The 4 Best Types of Wood for Exterior Trim
- Fir. Fir is easily one of the most widely used woods for exterior trim. It is widely available, affordable, and pretty straight.
- Pine. Next to fir, pine is probably the most popular. ...
- Redwood. Over the last few years, redwood has become increasingly popular. ...
- Cedar. Cedar can make a great exterior trim wood in many situations. ...
What is the best wood for outdoor trim?
Type of Wood for Exterior Trim
- Fir. Fir is one of the most widely used of all the exterior trim materials. ...
- Pine. Pine is a cheaper version of fir. It is lighter and has a few more defects than fir, but the cost difference between the two can be considerable.
- Redwood. Redwood is the premier of all trim woods. ...
- Cedar. Cedar is another one of the exterior trim woods that is underused. ...
What is the best glue for exterior wood?
- BEST OVERALL: Gorilla 6206005 Wood Glue
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Elmer’s E7310 Carpenter’s Wood Glue Max
- BEST POLYURETHANE: Franklin 2303 Titebond Polyurethane Glue
- BEST CA GLUE: Starbond EM-02 Super Fast Thin, Premium Super Glue
- BEST HIDE GLUE: Titebond Leather Glue
What colors go best with wood trim?
Overview
- Color Family: Mostly neutrals include grays, beiges, and greiges, plus whites, greens, and blues
- Complementary Colors: Varies
- Pairs Well With: Wall colors pair well with medium to dark wood trim
- Mood: Cozy to sophisticated and vintage
- Where to Use: Walls, built-ins, doors
What types of wood are best for interior doors?
- Masonite and hardboards are also used for interior doors and feature a flat surface that is easier to paint.
- Vinyl doors are available as a cost-effective option for sliding doors.
- If you need a door that leads to a garage or attic, you may be required to install a door comprised of fire-resistant materials (consult your local building codes).
What type of wood is used for exterior house trim?
The most common woods for use on trim are cedar and redwood, because they naturally resist moisture and insect activity, making them longer lasting than other woods. The costs for these materials have been rising along with availability, however, which has led to many builders looking for less expensive alternatives.
What board is best for outdoor trim?
Redwood. Redwood is the premier of all trim woods. Its natural weather-resistant qualities make it perfect for any exterior trim work. It's strong, straight and has an ambient quality that adds character and value to any home.
Can I use pressure treated wood for exterior trim?
Pressure-treated wood may not be the best choice for exterior trim, since most pressure-treated wood is southern yellow pine, a species that is not particularly good at holding paint. Southern yellow pine, whether or not it is pressure-treated, does not hold paint as well as western red cedar.
What material is best for exterior door trim?
Natural wood trim is a great material; Very versatile, available in multiple sizes, and able to be painted to match any siding. Keep in mind, however, that you need to select a wood that will resist insect activity and rot.
What is the cheapest exterior trim?
Exterior Trim Average Costs #Replacing wood exterior trim costs $5 to $10 per square foot.Vinyl trim replacement costs $2.50 to $5.00 per square foot.Metal trim (aluminum or steel) costs $3.00 to $6.00 per square foot.Stucco trim costs $7.50 to $10.00 per square foot.More items...•
Is oak good for exterior trim?
When choosing oak for exterior trim, be sure to buy white oak as opposed to red oak. Red oak should only be used for interior decorative wood trim, since it is porous and therefore easily damaged by water. White oak, on the other hand, is a closed-pore species, which makes it highly resistant to rot and decay.
Is primed pine good for exterior trim?
This lumber can also be used in exterior finishing applications as long as it is properly primed and painted or stained.
Is Poplar good for exterior trim?
Yes, you can use poplar for exterior furniture, woodworks, and wood carvings without any issue. But you must make sure to keep it in a dry less moisture environment. Because poplar is so sensitive to exterior moisture levels and has less resistance to environmental elements.
Is pine good for trim?
Pine Is Inexpensive Pine is one of the least expensive woods and one of the easiest to work with. It is the standard lumber for framing houses and is usually used for exterior trim and molding, on roof facings and around exterior doors and windows.
Can I use plywood for exterior trim?
Types of Exterior Plywood Exterior plywood carries an X stamp, which identifies it as suitable for use outdoors. Beside CDX, you can also find better grades, such as ABX, ACX and even BCX.
Should you nail or screw exterior trim?
If you have any outdoor applications, you need to use stainless or galvanized nails. Finish nails are best for attaching trim and molding and for furniture assembly. Stainless Steel nails and deck screws are useful for outdoor projects where time and weather take their toll. These screws are coated to resist corrosion.
Is MDF good for exterior trim?
While it should never be used outdoors or in an application where it's regularly exposed to water, there are two approaches to “waterproofing” MDF so it can withstand moisture in high humidity areas: use ure Resistant (MR) MDF or make it water-resistant yourself.
What is the best wood for exterior trim?
Redwood is the premier of all trim woods. Its natural weather-resistant qualities make it perfect for any exterior trim work. It's strong, straight and has an ambient quality that adds character and value to any home. Redwood is expensive, but if cut into smaller pieces for trim around windows or even accents, a little can go a long way, since it is relatively free from defects and most of the board can be utilized.
What is the best trim wood?
Redwood is the premier of all trim woods. Its natural weather-resistant qualities make it perfect for any exterior trim work. It's strong, straight and has an ambient quality that adds character and value to any home.
What is fir trim?
Fir. Fir is one of the most widely used of all the exterior trim materials. Fir is affordable, is mostly straight and in most cases, the lumber yard or store where you purchase the fir will allow you to select the pieces you want, culling out most of the twisted or warped pieces.
Why do you need trim around brick?
Even on brick homes there is trim around the windows, doors and architectural features. Trim serves to seal out wind and weather and to give the structure or home a finished look. Exterior trim wood needs to be stable and attractive. There are several to chose from.
Does cedar rot?
Cedar is another one of the exterior trim woods that is underused. It rivals redwood in weather and insect deterrents. It will never rot and remains stable the lifetime of the home. There are thousands of fences built from cedar every year, this fact alone is a testament to how well cedar holds up.
Is pine a trim material?
It is lighter and has a few more defects than fir, but the cost difference between the two can be considerable. For this reason, pine is also widely used as a trim material. Pine has a slight elasticity to it that allows you to bend it slightly.
What wood is used for outdoor projects?
The three most widely available and suitable exterior lumber choices, not treated with chemical preservatives, include Western red cedar, redwood, and cypress. Your geographic location will determine the availability and cost of these materials. Redwood, for example, is widely available and used in ...
What is ACQ treated wood?
Early in 2004, the old CCA (chromated copper arsenate) treatment that contained arsenic was replaced by various treatments, but the most common is ACQ (alkaline copper quat). In spite of its shortcomings, ACQ-treated wood holds up well.
How long can you air dry treated lumber?
To avoid these tendencies, you can air-dry treated lumber for two warm months, or purchase KDAT (kiln-dried-after-treatment) lumber. The downside: cost (usually double the wet stuff) and the need to special-order it from lumberyards or home centers beforehand.
Does ACQ wood rot?
In spite of its shortcomings, ACQ-treated wood holds up well. It might crack, warp, or shrink, but it won't rot or prove tasty to insects. ACQ is a water-based preservative forced deep into the lumber, usually Southern yellow pine. Consequently, the lumber is saturated when banded and shipped.
Is teak wood good for boating?
Teak is still available in small quantities, but you'll pay a hefty price for it. Largely associated with boatbuilding, it doubles as an excellent choice for small outdoor projects where you want the beauty of the wood to speak as loudly as the craftsmanship. Mahogany serves as a great project wood.
Can red cedar split?
Western red cedar and redwood stock tend to appear straight-grained and are dimensionally stable and naturally decay resistant. Both, however, can split when driving fasteners. Also, both species bleed tannins that make using fasteners and painting more problematic.
Which pine tree is the least resistant to slash?
Department of Agriculture lists pines (other than long-leaf, slash, and eastern white) and true firs among the lowest resistance category, "slightly or non-resistant". Only the heartwood of resistant species has any resistance.
Why do you use oil on cedar?
Reason is that oil cures more slowly so it can penetrate and bond better. There are special primer/sealers made for fir and others for cedar, to prevent resins and tannins from bleedthrough. Then do your latex, if that is what you want. Window sills shoul always be done with oil, IMO.
Can you use synthetic trim on second story?
Synthetic trim on a second story gable end, for example, will be undetectable. The key to using synthetics effectively is the wise choice of application. Even on the inside of my house, there are places where even a woodworker would be hard pressed to tell where real wood ends and MDF starts.
What is the best wood for trim?
Solid wood trim is one of the oldest materials around. The most common woods for use on trim are cedar and redwood, because they naturally resist moisture and insect activity, making them longer lasting than other woods. The costs for these materials have been rising along with availability, however, which has led to many builders looking for less expensive alternatives. Other solid woods don’t necessarily have the same ability to resist rot that cedar and redwood do, which can mean they don’t last as long.
What is fiber cement trim made of?
Fiber cement trim is made from a mixture of sand, silica, cellulose fibers, and Portland cement , which is poured into a mold to give it a realistic-looking wood grain. It can be found already primed or painted, which can make for an easier finish, and many fiber cement trim products tend to be more expensive than solid wood, which can make them a less cost effective solution from a material standpoint.
What is plastic trim?
Plastic Trim. There are many different types of plastic trim materials on the market. These include polyurethane, vinyl, cellular PVC, foamed polystyrene, polymer composite resin, and polyethylene lumber. All of these materials are much lower maintenance than solid wood, because none of them require any painting, unless desired.
Why prime cedar before painting?
Both cedar and redwood need to be primed before painting to help prevent extractive bleeding and a compromised surface appearance due to a stain compromised surface finish. This means that they can take longer to work with in general, leading to higher labor costs as well as material costs.
Does fiber cement need shimming?
To help combat some of these issues, some manufacturers of fiber cement make a thinner material for their trim, but it often requires shimming during installation for the best look and fit , which leads to its own set of installation complications.
Is fiber cement hard to cut?
The material is very heavy, and often requires additional people on the job, which can lead to increased labor costs. It’s also difficult to cut, as it produces a lot of silica dust when cut using traditional methods.
Can engineered wood be mitred?
For example, some types of engineered wood cannot be mitred, while others are only sold in 12 or 16-foot lengths resulting in a lot of cuts and waste for some projects. Many engineered woods may also delaminate if they come into prolonged contact with water.
1. Birch
If you’re looking for a comparatively high stable exterior wood column, Birch is the wood you should go with. Birch is highly stable and high-density hardwood, that is perfect for porch, square, rectangular, or round exterior columns.
2. Mahogany
Mahogany is one of the best wood for high-end exterior wood columns. Mahogany is a popular choice for round, octagon, square, or rectangular exterior columns.
3. Red or White Oak
Oak is known as one of the most popular woods for exterior columns. It has great sturdy and strength. Oakwood has good dimensional stability and durability.
4. Poplar
Poplar is a great choice for exterior columns. Poplar wood is stronger than any softwood, but when it comes to hardwoods, poplar wood is not stronger than most hardwoods.
5. Cherry
The beautiful reddish-brown texture of cherry wood adds a unique aesthetic look to your exterior column. Cherry is a popular choice among woodworkers due to its great workability.
6. Maple
Maple is the least expensive wood type you can go for making exterior columns. Even though it’s cheap, maple has great qualities for the price. It is durable and appealing wood which can add a new unique look. Overall maple is strong high-quality wood.
7. Redwood
Redwood is a popular wood that can go with any type of woodworking project. Because of its great qualities, redwood is ideal for exterior columns as well.
