Lynden Exterior Board & Batten Siding in Kendall: Built for This Corner of Whatcom County
Kendall sits far enough out from the coast that people sometimes assume salt air isn't a real factor here — but Whatcom County's weather doesn't work that way. Marine air pushes inland on the wind patterns that move through the Nooksack valley, driving rain comes in sideways off the foothills for months at a stretch, and the tree cover that makes this area beautiful also means siding stays shaded and damp longer than it would in a more open lot. Board and batten is one of the most requested looks for homes out here because it fits the rural, barn-and-farmhouse character of the area, but the style only holds up if the material and the installation underneath it are built for exactly this kind of weather. That's the part most homeowners never see until something goes wrong.
What Kendall's Climate Actually Does to Vertical Siding
Board and batten siding has more seams than lap siding — every batten strip creates a joint, and every joint is a place water can find its way in if the assembly behind it isn't done right. In a climate like ours, three things work against that siding year-round:
Driving Rain
Wind-driven rain doesn't just run down a wall, it gets pushed sideways and upward into laps, seams, and fastener points. Vertical board and batten needs a real drainage plane behind it, not just caulk at the joints, or water works its way behind the boards over a few wet seasons.
Salt Air
Even well inland from Bellingham Bay and the Strait, salt-laden air corrodes exposed metal fasteners and flashing over time. Siding systems that rely on face-nailing with standard fasteners, or thin, unprotected flashing, age faster here than the same product would in a dry inland climate.
Moss and Prolonged Dampness
Whatcom County's moss season runs long — shaded, north-facing walls and anything under mature trees can stay damp for weeks without a real drying window. Moss and algae hold moisture against the siding surface, which is hard on materials that absorb water and softens paint film on anything that isn't factory-cured.
Why We Install Board & Batten Only in James Hardie Fiber Cement
Board and batten shows up in several materials — cedar, engineered wood like LP SmartSide, vinyl, and fiber cement — and each one handles Kendall's climate differently. We standardized on James Hardie fiber cement for every siding job we do, board and batten included, because it's the one option that holds its shape, its finish, and its joints through a Whatcom County winter without the maintenance burden the other materials carry.
Cedar board and batten looks great new, but it's a wood product: it absorbs moisture, it needs refinishing on a real schedule, and in a shaded, damp lot it's exactly the kind of surface moss wants to grow on. Engineered wood siding uses a resin-treated wood substrate that performs well when it's kept dry, but it's still wood at its core, and the batten joints are places moisture can get to that substrate if caulking fails. Vinyl board and batten is low-maintenance in the sense that it doesn't need paint, but it's a thin material that can warp with temperature swings and doesn't hold up to impact the way fiber cement does — and its seams are functionally the same failure point as any other board and batten system, without the strength of the substrate behind it.
James Hardie fiber cement is cement, sand, and cellulose fiber — it doesn't rot, it isn't a food source for moss the way wood is, and it's engineered specifically for the Pacific Northwest's wet-side climate under Hardie's HZ10 product line. The factory-applied ColorPlus finish is baked on under controlled conditions, so it resists the fading and cracking that field-applied paint goes through here, and it carries a real transferable warranty on both the substrate and the finish.
What a Correct Board & Batten Installation Actually Involves
The board and batten look is simple — vertical panels or boards with a strip covering each seam — but a correct installation behind that look is where the job either holds up in this climate or doesn't. What we build into every board and batten install:
- A drainage plane (weather-resistive barrier plus a rainscreen gap) behind the siding, so any water that gets past the surface has somewhere to go instead of sitting against the wall sheathing
- Corrosion-resistant fasteners and flashing at every penetration, window, and roof-to-wall transition, sized for our humidity and salt-air exposure
- Batten spacing and fastening set to James Hardie's published engineering specs, not just "what looks right" — spacing affects both appearance and how the assembly sheds water
- Proper clearance at grade and at any hardscape, so soil, mulch, or paving isn't holding moisture against the bottom courses
- Sealed, backed joints at every horizontal seam, since board and batten's vertical run still needs horizontal joints on tall walls
- Factory-cut, factory-primed edges kept intact wherever possible, since field-cut edges are the one place the ColorPlus finish isn't already protecting the substrate
Any one of these done wrong won't necessarily show up in year one. It shows up in year five or six, as a soft spot at a butt joint, staining below a poorly flashed window, or moss establishing itself in a seam that never got backer rod and sealant. That's the gap between a board and batten job that looks right at handoff and one that's actually built for a Kendall winter.
How We Approach a Board & Batten Job in Kendall
| Stage | What Happens | Why It Matters Here |
|---|---|---|
| Site walk & assessment | We look at sun/shade exposure, tree cover, grade, and existing moisture or moss damage on the current siding | Shaded, tree-covered lots need different drainage and clearance decisions than open ones |
| Tear-off & sheathing check | Remove existing siding, inspect sheathing and framing for hidden rot before anything new goes up | Board and batten failures usually trace back to what was already happening behind the old siding |
| Weather barrier & rainscreen | Install a code-compliant weather-resistive barrier with a drainage gap behind the new siding | This is the single biggest factor in how the wall handles our driving rain |
| Flashing & trim | Corrosion-resistant flashing at windows, doors, and roof lines, set before siding goes on | Salt air and long wet seasons are hard on cheap or missing flashing |
| Panel & batten install | James Hardie panels and battens installed to manufacturer fastening and spacing specs | Correct spacing and fastening is what the transferable warranty actually depends on |
| Final seal & walk-through | Joint sealant, touch-up paint on any field cuts, and a walk-through so you know what to look for over time | Gives you a baseline to compare against at your own maintenance checks |
Board & Batten Material Comparison for This Climate
| Material | How It Handles Driving Rain & Moss | Ongoing Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| James Hardie fiber cement | Engineered for wet climates (HZ10), non-combustible, doesn't feed moss growth | Occasional wash-down; factory finish holds color for years |
| Cedar | Absorbs moisture, prone to moss and rot in shaded, damp spots | Refinishing on a real schedule, moss treatment, joint recaulking |
| Engineered wood (LP SmartSide, etc.) | Resin-treated but still wood-based; performs well only if seams and finish stay intact | Watch seams and cut edges closely; repaint/reseal over time |
| Vinyl | Doesn't rot, but can warp with temperature swings and impact damage | Low maintenance but limited repairability; seams remain a water entry point |
Why a Crew That Already Works Kendall Matters
Board and batten siding done wrong doesn't fail everywhere on the wall at once — it fails first at the spots the local climate stresses hardest: north-facing walls under tree cover, the base of the wall near grade, and any horizontal joint on a two-story elevation. A crew that's worked houses in and around Lynden and Kendall has already seen where those weak points show up on homes like yours, and builds the drainage, flashing, and batten layout around that from the start instead of treating every job like it's in a dry climate. That's the difference between a board and batten install that's still tight in ten years and one that needs early repair at the joints.
Keeping Board & Batten Siding Looking Right in Kendall
Fiber cement board and batten is low-maintenance compared to wood, but "low-maintenance" isn't "no-maintenance" in this climate. A simple annual routine keeps it performing the way it's supposed to:
- Rinse the siding down once a year, with extra attention to shaded or tree-covered walls where moss and algae get a head start
- Walk the base of the wall and clear any mulch, soil, or plant growth that's built up against the bottom courses
- Check caulking at window and door trim and at horizontal joints for cracking or gaps, and have it resealed before a wet season starts
- Look at downspouts and gutters to make sure water is actually being carried away from the wall, not dumping onto it
- Touch up any nicks or scrapes on field-cut edges promptly, since that's the one spot the factory finish isn't already covering
If you're planning a board and batten project in Kendall, we're happy to walk your property, look at your sun and moisture exposure, and put together a free, no-pressure estimate — no obligation, just a straight look at what your home needs.