Siding on the lake.
Silver Beach sits along the western shore of Lake Whatcom, and the lake is the whole story for siding here. These are wood and cedar homes, a lot of them facing the water, and a lakefront wall lives in a humid microclimate: moisture coming off the lake, cool air that holds dampness, and shade from the big trees that come with lake property. Wood siding in that environment is constantly damp, and the rot tends to show up at the bottom courses and anywhere the flashing wasn't quite right.
Keeping wood siding alive on the lake comes down to letting it dry, and that means a rainscreen. We tear off the failing cedar or wood, fix the rot and soft sheathing we find near the waterline of the wall, and build a vented gap so air moves behind the new cladding and carries lake moisture out. We use corrosion-resistant fasteners for the damp air and flash the lake-facing walls carefully. Whether you want to stay in cedar to match the lakeside look or move to fiber cement for less upkeep, the rainscreen is what makes it last by the water.
What we see on Silver Beach homes.
Common home styles
Mid-century to recent homes along Lake Whatcom, many lake-facing, in cedar and wood siding under heavy tree cover near the water.
Popular projects
Cedar and wood re-sides on a rainscreen, rot repair on lake-facing walls and bottom courses, and fiber cement re-clads for owners who want less upkeep by the water.
Climate & siding considerations
Silver Beach's lakefront sits in a humid microclimate that keeps wood siding damp. We build a rainscreen so the wall dries, use corrosion-resistant fasteners, and flash the lake-facing walls for the moisture.