Siding: Machine-painted clapboards

Reviewed by:
Rosemary Thornton

Carolina Colortones, located in the hills of North Carolina, grew out of the Black Mountain Lumber Company, founded in 1979. In 1990, the husband and wife owners of the Black Mountain Lumber Company, Chuck and Helen Campbell, decided to focus their efforts on providing prefinished or pre-painted building materials and "Carolina Colortones" was born.

Paints or stains are applied to prefinished lumber in a factory-controlled setting. Controlling humidity and moisture results in a long-lasting, high quality finish say the Campbells. All lumber is back-primed or painted or stained on all four sides.

Clapboard and tongue and groove sidings are available from California Colortones in cedar, pine, cypress and redwood. Stains and paints are available in oil-based or acrylic. Lumber and building materials - and their finishes - come with a 5 - 25-year warranty.