September 13, 2022
Bellwether is proud to be an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor because we believe in the quality and the benefits
Bellwether has expertise in all areas of Colorado home construction and exterior remodels, including siding replacement, window replacement, insulation, gutters, paint, and exterior design, and we believe in creating beautiful homes. Our siding experts and in-house design team will craft a home exterior that you love, making your house the place you feel most at-home. Our high standards and commitment to best practices will ensure that, whatever your style-choice, your home will be comfortable, dry, and protected, so you can focus on designing a space that looks and feels like the beautiful home of your dreams.
When it is time to choose your home’s siding, let our design team help you find the best option for your tastes and design goals.
Siding, or wall cladding, is the protective material attached to the exterior walls of a house or other building. Siding materials drive your home’s appearance and style, but siding is also a necessary, functional element of your home’s construction and efficiency. Home siding is a reliable and economical way to beautify and protect your home, with plenty of options to satisfy different tastes and budgets.
When it comes to siding profiles, there are many different options to consider. These various joinery techniques are all secure against environmental elements, and so the method you choose is most dependent on taste and design goals. At Bellwether, whatever siding profile you choose, we adhere to the highest standard of materials and installation practices so that you can focus on a home design that you love.
Siding profiles refer to the “look” of your home siding, or how it is installed to create your home siding design. There are many different joinery methods that achieve these siding profiles, including lap siding, board and batten siding, shingle or shake siding, cottage or dutch lap siding, nickel gap or ship lap siding, v-groove, and channel rusting siding.
Simply put, lap siding refers to home siding that is installed horizontally across the wall of your home. The siding plans overlap one another, which is where we get the term “lap”. Not only does this yield a charming, traditional appearance, it also directs moisture away from the wall, creating a cascading effect, so that your home’s beauty and function go hand-in-hand.
This differs from other siding options, such as board and batten, which uses a vertical plank installation, with a small board, a batten, over the seam between those vertical planks; or shingle/shake—shakes are split and shingles are sawn smooth—which cuts and tapers the shingles in an overlapping pattern.
There are several different types of lap siding, including cottage or Dutch lap and nickel gap, more commonly known as ship lap. Sometimes traditional lap siding is referred to as clapboard siding, but there is a slight distinction in that clapboard siding tends to use smaller boards.
Cottage lap, Dutch lap, utilizes the same overlapping, horizontal rows, but imitates a hand-carved design feature that resembles vintage lap-siding. This extra design element can increase your costs, but the result is a stately home exterior with longevity in both appearance and function.
Ship lap or nickel gap siding differs slightly in that it gives the appearance of spacing between the planks. The original name nickel gap suggests that these spaces should allow for a nickel between each board. This spacing is a design element only, and beneath the appearance of the ship-lapped siding, you can rest assured that your home is still protected from moisture and other environmental elements.
Because most siding materials are designed to imitate wood, it is often misunderstood that lap siding does not also mean wood siding. In fact, our Bellwether experts advise against wood siding for Colorado homes, assuring our homeowners that choosing a different material does not mean sacrificing their design goals.
Lap siding can be installed with any siding materials. We recommend James Hardie fiber cement siding because it is resistant to fire, extreme temperatures, moisture damage, and baking sun. Made from strong, composite elements, fiber cement siding preserves it performance integrity and its beauty. James Hardie fiber cement siding can be infused with any color of your choice, include 19 color choices from the Statement Collection, such as Arctic White, Pearl Gray, and Mountain Sage, and more than 700 curated color options in the James Hardie Dream Collection.
The Bellwether in-house design team can work with you to find the siding profile, siding material, and beautiful color that meets your style goals for the home of your dreams.
Our team is proud to serve our homeowners on the Front range of Colorado. We know the unique needs of our clients and deeply care about the look and durability of your home’s exterior. Our team of experts are here to guide you through the process of repairing or replacing your home’s siding and windows.
30 - year Product Warranty | 15 - year Finish Warranty
Personalized Exterior Design Service
Excellent Service & Support Throughout Project Lifecycle
3D & HD Renderings of Your Home
Unique to Bellwether, we offer a pre construction meeting where we provide a clear and detailed scope before we begin building.
Open communication with project manager crew leader, and internal representatives.
It's not over until you say so. We value your satisfaction with our product above all else. We offer final walkthrough to guarantee you are pleased.
Our team is proud to serve our homeowners on the Front range of Colorado. We know the unique needs of our clients and deeply care about the look and durability of your home’s exterior. Our team of experts are here to guide you through the process of repairing or replacing your home’s siding and windows.
30 - year Product Warranty | 15 - year Finish Warranty
Exellent Service & Support Throughout Project Lifecycle
Personalized Exterior Design Service
3D & HD Renderings of Your Home
Bellwether is proud to be an Elite Preferred James Hardie contractor because we believe in the quality and the benefits
At Bellwether, though we don’t build walls, we have complete knowledge of framing and wall construction so that we can
Location: Longmont, Colorado Type of Siding: Cedar Age of House: Built in 1987 The Problem: The Dimeffs were dealing with
Choosing the right windows for your mountain home is both an art and a science. At Bellwether, we understand the unique demands that come with
Home exterior design can be a large, overwhelming undertaking. Your home exterior should be durable and protective, but it is also the first impression of
As a veteran of the US Air Force, I often reflect on how the core values I embraced during my six years of active duty
Lap siding refers to home siding that is installed horizontally across the wall of your home. The siding plans overlap one another, which is where we get the term “lap”. There are many different varieties of lap siding.
There are several different types of lap siding, including cottage or Dutch lap and nickel gap, more commonly known as shiplap. Sometimes traditional lap siding is referred to as clapboard siding.
Lap siding can be installed with any siding materials. We recommend James Hardie fiber cement siding because it is resistant to fire, extreme temperatures, moisture damage, and baking sun.
