Solver and oxalic acid before staining. The chemical cleaners removed all the dirt, mold, algae and old stain.

 
Thanks for your help!
Tony and Linda Lauria

Tony and Linda L. from (29th January 2024)
CLEANING OUR WESTERN RED CEDAR SIDING

Hi Sheila,

There was ZERO unusable lumber caused by mill waste.

There was ZERO damage during shipping. 

All pieces were dimensionally perfect.

Your website was explicitly clear on how to install the siding and it went up easily. The siding is all on and in the process of being painted.  We will send before and after pictures. 

So here's just a little detail on the project. 

This house was a restoration rather than renovation.  The original portion of the house was built in early 1830's.  It was added on to periodically but at least one addition was completed on Thursday June 13, 1907 because during the restoration, we found a board signed by Wm Sheffield with that date on it. 

We were originally only going to work on the inside of the house and ALL material removed from walls and ceilings was restored and returned back into the house.  However, much of the exterior siding was rotten and had to be replaced.  We struggled for a little bit with the decision on whether to use wood or some type of composite material (like Hardy board or vinyl) but finally settled on wood as being the most historically accurate.  This decision was made, in part, as a result of the information on your website.  Although ,the original material most likely would have been poplar (all other wood in the house, including the original logs from the log cabin, was poplar), when painted you can't tell and the cedar will last longer. 

I cannot stress how helpful the website and EVERYONE at Buffalo was.  Buffalo Lumber is without a doubt, the easiest company to do business with.  There was some fear at making such a significant purchase over the internet on "sight unseen" material but the overall quality of our contact with all personnel and the website made it much easier to just "close our eyes" and jump.  Boy are we glad we did.  

This siding is now the crown jewel on what we hope is a historically accurate restoration with a few concessions to modern living. 

Cheers, Bill and Donna M.

Bill M. from Fayetteville, TN (6th May 2020)
1x6 BEVEL THICK RABBETED RED CEDAR MILL PRIME & PAINT

PRODUCT DETAIL :

1x6 BEVEL THICK RABBETED (1 + 1/8 THICK, 3/4 OVERLAP) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, Resawn, Rough Use (OR 4836)

Mill PRE Primed + 1 Top Coat Paint - Snowbound SW7004

Just wanted to confirm what other reviews stated. For our new home and budget, the siding supplier decision was no small issue (product cost alone $50,000+). Buffalo Lumber personnel were professional, patient (with this home owner lacking professional experience on the subject), and as a team, they were outstanding service-oriented communicators. Product quality was as they promised, and they worked closely with me on a very tight delivery window. Overall, it was a great buying experience, and I would recommend to anyone in the market for wood siding products, to speak with these folks before you make your final decision. 

BBB Review 2/17/2020

Chris A. from Montague, NJ (17th February 2020)
TONGUE & GROOVE 1X6 CLEAR & 1X4 NEAR CLEAR CEDAR SIDING

PRODUCT DETAIL :

1x6 T&G (V4E) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, AYE&BTR (BL Grade Equivalent CLEAR), KD, StainEXT, RESAWN, Rough Use, 16' and under

1x4 T&G (V2E) CEDAR-IRC SIDING, D&BTR (BL Grade Equivalent NEAR CLEAR), KD, StainEXT, RESAWN

1x4 BOARD (SQUARE EDGE - rough) CEDAR-IRC TRIM, D&BTR (BL Grade Equivalent NEAR CLEAR), KD

- All mill pre-finished with Olympic 716 "Cedar" tone oil-based semi-trans (OM 4659)

Need to know Guides
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We carry products from suppliers located all across the country so each delivery will be calculated based on location of customer, location of product manufacturer and weight of total shipment. See Areas we ship to and Delivery Information.

International Shipping and Delivery

Buffalo Lumber offers full 20 and 40 foot container quotes internationally. Europe, Asia, Africa - anywhere a container will go we can get it there. We can only quote full 20 and 40 foot containers - smaller shipments would be customer arranged.

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Making mistakes - Fixing something that goes wrong costs 10 times more than it does to do the job right in the first place. Consult with a Buffalo Lumber Milling Expert today.

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