Novato Wood Siding

Nothing quite replicates real wood. Cedar and redwood clapboard, hand-split shingle and shake, board-and-batten — natural wood siding has a depth of grain and a way of aging that no engineered or cement product fully imitates. For the right Novato home and the right owner, it's still the material worth choosing: a downtown cottage or bungalow being restored to character, a home where the natural, renewable, repairable quality of solid wood is genuinely wanted. Bay Area Siding Company installs natural wood siding across northern Marin. We also think you deserve the honest version of the trade-offs, because wood asks more of an owner than any other material — and on some Novato parcels it isn't the right call at all.

Weighing it out? Call (415) 619-5167 or request a bid.

What wood gives you, and what it asks

The appeal is straightforward. Solid wood is beautiful, it's a renewable material, and — unlike vinyl or fiber cement — it's genuinely repairable: a damaged board can be replaced, a wall can be re-milled to match, and the whole thing can be refinished rather than torn off. Cedar and redwood both bring natural resistance to decay and a stability that cheaper species don't have. For a period home, wood keeps the proportions and the shadow lines the architecture was designed around.

The ask is maintenance, and it's real. Wood is the highest-upkeep siding there is: it needs paint or stain on a regular cycle, it's vulnerable to rot if water gets in and stays, and it's a food source for termites and other pests. Novato's climate makes that cycle demanding — inland summers here are dry and UV-intense from about June through September, which is hard on finishes, and then the bulk of the year's rain lands December through February, testing every joint and end-cut. Wood can absolutely thrive here, but only for an owner who's committed to staying ahead of the finish. If that maintenance appetite isn't there, LP SmartSide delivers much of the wood look with far less upkeep, and fiber cement gives you low maintenance in wood-grain textures.

The fire question is not optional on Novato's edges

This is the part that changes the decision for a meaningful slice of Novato. The town wraps around wooded hills and open space — Indian Valley, Black Point and Green Point, Bahia, the canyon pockets — where homes meet wildland fuels, and parcels in those higher-hazard Wildland-Urban Interface areas can fall under California Building Code Chapter 7A. Chapter 7A generally steers exterior wall coverings toward noncombustible or ignition-resistant assemblies, and solid combustible wood is the material it's most cautious about. On a 7A parcel, natural wood siding may simply not be the appropriate choice, and the honest recommendation there is fiber cement or James Hardie, which can carry a wood-like look without the combustibility. Whether 7A applies depends on your parcel's fire-hazard designation and the scope of work, so if your home backs up to open space, we confirm the classification with the Novato Fire Protection District and the City before we spec wood. On the flatland core — the mid-century tracts around San Marin and Pleasant Valley, the downtown cottages — this constraint doesn't apply, and wood is on the table.

How it compares

Against fiber cement: wood wins on authenticity and repairability but loses on maintenance and fire resistance. Against LP SmartSide: SmartSide mimics the look at lower cost and far less upkeep, but it isn't the real thing and can't be refinished the same way. Against vinyl: no comparison on looks, but vinyl asks nothing of you. Wood is generally the highest-maintenance and among the higher-cost options, and it's a deliberate choice, not a default. The siding replacement hub frames the whole decision, and CertainTeed's polymer shakes are worth a look if you want a cedar-shingle appearance without real cedar.

Install and permitting

Wood is only as durable as the wall behind it and the details at every joint, so we tear off rather than side over. Once the old cladding is off, we inspect the sheathing and water-resistive barrier, correct dry rot where the tear-off reveals it, and re-establish flashing and the drainage plane — critical with wood, because keeping water off the back of the boards is what prevents premature rot. New wood siding is then installed with proper clearances, fastening, and back-priming where appropriate. In Novato, a like-for-like siding replacement can run through the City's Residential Express Permit; changing materials or wall configuration can move the job into standard review, and on a fire-zone parcel the material question is central — we confirm the current path and the parcel's 7A status before proceeding.

Cost drivers

No honest price posts online. Wood's cost is driven by species (clear cedar and redwood are premium), profile (clapboard vs. shingle vs. board-and-batten), the home's size and stories, how much substrate repair the tear-off uncovers, the finish system, and access. Factor in the ongoing maintenance cost too — wood's lifetime cost includes the repaint cycle. We price the install after we measure.

FAQ

Can I put wood siding on my home if it's near Novato's open space? Possibly not. Parcels in the Wildland-Urban Interface or a higher fire-hazard zone fall under Chapter 7A, which is cautious about combustible wood and points toward noncombustible materials. We confirm your parcel's designation with the Fire District and City first, and if wood isn't appropriate we'll recommend a wood-look fiber cement instead.

How much maintenance does wood siding really need? The most of any material. Plan on repainting or restaining on a regular cycle, keeping an eye out for rot and pests, and addressing finish failures promptly. In Novato's dry-summer, wet-winter climate that upkeep is the price of the look.

Is cedar or redwood better here? Both are good choices with natural decay resistance; the pick usually comes down to the look you want and budget. We'll walk the options relative to your home.

Can you match the wood siding on my older Novato home? Usually, yes. Clapboard, shingle, and board-and-batten can all be milled and matched to the original profile, which is a big part of why owners of period homes choose to stay with real wood.

Get started

Let's talk through whether natural wood is the right choice for your Novato home — and confirm your parcel's fire status if you're near open space. Request a bid or call Bay Area Siding Company at (415) 619-5167. See finished work in our project gallery or the wider Marin service area.