Ferndale Siding Board & Batten Siding on Ferndale's Waterfront
Sandy Point sits close enough to the water that the siding on these homes works harder than siding almost anywhere else in Ferndale. Board and batten is one of the most popular looks out here — the vertical lines suit the beach-community character of the neighborhood, and homeowners like the clean, modern-farmhouse feel it gives a house. But the same wide, flat boards and narrow battens that make the style attractive also create a lot of seams, joints, and fastener points. In a spot where salt-laden wind, driving rain, and a long stretch of damp, shaded months are just part of the year, every one of those seams is a place water can try to get in.
This page is about doing board and batten right, specifically for homes in this stretch of Whatcom County — not board and batten in general.
What Sandy Point's Climate Actually Does to Siding
Salt Air
Homes near the water pick up airborne salt that settles on every exterior surface. It's not damaging to fiber cement itself, but it is hard on fasteners, trim screws, and any metal flashing or hardware that isn't rated for coastal exposure. Untreated or under-spec fasteners can corrode years before the siding around them shows any wear, and a corroding nail head under paint is one of the first places a board and batten job starts to fail.
Driving, Wind-Blown Rain
Rain in this part of Whatcom County rarely falls straight down — wind off the water pushes it sideways into wall assemblies, and board and batten's vertical battens can act like tiny gutters if they aren't detailed correctly. Water that gets behind a batten and has nowhere to drain will sit against the wall sheathing.
Moss and Algae Season
Ferndale's damp, shaded months run long, and north-facing or tree-shaded walls in Sandy Point can stay wet for days at a stretch. That moisture supports moss and algae growth on any siding material, but it's especially visible on board and batten because the vertical battens create shadow lines and grooves where growth takes hold first and shows up fastest.
Why the Style Itself Adds Risk If It's Not Detailed Correctly
Board and batten isn't inherently a worse siding style than horizontal lap — but it is less forgiving of shortcuts. A lap siding installation sheds water downward across overlapping boards almost automatically. Board and batten relies on the installer building that drainage path on purpose, with a rainscreen gap behind the boards, correct flashing at every horizontal transition, and battens fastened so they don't trap water against the wall. Skip any of those steps and you get a house that looks great for a few years and then starts showing staining, cupping, or soft spots right where the battens meet the field boards.
What a Correct Board & Batten Job Involves Here
- A drainage plane and rainscreen gap behind the siding, so any moisture that gets past the boards has somewhere to go besides the sheathing
- Corrosion-resistant, coastal-rated fasteners at every board and batten — not standard interior-grade fasteners
- Flashing at all horizontal joints, window and door heads, and roof-to-wall transitions, installed before the siding goes on, not caulked in afterward
- Batten spacing and fastening that allows for material movement without splitting the boards or backing out fasteners over time
- Factory-finished color and edges wherever possible, since field-cut and field-painted edges are the first place moisture finds a way in
- Proper clearance at the base of the wall and around any foundation planting beds, so soil and mulch aren't holding moisture against the bottom course
Why We Install Only James Hardie Board & Batten
We don't offer board and batten in vinyl, LP SmartSide, or primed wood, and that's a deliberate call for homes in this environment. Vinyl board and batten can warp and gap at the seams under sustained wind exposure, which is exactly the failure mode Sandy Point's coastal wind creates. Wood-based products need vigilant, ongoing sealing and repainting to hold up against this much sustained moisture, and any gap in that maintenance schedule shows up fast in a damp climate like this one.
James Hardie's fiber cement board and batten is engineered specifically for this kind of exposure. It's non-combustible, it doesn't swell or rot when it takes on moisture the way wood-based sidings can, and Hardie's HZ5 product line is formulated for wetter, harsher climates — which describes Whatcom County's coastal edge well. The ColorPlus factory finish means the color and sealed edges are baked on before the material ever reaches the jobsite, so the most vulnerable part of any siding installation — the cut edges and joints — start out already protected rather than relying on a field-applied coat of paint holding up for years in the salt air.
Hardie backs its material with a strong, transferable limited warranty, but that warranty is only as good as the installation underneath it. That's the other half of what we're selling on a Sandy Point job: material that's built for this climate, put on by a crew that installs it to spec every time.
Board & Batten Material Comparison for Coastal Exposure
| Material | Salt Air Behavior | Moisture Behavior | Maintenance Burden |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Hardie fiber cement | Non-corrosive; factory-sealed edges resist salt exposure | Won't rot, swell, or absorb water like wood-based products | Occasional wash-down; repaint only if ever desired, not required |
| Vinyl board and batten | Can become brittle and discolor under UV and salt exposure over time | Prone to warping and seam gaps under wind and temperature swings | Low upkeep, but panels can't be repaired individually if damaged |
| Primed wood / cedar | Fasteners and joints need frequent inspection for corrosion and rot | Absorbs moisture readily; needs consistent sealing to resist coastal damp | High — regular repainting and caulk maintenance required |
| LP SmartSide | Engineered wood strand product; edge sealing is critical near water | Can swell at cut edges and joints if moisture gets past the coating | Moderate — depends heavily on installation quality and upkeep |
Our Process for a Sandy Point Board & Batten Project
1. On-Site Assessment
We look at wall orientation relative to prevailing wind and water exposure, existing moisture damage, and how the current siding is draining — or not draining — before we ever talk product or price.
2. Removal and Sheathing Check
Once the old siding comes off, we inspect the sheathing and framing underneath for any moisture damage that's been hiding behind the old material. This is common on older homes in wetter coastal spots, and it needs to be addressed before new siding goes up, not covered over.
3. Weather Barrier and Rainscreen Installation
We install a proper water-resistive barrier and rainscreen gap before any Hardie board and batten goes up, so the wall assembly can actually manage the moisture it's going to see here.
4. Hardie Board & Batten Installation
Boards and battens go up per Hardie's fastening and spacing specifications, with flashing detailed at every transition, so the finished wall drains the way it's designed to.
5. Final Walkthrough
We walk the job with the homeowner, checking every seam, corner, and trim detail before we call it finished.
Why a Crew That Already Works Sandy Point Matters
Sandy Point isn't a typical inland Ferndale lot. Homes here often sit closer together, closer to the water, and sometimes behind community access points that outside crews aren't familiar with. A crew that already works this area knows what wind and site-access conditions to plan around, knows the wear patterns coastal homes in this pocket of Whatcom County actually show, and isn't learning those lessons for the first time on your house. That familiarity shows up in scheduling around weather windows, staging materials in tighter waterfront lots, and recognizing moisture problems that an inland-only crew might not think to look for.
Cost Factors for Board & Batten in a Coastal Setting
| Factor | Why It Matters Here |
|---|---|
| Extent of hidden moisture damage | Coastal homes are more likely to have sheathing or framing repairs once old siding comes off |
| Wall height and access | Waterfront lots can have tighter access or elevation changes that affect staging and labor |
| Amount of trim and corner detailing | Board and batten has more vertical seams and corner pieces than lap siding, which adds labor |
| Color and finish selection | Factory ColorPlus finishes cost more upfront but remove the ongoing cost of repainting in salt air |
| Weather-dependent scheduling | Wind and rain off the water can affect installation windows more than it would inland |
We'll walk through all of this in person and give you real numbers for your specific home — not a rough range pulled from a website.
Maintenance Once It's Installed
Correctly installed Hardie board and batten in this environment needs less than most homeowners expect, but a little attention goes a long way:
- Rinse down shaded or north-facing walls periodically to slow moss and algae buildup
- Keep gutters clear so overflow isn't running down the face of the siding
- Trim back vegetation and shrubs that keep walls shaded and damp
- Do a yearly visual check of caulk lines and trim joints, especially after winter storm season
- Address any soft spots, staining, or fastener issues early rather than waiting
If you're planning a siding project on your Sandy Point home, we're happy to come take a look and give you a straightforward, no-pressure estimate — just fill out the form below.