Ellis-Reid Residence: Emberline Wood from foundation to ridge

A single residence, one material family. On this project, Ellis-Reid specified and installed Emberline thermally modified wood in almost every exterior application on the building — lap siding, soffits, fascia and rake trim, porch ceilings, brackets, window trim, a wood shingle roof on a garden structure — and carried it inside for a slatted screen and ceiling paneling.

The result is a useful reference for architects and builders: one supply chain, one set of installation details, and a consistent substrate from foundation to ridge.

The brief

The house pairs painted white brick with copper gutters, downspouts and flashing — a traditional palette that leaves no room for trim that checks, cups or pulls paint. The team needed wood that would hold crisp profiles and a painted finish next to copper and masonry, in a climate with long humid summers.

Siding

Horizontal lap siding covers the gables and dormers. Thermal modification removes most of the wood's capacity to take on moisture, so boards move less across seasons and painted joints stay closed. Butt joints and corner transitions were kept tight and consistent across every elevation.

Soffits, fascia and trim

Soffits and trim make up the largest share of material on the house. Profiles were run to the project's details and delivered in full sticks, ready for paint. Where soffits meet copper gutters and brick, the wood is exposed to runoff and splash — the conditions where untreated trim typically fails first.

Porch ceilings and brackets

Porch ceilings and post brackets were built from the same material, so the painted finish reads as one surface from wall to ceiling.

Shingle roof

A garden structure on the property carries a thermally modified wood shingle roof, left to weather naturally. It shows how the same material performs unfinished, in full sun and rain.

Inside the house

Emberline was also used indoors: a slatted screen between spaces and painted ceiling paneling with a flush-mounted heater. Thermally modified wood holds its dimensions through indoor humidity changes, which keeps slat spacing and panel reveals even.

On site

Material arrived staged by profile. The installers cut and fit it with standard carbide tooling; thermally modified wood machines cleanly but is slightly more brittle than untreated stock, so pre-drilling near board ends is recommended.

Emberline on this project

• Cladding & siding: horizontal lap siding on gables and dormers
• Exterior trim & soffits: soffits, fascia, rake and window trim, brackets
• Porch: ceilings and post brackets
• Roofing: wood shingles on a garden structure
• Interior: slatted screen and ceiling paneling

Specify it for your project

Send your drawings or a materials list and an Emberline specialist will confirm species, profiles and lead time. See every photo from this project in the gallery, or request a quote.