Advice for Board & Batten Cladding – GreenBuildingAdvisor

Hi everyone,

We’re in the planning stages for our cedar siding project (Climate Zone 7A) and would really appreciate some feedback before moving forward. The goal is a durable, long-lasting, and natural finish. We’ll be doing the install ourselves with some help from friends.

For reference, this is the type of look we’re hoping to achieve (ambitious, I know): https://mcleanquinlan.com/works/kent-downs

Assembly details:

– Rainscreen: Double layer of 1×4 strapping (already installed)

– Cladding material: Western Red Cedar boards and battens

– Finish: Shou sugi ban, with a black sealing oil

Questions:

1. Fasteners: We know stainless (304/316) is the gold standard to avoid staining, but the cost is significant. What’s the long-term reality of using high-quality hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) fasteners on a dark finish like this? For 1×8+ boards, we were planning two nails in the middle of the board (not the edges) to allow for movement — does that make sense?

2. Board & Batten Dimensions: We’re leaning toward 1×8 or 1×10 boards with 1×2 battens for a clean, contemporary look. Any performance issues or proportion guidelines we should consider for wood movement and overall durability?

3. Joint location: Normally, I’d expect board joints to be hidden under the battens. But in the Kent Downs project linked above, the joints look exposed instead. Any idea why they might have chosen this approach?

4. Shou Sugi Ban (or Alternatives): We know burning adds a lot of work. If we skip it, what are your go-to natural stains or finishes that allow cedar to patina gracefully over time?

Anything we’re missing?

Thanks in advance!