Actually I have seriously considered building a home of light clay and may do so someday. Ideally we should not be building with materials that will not, when we are done with them, be able to return to components that existed in the environment before we intervened. Stone, wood, metal, even ceramic or concrete can eventually break down to ancestor substances. Many plastics will not. The ones I personally object to most vigorously are the vinyls and the styrofoam-related ones. On the other hand, plastics can do wonderful things that other materials simply cannot match. My personal code is that they should be used only when they are the best material, and not when they are merely the cheapest. But I do not make decisions for others, or even want to. You will note that I said what I would do, not what Larimie should do. (In fact, it is just now that I am noticing what an old thread this is. By now the decision has long since been made.) As always, each person must make his or her own decision. It is a wide world, and there is room for difference of opinion. Rosefolly

I would agree with MSDG; the Hardie board and batten system is hard to beat if your going to paint and not stain. Cedar & clear redwood sidings will be the most expensive to install and maintain. Your next options would be paint grade material like Advantage (finger-jointed pine that is treated for rot and insects) which is also a good choice but I'm not sure what would be available in your area. I've also seen decent results with resawn plywood install directly over the exterior ply or OSB. The framing needs to be clean and flat but with thoughtful layout to keep the battens symetrical it can be very cost effective and clean with good primer and paint. did I say the Cedar and RW would be very expensive...

Are you guys referring to the exterior window trim having some sort of wood or insulation under it in order for the window casing to stick out more than the siding? we have wood siding which we plan on keeping. We aren thinking of using pvc trim amd having it painted. Can we install pvc exterior trim without a new construction installation?

Just a thought: Ideally, studs are installed with "16" centers" -- the center of each stud is 16" away from the adjacent studs. That means you should be able to nail a piece of 4'x8' plywood or particle board, etc., to the studs of your home with the two (4') side edges of each panel overlapping half a stud and also be able to secure each panel to two more studs evenly spaced in between. So, if your home is wrapped in 4'x8' panels and your vertical batten boards are 8" apart, the vertical boards should cover every seam between the panels and can be securely nailed to two other studs, minimizing the likelihood of any warping that might otherwise loosen the vertical boards that are nailed to the panels but not nailed into a stud.