Bark Shingles • Insteading

Bark was commonly used as home siding by the American Indians.
Europeans arriving in America also found bark to be a useful siding. Chestnut siding was preferred until the chestnut blight killed the majority of chestnut trees. Now poplar bark is preferred. The bark is peeled from the felled tree and then flattened and kiln dried. The drying process kills all insects and makes the bark maintenance-free and impenetrable to future insect infestations. Bark siding has been known to last upwards of 80 years without need of sealant or stain.

Poplar bark has an R-value of approx 3.7 and has excellent sound insulating qualities. Poplar wood is widely used in the furniture industry and utilizing the tree’s bark for siding means tree bark siding is a virtually zero waste product.

Bark Shingles.
Via Tumblr, original source unknown.

Highland Craftsman’s Bark House in North Carolina.
barkhouse.com

Poplar Bark shingles and cedar board.
The Farm at Banner Elk, North Carolina.
Barkhouse siding.
Builder/Designer: christopherkellie.com

Bark Shingles by Barkclad, North Carolina.
barkclad.com

Bark Shingles with whole tree posts as porch columns.
barkhouse.com

Bark Shingles by barkhouse.com

Bark Siding by Parton.
partonbarksiding.com

Poplar Bark Shingles and shiplap siding.
By Mountain Construction.
mountainconstruction.com

Bark Shingles of poplar.
By Mountain Construction.
mountainconstruction.com

Bark Shingles
by Barkclad, North Carolina.
barkclad.com

Bark Shingles: pioneer or rough cut.
barkhouse.com

Bark siding panels on a floating home in Union Lake, Seattle.
By g-little.com

All Saints Episcopal Church, Linville, NC (1910-1913). Designed by Henry Bacon who utilized the bark of the Chestnut trees which were in great abundance in the area. Along with All Saints Episcopal Church, Bacon designed numerous other structures in the area all utilizing Chestnut bark in a shingle siding application. The original 100 year old bark siding is still in service today. hardincreekmillwork.com

Bark Shingles: pioneer or rough cut.
barkhouse.com

Bark Cabana covered in redwood bark from a local mill.
Side walls open. By Alex Wyndham.
alexwyndham.com

Bark Sculpture by
barkhouse.com

Bark playhouse.
Via: littlefreelibrary.org

Bark Longhouse at Saint Marie.
Bark was stripped from trees and allowed to dry out all summer before use.
Via: ontarioarchitecture.com

Hickory Bark Wigwam.
ontarioarchitecture.com

Birch bark wigwam at Fort William.
The bark added an extra layer of waterproof insulation. ontarioarchitecture.com An Ojibway birch bark wigwam here: wildwoodsurvival.com

Bark siding is expensive, but it is long lived and never needs maintenance.

Resources:

“Bark House Style” by Chris McCurry & Nan Chase.
barkhouse.com

Bark Shingles from North Carolina available in all US and more…
barkhouse.com

Poplar Bark Siding in NC:
partonbarksiding.com

Poplar Bark Siding in TN:
everhart-lumber.com

Barkclad in North Carolina:
Also sells less expensive engineered bark.
barkclad.com