We are delighted to share a custom home project nestled along the San Francisco Bay, where every detail reflects the creative vison of the architect and mastery of the home builder. By choosing ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding any custom home will get exceptional performance, lasting elegance, and a rewarding alternative to Cedar siding. The builder shared the ways ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir met their stringent project criteria over competing options and how it proved to be the right choice.
The architect's completed vision combines vertical Mataverde ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding, steel, stucco, and glass adding contrast and elegance to this luxury siding design.
Mataverde had an insightful conversation with Tom Wharton of T J Built Construction, Inc., the home builder on this project. We quickly learned that Tom had exacting standards for the siding material for the exterior.
The new construction home sits on the San Francisco Bay in Marin County, California. The Bay Area is a moisture-laden environment, famous for its foggy mornings and high humidity, a threat to many siding materials. Tom's primary concern was finding a wood siding with excellent moisture resistance and stability married with outstanding visual appeal.
Mataverde ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir met these criteria plus many others, helping the project team achieve their siding goals effortlessly.
The exterior of wood, stucco, and steel wrap the expansive windows that give Bay views from on all sides of the home.
Wood Siding with Fire Resistance and Aesthetic Appeal
The superior fire-retardancy of Mataverde ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir siding has received increased attention in the Northern California building industry. As word has spread, it has emerged as go-to siding material for several compelling reasons.
- For projects located in a wildfire-prone zone, ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir has a significant advantage. It complies with International Wildland-Urban Interface (IWUI) and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) standards and passed the rigorous California 10-year natural weathering test.
- The siding arrives on site with the permanent fire-retardant already pressure treated into the wood at the cellular level.
- The fire-retardant treatment is completely non-toxic and will not shed or wash off. It is safe to work with and safe for families and pets to live around.
- ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir can even be safely recycled at the end of its lifecycle.
RELATED: ThermaWood FR: Exterior Siding Game-Changer for Wildfire Prone Areas
Whether or not you are building in a wildfire prone area, ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir boasts many other qualities that make it a siding choice to consider.
Seeing is believing in the attractive looks and high durability of ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding. Request your sample and compare it for yourself.
A view of the exterior from the back of the building shows how beautifully the ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir installed vertically.
High Standards for the Siding Material
At the outset, Tom’s biggest concern was the high moisture environment.
Tom needed to find a wood siding that met the design criteria and could combat the increased humidity level in the long term.
Next on the criteria list was siding that was stainable or paintable. Tom and the architect, Ron Sutton of Sutton Suzuki Architects, collaborated with the homeowners to find the right combination of materials to create the aesthetic they coveted. They settled on a real wood siding to contrast with the metal and stucco in the façade design.
Traditionally, wood façade homes in the Bay used Western Red Cedar or Redwood. so that style was considered.
While beautiful and classic, the high price and low availability of clear vertical grain Western Red Cedar removed it from consideration.
The wood siding needed high dent resistance to protect the overall aesthetic of the façade.
The softness of Cedar and Redwood means they will show dents easily. This is fine for a rustic exterior look but not for the polished elegance of the vertical siding design planned here.
ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding material, unfinished. A good example of the deepened color of the wood grain from the heat modification, before any clear of color finish is applied.
"The bottom line is the performance. It's been installed [for several months] and performed in heat and wet without buckling, cupping, or having any problems.”
- Tom Wharton, Co-Owner, T J Built Construction, Inc.
A view from the water looking at the private dock and up the hillside of the completed home. The wood with a light custom stain is a glowing choice for the water front vibe, and to warm and soften the cold steel, stucco and glass.
A New Siding Alternative with Exceptional Benefits
That’s when Tom consulted with Chris Eddy at Golden State Lumber. Tom has worked with Chris and Golden State for many years. Chris immediately introduced him to ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir, with its striking resemblance to Cedar coupled with the superior stability he knew Tom preferred.
Chris explained, “As soon as contractors and architects see samples, it sells over the Cedar in the clear vertical grain.” Notably, Chris said it met Tom’s project criteria at about half the price of clear Western Red Cedar.
Robby Myer, Golden State Lumber's Architect Concierge, introduced the appeal of ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir among local architects. He emphasizes the clear vertical grain and the IWUI and WUI approval in a real wood siding option.
Robby underscored ThermaWood-FR as a “beautiful product that meets the visual aesthetic that architects want with the high quality, consistent grain structure that is dominating the luxury home building landscape.”
A close look at ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir thermally modified siding material, with a clear finish, it is no surprise why it is often thought to be Western Red Cedar on first look. See how the slightly darkened color is enhanced by finishing?
Tom was intrigued by the thermal modification process used in ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir.
The modification process is designed to create a board that is harder and significantly more moisture and insect resistant than unmodified Hemlock, Fir, Cedar, or other unmodified softwoods.
The thermal modification process uses only heat and steam in a pressure kiln and is completely non-toxic. This process yields siding boards that have enhanced workability without the brittleness found in pressure treated lumber. Thermal modification also removes the natural sugars, giving it a remarkably high resistance to insect damage.
ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir siding boards have an exceedingly high resistance to cupping, splitting, and denting. That feature was essential to Tom, to ensure a long lasting, pleasing aesthetic in the expansive areas of wood vertical siding in the exterior design.
No time like the present to see ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding for yourself. Order a sample today.
Paintable and Stainable
Even though ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir is fire-treated, it can still be stained or painted, a feature architects and builders are demanding. One of the homeowners on this project, an East Coast native, wanted an exterior color inspired by the classic weathered saltbox homes, reimagined on a modern California façade.
Working closely with the architect and homeowner, Tom formulated a custom color oil-based stain which took beautifully to the ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir siding. The end result was a finish Tom coined the "pastel California saltbox”.
RELATED: Remarkable Fire Retardant Wood Siding Transforms Exterior Design
Exemplary Performance in Challenging Conditions
All of the ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding was installed vertically with exacting dimensions where it met the steel and stucco areas. Tom explained there was no allowance for boards that changed shape and interrupted the design.
He tells us that, since installation, the ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir siding has experienced nearly a year of unusually wet weather. He regularly inspected the ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir for changes in shape.
Tom was clear about his expectation and the result:
"Cupping is always my anxiety, and we haven't seen any ", he said. "The bottom line is the performance. It's been installed [for several months] and performed in heat and wet without buckling, cupping, or having any problems.”
Tom also mentioned how much he appreciated the stability of the thermally modified Hem-Fir. In past projects he relied on Western Red Cedar, and he happy to find that Thermawood FR cuts and handles the same way with an increased durability. This further solidified the appeal.
A side view
Mataverde, The Perfect Wood Siding Partner
To tie it all together at the conclusion of our conversation, we asked Tom a few specific questions about his experience with ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir and Mataverde Sustainable Decking and Siding Solutions.
- Would Tom choose ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir again for future projects?
Without hesitation, Tom answered. "Yes, and I would use Mataverde again."
- What was the final deciding factor in choosing ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir over Western Red Cedar?
“Price. Price over Western Red Cedar," declared Tom, giving the team a comparable aesthetic at a much lower cost.
- What did the Mataverde team do to gain your trust?
The team "reliably hit the supply chain” to meet the project timeline, including on-time delivery. “That’s very important."
"It was properly milled, it came to us ‘clean’, and it's coming out of the mill having been treated [with IWUI] fire retardant.”
- Was Ron Sutton, the architect, pleased with the end result?
The architect had “no complaints” about the finished execution. Tom added that the Ron's firm and their photographer were on site as we spoke to capture the home for their portfolio.
- In the end, the homeowner's satisfaction is the goal. How do they feel about the exterior of their new home?
“Happy, very happy.”
As it happens, during the last two years of construction the homeowners’ lives have unexpectedly changed course and they wouldn't be able to spend the time they planned in this beautiful bayfront home, so they decided to list it.
This offers a rare opportunity to own a custom Marin County luxury residence. Reside in this custom home with its striking exterior of stucco, steel and, of course, the strong and long-lasting ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding. Gazing at the water view through the floor to ceiling windows or from one of the decks any time you want.
Building a custom home is as much about craftsmanship as it is about using the right materials.
Tom Wharton is an respected, experienced, and knowledgeable home builder. He did his research and then trusted a siding material new to him, based on the promises it made to meet his high standards. As he said, ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir exceeded his expectations and he will not hesitate to use it in future projects.
Do you have a wood siding project that would benefit from all the advantages of ThermaWood FR Hem-Fir Siding? Let us earn your trust, too. Contact our team today, we’re happy to help.
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