clapboard

clapboard (klăb`ərd), board used for the exterior finish of a wood-framed building and attached horizontally to the wood studs. The word, in its original and strict use, refers to a product of New England; boards of similar type made elsewhere are termed siding. Clapboards are particularly characteristic of the United States, having been steadily used since the earliest years of the colonial settlements. Each clapboard overlaps the one below it, leaving a few inches exposed to the weather. White pine is considered the best wood for clapboards; cedar, cypress, and spruce are also used.

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clapboard

Narrow board tapered toward one edge, used as siding to cover the exterior of a framed building. Clapboards are attached horizontally, each overlapping the next one down. Cleft oak clapboard was introduced to New England in the 17th century; later materials included pine, cypress, and cedar.