Nothing quite matches real wood. Cedar and redwood clapboard, hand-split shingle and shake, and board-and-batten give a depth of grain and a character that manufactured products imitate but never fully reproduce — which is exactly why wood still belongs on Richmond's Victorians in Point Richmond, its Craftsman bungalows, and shingle-era homes where authenticity matters. Bay Area Siding Company installs and restores natural wood siding. This page is a candid look at what wood offers, what it costs you in upkeep, and the one place in Richmond where it should not go.

Set on real wood? Request an estimate or call (415) 619-5167.

The case for wood

• Authentic character. Genuine grain, real shadow lines, and a look that suits period and architecturally significant homes — the flats and hills of Richmond have plenty.
• Style range. Clapboard and bevel lap for traditional homes, shingle and shake for the Bay Area's brown-shingle tradition, board-and-batten for a vertical, rustic line.
• Renewable and repairable. Individual boards or shingles can be replaced, and the whole wall can be refinished rather than torn off, which is part of why it endures on restoration projects.
• A natural fit for historic homes. Where a home's character or a design review favors matching the original material, wood is often the honest answer.

The upkeep is real — plan for it

Wood is the highest-maintenance cladding, and it is fair to be clear-eyed about that before choosing it. It relies on a maintained finish; left to weather, it invites the three things wood does worst:

• Rot where water sits — bottoms of boards, sills, and joints.
• Pests — carpenter ants and termites feed on it.
• Finish failure — paint and stain break down and need renewing, and in Richmond's damp, salt-laden shoreline air near Marina Bay, Brickyard Cove, and Point Richmond that cycle runs shorter than it does inland.

For an owner who enjoys maintaining a home and wants the genuine article, that upkeep is a fair trade. For one who wants to install and forget, engineered wood or fiber cement will get closer to the look with far less labor.

The hillside limit — this one is not optional

There is one place in Richmond where wood's beauty runs into the code: the eastern slopes. The 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps expanded the Very High zone to take in neighborhoods like May Valley and East Richmond Heights and the slopes climbing toward the El Sobrante and Mira Vista ridgelines. Where a parcel carries a Very High or High designation, California Building Code Chapter 7A steers the exterior wall toward noncombustible or tested ignition-resistant assemblies — and untreated cedar or redwood is combustible, so it generally does not clear that bar. On a designated hillside parcel the practical choice moves to fiber cement or James Hardie, whose profiles echo wood closely enough that you keep much of the look while meeting the standard. Because the 2025 lines moved in both directions — Point Richmond, for instance, came off the map — the reliable step is to check your actual address, and we confirm a parcel's designation and scope with the City of Richmond Building Regulations Division before speccing.

If you love the wood look but want less upkeep

Two products get close. LP SmartSide engineered wood offers a real milled cedar texture with much better rot and pest resistance, and fiber cement offers wood-grain profiles that are noncombustible and hold their finish for years. Compare all of it on the Richmond siding replacement overview, or look at the range under one brand with CertainTeed and its polymer shake line.

Cost drivers

Wood's cost runs higher than most alternatives once you factor the material, the skilled labor real wood demands, and the maintenance over time. The quote moves with the species and profile you choose, the home's size and number of stories, the amount of trim and detail on period homes, hillside access, and what tear-off reveals — old cladding comes off to the sheathing so the water-resistive barrier and flashing can be inspected, and concealed rot on an older home adds scope. Richmond's permit is part of the picture.

FAQ

Can I put wood siding on my home in the Richmond hills? Generally not, if the parcel is in a Very High or High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Chapter 7A points toward noncombustible or ignition-resistant wall coverings, and untreated cedar or redwood is combustible. Since Richmond's 2025 maps changed the boundaries, we confirm your parcel and usually recommend fiber cement, whose profiles mimic wood, on designated hillside lots.

How much maintenance does wood siding really need in Richmond? Regular repainting or restaining, plus attention to rot and pests. Near the salt-exposed shoreline the finish cycle runs shorter than inland. It is the most demanding cladding to own, which is the honest trade for the authentic look.

I have a Victorian in Point Richmond — is wood the right restoration choice? Often, yes. For a period home where character and, where applicable, design review favor the original material, wood is frequently the honest answer, and it can be repaired board by board. We assess the existing walls and the substrate before recommending a scope.

Do I need a permit for wood siding in Richmond? Yes — a re-side is a permitted alteration through the City of Richmond Building Regulations Division. We handle the permitting and confirm whether your scope is like-for-like or a broader alteration.

Talk through natural wood for your home

Call (415) 619-5167 or request an estimate. We'll weigh real wood honestly against the lower-maintenance look-alikes, and flag any fire-zone limits on your parcel. Browse the project gallery or see our East Bay service area.