Downtown Bellingham Siding Contractor | Alpine

Siding That Stands Up to Downtown Bellingham's Bay-Driven Weather

Walk a few blocks off Holly Street in any direction and you will find the housing that makes downtown Bellingham distinctive: early-1900s craftsman homes and four-squares on the surrounding hillside streets, workers' cottages from the old Whatcom and Sehome townsite days, and a growing number of converted and infill buildings mixed among them. Nearly all of them take weather straight off Bellingham Bay. Southwesterly storms roll across open water and hit these blocks with wind-driven rain that finds every gap in tired siding.

Alpine Exteriors has been re-siding homes in this part of Whatcom County for a quarter century. Downtown properties are some of the most rewarding projects we take on — and some of the least forgiving of shortcuts.

What Old Downtown Walls Are Hiding

Many houses near downtown still wear original cedar bevel siding under one or more layers of paint, and some were wrapped in vinyl or T1-11 during mid-century updates. When we open these walls, we routinely find sheathing gaps, no weather-resistive barrier at all, and old moisture staining around window heads. That is why our downtown projects always start with a full tear-off rather than an overlay: covering damaged material with new siding just seals the problem in.

Our standard wall assembly for this neighborhood includes:

• Complete removal of existing siding and inspection of the sheathing beneath
• A modern weather barrier with rain-screen furring, so wind-blown bay moisture drains and dries instead of soaking in
• Fiber cement or true cedar cladding, matched to the home's original reveal and trim proportions
• Flashing at every head, penetration, and transition — the details that decide whether siding lasts

Keeping Character While Upgrading Performance

Downtown Bellingham's older homes have proportions worth preserving: deep corner boards, generous window casings, distinctive gable treatments. We reproduce those details in fiber cement or cedar rather than flattening them into a generic modern look, so a re-sided craftsman still reads as a craftsman from the sidewalk. Factory-finished fiber cement is our most requested option here because it shrugs off the constant winter wet without the repaint cycle cedar demands, and it will not grow the green algae film that shaded north walls in this climate are prone to.

With more than 2,000 projects completed across northwest Washington, we have re-sided everything from single cottages to multi-unit conversions, and we understand the practical side of working downtown — tight lots, alley access, parking logistics, and neighbors close enough to care how clean the site stays.

Start With a Free Assessment

Every wall we build is covered by a 25-year workmanship warranty, a commitment we can make because we control every layer from sheathing outward. If your siding is cupping, peeling annually, or showing soft spots near the foundation, schedule a free on-site estimate. We will probe the trouble areas, explain exactly what your walls need, and price the work in writing before you decide anything.