Poplar Bark Shingle Siding And Wall Tiles

Luxury wood shingle siding that is harvested with environmentally friendly practices and attention to timing, using methods created exclusively at Bark House® – this tulip poplar wood paneling is a reclaimed waste product of the logging industry. The Bark House® 5-point quality control protocol ensures precision in manufacturing.  Application techniques should be followed precisely.

Naturally elegant, standard-grade bark shingles are the flagship of our exterior siding options. You may also choose the thicker, premium grade to obtain course deep furrows and a more pronounced shadow line. Interior grade wood shingle siding provides the perfect natural texture for indoor spaces.

Bark House® Poplar Bark Siding adorns and protects the finest homes, lodges, and commercial buildings across every region of the United States and Internationally. Maintenance-free and sustainably manufactured, no other eco-friendly siding product comes close to the stunning beauty and richness of our designer shingles.  As an interior wall covering, the rich 3D texture of this poplar bark siding is only matched by its acoustic and insulation values. There is no substitute for nature’s beauty in a living space.

Poplar Bark Wall Tiles are the world’s first and only product to have achieved a Cradle to Cradle® Platinum Level Certification (2017-2018) Gold (2007 – 2017).  The certification is wholistic and rigorous in scope with third party verification of: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.

100% sourced and made in the US.  Bark House® invests over 50% of its income directly back into our local Appalachian economy.  See what makes us Authentically good…

Poplar Bark Shingle Siding and Wall Tiles are new to me. What do I need to know?

What is poplar bark siding?  What are poplar wall tiles?

Bark House Poplar Bark Siding and Wall Tiles are manufactured from the peeled bark of Tulip Poplar Trees (Liriodendron tulipifera). The bark, which is historically a waste product in lumber operations, is harvested to become siding and wall tiles before the logs reach the mill. The bark is squared, kiln dried, and the quality is checked to ensure a top-shelf siding product.

Are poplar bark shingles and tiles a rustic, modern or a high-design product?

Poplar bark is the perfect material for every design style.  The muted tones juxtapose in commercial environments to add a natural element; they blend with natural hues in a home environment; and they add a focal point to bring multitude of surfaces into context.

Is bark siding available now?

The harvest and manufacturing of bark siding is seasonal.  Therefore it is important that you contact our sales team and communicate your plan to use bark siding or interior wall tiles.  It is possible that the product will sell out, in a given year.  We will notify you if we begin to see inventory levels drop so you can meet your project timeline.    Take a look at the bark harvesting process. 

How long do poplar bark shingles last?

On an exterior application, the product can last over 80 years, maintenance free.

Because Bark House created the manufacturing process for bark shingles only thirty years ago, you may wonder on what evidence an eighty-year estimate is based. Historic Chestnut bark shingles have lasted well over a hundred years. A newer version, the poplar bark shingle was used historically as well. Not manufactured to today’s strict Bark House specifications, company co-founders identified five local residences with poplar shingles before we began our manufacturing process. That siding lasted in excess of 80-years in a harsh four-season environment.

How long does it take to get poplar bark siding and wall tiles?

The production of bark shingles has a limited annual harvest season. We manage these limitations when clients inform us about their project plans. Once seasonal production begins, we rapidly process pre-orders. It is not, however, unusual that we will sell out of product at the end of the year, just before our harvest season begins anew. Share your timelines with us and we can advise you about securing product for your project.

How do I install Bark House® Poplar Shingle Siding?

The best way to explain is to show you! Click to watch the Installation Video, or, if you prefer, click to read the Installation Guide.

If you have further questions, please reach out to Bark House for individual technical support.

Do I need a rain screen when I install poplar bark siding?

We don’t consider rain screens necessary because of the design of the installed shingles. The purpose of the screen is to ventilate between the substrate and the siding to mitigate moisture build-up that can occur with siding types nailed flat to the wall. Because the shingles and its felt backing are layered at an angle up the wall, there is already a space created between them and the substrate. Further, the shingles are convoluted on the face so this creates pockets of airflow at the lap line. A rain screen is actually an aspect of the natural design.

How do I figure coverage and waste factors for poplar bark shingle installation?  What is the lap-factor required for bark shingles?

When installing any wall covering, you must account for waste factors. Here is our guide specifically for calculating how much poplar bark shingles that you will need: How many square feet of shingles do I need?

What maintenance is needed for exterior bark shingles?

Bark House poplar shingle siding is a maintenance free product. When installed correctly, they will never need attention again.

How does a finish affect the bark material?

Bark is a porous material like wood.  Like the differing patterns of wood grain, the porosity of bark occurs in differencing degrees and in differing patterns.  When finishes are applied to the material, the inherent color underneath will be amplified, and the degree of saturation in each area across the face of the bark will vary.  Therefore, the finish on your Bark House sample (a unique piece) is not guaranteed to match 100% to the finish on your larger bark wall covering (of which no two are exactly alike).  Our finished samples and wall coverings are sprayed consistently over the face of the material.  If your project requires exact matches, then we will educate your finish expert about the nature of the material they are working with.  Your professional finisher should work with you onsite for a perfect match.  If your project has an allowance for slight variations then, our finishers are highly experienced and glad to be of service.

What is a hand chopped shingle?

Our craftsmen create this look of antiquity by using broad hatchets to chop the bottom edge of the shingle. This gives the appearance of how 19^th century woodsmen cut the bark to height.

How do I clean interior Bark House® poplar bark wall tiles?

Interior wall tiles can be dusted or vacuumed like any other wall covering, but be careful with the mosses and lichens!

Will my exterior bark siding change color over time?

Because it is a natural product, poplar bark shingles will develop natural aging qualities over time. Please see our page about the natural aging of bark.

Are bark shingles resistant to insects?

Poplar Bark shingles are very insect resistant. This link will explain how:  White Paper:  Insect Resistance 

How are bark shingles shipped?

Bark House Poplar Shingles are shipped securely banded on pallets. It is important to keep the shingles under pressure while being stored. When stored without pressure, the bark may naturally attempt to warp. If you do not plan to immediately install the shingles, store the shingles in a protected environment and do not clip the tension bands.

What sizes are available for poplar bark shingles and wall tiles?

Our shingles are available in interior, standard, and premium grades.  Grades are a function of thickness.  They are either thin, medium or thick.  For exterior applications, only Standard and Premium grades should be considered. Shingles are available in 13”, 18”, and 26” heights. The widths of our shingles – all heights- will range from 6” to 48”.

What if I need a larger size bark shingle or tile?

If your project requires larger sizes than our shingle offerings, consider using our poplar bark panels.

What is the difference between Standard and Premium Grade Shingles for exterior applications?

The only difference between Standard and Premium Grade Shingles is the thickness of the bark. Standard Grade will range from 9/16″-7/8″, while Premium Grade will range from 15/16″-1 1/2″. There is no significant difference in shingle performance, but the Premium Grade offers deeper ridges in the bark texture. It simply becomes a character and aesthetic preference.

Are there samples of the bark shingles and finishes?

Yes!  We have 6″ x 6″ sample tiles that you can easily order via our website page, Sample Kits.  Bark House samples are not discards, cut-offs, or scrap.  They are hand-crafted just like full-sized products.  The RAW™ (Reclaimed Appalachian Wood Waste) material we procure is not a commodity.  When you feel the raw material of these products, we know that you are going to love the texture.  No other wall covering compares!

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Cost and quality are important to me.  How does Bark House® bark siding save me money and supply a better-quality product?

What are the economic benefits I receive when purchasing from the “Original Manufacturer of Bark Wall Coverings”?

One of the greatest benefits for using Bark House Shingles is the cost savings from not having to paint or stain. Our shingles are comparably priced to other premium wood sidings that also have to be painted or stained. Given that this painted or stained wood needs to be re-coated every three to five years at a current range of $2 to $5 per square foot depending on the wood’s condition, just your maintenance costs alone can exceed the cost of our shingles in just 10 years.

Our bark grading process ensures that thicknesses are consistent and perfectly square. These measures allow for rapid on-site installation which save you time and money.

With Bark House Shingles, put them up and forget the maintenance for good! Read how beautifully our shingles age over time:  The Natural Aging of Bark Shingles

The Bark House Difference 

Why is bark shingle siding better than other types of siding?

Why not cover your home with what Mother Nature covers her trees? It’s so logical to use our bark shingles to protect your home given that is a natural UV, fire, water, and insect resistant covering for the wood underneath. Fire-resistant capability data is available by request.

Rest assured that over time your investment remains solid. There are old poplar bark-sided structures we visit and monitor that are still going after 80 years! On top of that, none of those old shingles would pass our stringent grading and processing procedures today made necessary with modern building code standards.

Does bark shingle siding require maintenance?

Our Poplar Bark Shingles require no maintenance over the life of the product. The natural toughness of the bark makes it a great economical siding option for your building. By removing the need for regular maintenance, installing poplar bark shingles saves you time and money over the lifetime of your structure.

Does Bark House offer a trade discount or volume discount?

Most of our distributors do offer trade discounts. We are also able to offer a discount on Poplar Bark Shingle orders over 1000 square feet.

How much will my bark shingle order cost to ship?

Bark Shingles are shipped in the most economical way possible for the size of your order. Most shipments will be done via Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight, and the cost will depend on your order size and shipping location.  We are happy to provide you with a quote.   

What is the minimum quantity of bark shingles that I need to order?

Our minimum order is 24 square feet, regardless of Grade or Height.  If you are looking for very small quantities, we do have 6″ x 6″ sample tiles that you can easily order via our sample page, Sample Kits.

Sample Kits Available

I am creating a one-of-a-kind space.  How can Bark House support my vision?

What makes bark siding distinctly mine?

Once you install Bark House Poplar Shingles on your building, you can expect the bark to take on characteristics of your environment. The sun, wind, and rain will allow the bark to become uniquely yours. To learn more about the aging of poplar bark shingles, see this link: The Natural Aging of Bark House® Shingles

We work with architects and designers all over the globe to create unique product applications that have contributed to award winning designs. We welcome the opportunity to do so with you.

Can I customize bark shingles?

Product Options makes your fit and customization finish unique.  As you scroll down on our Bark House® Bark Shingle page you will get to choose your thickness, height, and multiple finish options.  If you need this product laminated to a substrate for your specific application, we can do that too!

Chicago childcare center required shingles that were laminated to 1/4″ Hardie backer board.

Which shingle height should I order?  Does shingle height matter?

Options in product height allows your creativity to shine whether an exterior or interior application.  Unless you are working with an historical application where a specific shingle exposure is preferred, the choice of height is simply for aesthetics in design. 

Can Bark House help me to share my unique project with others?

Projects with Bark House products have been featured in over 250 well-positioned media outlets.  We want to celebrate the completion of your unique project.  Share your project with us!

Schedule a Meeting 

I am interested in regenerative manufacturing practices.  What benefits do Bark House processes create for Appalachian forests, families, and climate-change remediation?

How does Regenerative Development benefit communities?

“When a practitioner of Regenerative Development works in a project or community, the result should be increasing ableness for that community. People should become better able to evolve and pursue the aspirations they hold for healthy and meaningful lives. Water and air should be increasingly able to maintain their quality, and forests to support enlarged diversity of life. These are the indicators that real value has been delivered to stakeholders.” www.Regenerat.es

Podcast with The Carol Sanford Institute:  Regenerative Work

What is green, sustainable or regenerative manufacturing?

The single skilled craftsman encompassed the earliest form of making products.  Training was personal and the tradesmen took pride in their work and the benefits it produced.  A post-industrial world saw the use of machinery, increased scale and a trend toward practices that were Extractive to people and planet.  Recognizing a need for change and making a choice to do better, manufacturers improved their processes and identified themselves as “GREEN companies”.  With an aim to do “less bad”, and quantify what better should look like with agreed measurements, companies were certified through third-party groups as SUSTAINABLE.  Companies with a REGENERATIVE aim were either founded with this mission, or made conscious choices to work to create new and fitting potential for the places they operate and the sectors they disrupt.  Regenerative design opens a new level of exploration.  It begins a process of wholistic, collaborative development.  This occurs in tandem with the natural world and the inhabitants of the places they work. 

“What if consumers became healers of the world?” – Chris McCurry speaks on environmental issues at the Leadership NC Conference in Asheville.

What are the green or regenerative benefits I receive when purchasing from the “Original Manufacturer of Bark Wall Coverings”?

We offer a thirty-year track record with over 250 well placed publications sharing our regenerative philosophy that is now and has always been the core-business for this company.  The co-founders designed the original products and processes, inspired by nature.  The products you purchase reach their highest achievement when supporting your regenerative projects.  Read more about the benefits below.  Feel free to contact us at [email protected] to ask questions or share your project details with us.      

MATERIAL SOURCING

Where is the wood sourced?

Bark House sources only Reclaimed Appalachian Wood Waste, (RAW™) from small 10-acre tracts owned and stewarded by local families over generations.

What benefit do you create when you only source materials from the Appalachian region?

The Bark House manufacturing facility is located within the five states across the Appalachian region in which our raw materials are sourced.  The co-founders were born here and understanding “Appalachia” as a place has been their life’s work.  Because this is our neighborhood, we take our impacts very personally.  The proximity means that our neighbors can let us know what we’re doing well and where we need to improve.  The benefits we are most proud of is helping to keep family farms intact and providing right-fit, nature-based jobs in this economically distressed area.  The legacy of US Forestry practices began in our back yard.  We aim to honor the philosophy of those practices by exceeding them.

What benefits are created from small-tract harvesting?

Whether select (most often) or clear-cutting, smaller tracts sparsely spaced throughout many Appalachian states means that the impact of harvesting is less disruptive to the living eco-system. Loggers provide materials from forty-five counties across five Appalachian states.

What benefits do smaller eco-logging crews offer?

Smaller 2-3 person crews with lighter equipment disturbs the soil less, so regrowth occurs faster.  Carefully felling and removing trees and following Forestry Best Management Practices protects the trees from scarring and invaders.  These practices are less disruptive to the living eco-system.

How does the Bark House^® process impact local watersheds?

• The company’s material procurement model utilizes small logging crews, with less equipment on small tracts and has a lighter impact on the environment
• Loggers are trained in water stewardship and have state governed logger certifications
• No water is used in direct manufacturing
• Bark House participates in water stewardship initiatives, stream bank restoration and stream protection initiatives to improve water quality in the Appalachian Region
• We advocate for and educate about clean water
• We monitor Government Reporting on watersheds where our materials are sourced

What else is Bark House involved in to improve Appalachian forests and impact climate change remediation?

You can read about all our engagements over thirty years in real-time accounts published in the EmBark Blog and over 250 acclaimed publications. Right now, we are working to support a Regenerative Source Guild of the Blue Ridge.

MANUFACTURING

How does your investment in Solar Panels impact your Carbon Footprint?

Solar panels replace our electricity as one important component in the total carbon equation to manufacture a low carbon product.

How does Bark House’s unique kilns impact your Carbon Footprint?

High efficiency kilns designed by co-founder Marty McCurry exclusively for the complex process of drying bark are the first and only kilns of their kind.  They received the NC Governor’s Green Innovation Award and are one important component in the total carbon equation to manufacture a low carbon product.

Do poplar bark panel wall coverings qualify for LEED building practices?

Bark House veneer wall coverings may qualify for LEED points based on locally or regionally sourced product.

SOCIAL BENEFITS

What financial benefits does Bark House create for Appalachian families?

At a minimum, 50% of annual company income is invested directly in to the local community.  As a comparison, big box stores invest 12% in the local communities where they operate.  Products are 100% sourced and made in the Appalachians.  We purchase wood-waste products from land owners that are not acceptable in the standardized industry because of figure, curl or massive size.  Employees are paid a living wage as a starting point.  Importantly, a new income stream for this economically challenged area means that family farms can remain intact.

How does Bark House support the culture of the Appalachian region?

Bark House supports cultural diversity, equity and inclusion.  These attributes can be traced in Appalachian culture before European settlement began and as it occurred.  Cultural diversity is inspired by the region’s vast bio-diversity of flora and fauna.  One thing this culture of independent people agree on is an appreciation for nature.  Bark House work supports people to retain this close relationship with nature.  Our volunteer work and community contributions center on further developing this relationship.

What verification can you offer that supports your social benefits?

Bark House believes in shared prosperity and we can back up our claim of social benefits with the certifications and awards that we’ve received:

• We maintained a B Corp Certification over a ten year period earning Best for the World Awards.
• Bark House was the first and only (to date) to receive a Platinum grade from Cradle to Cradle across all platforms.
• We are considered a Buckminster Fuller Catalyst Company.
• We received a Regenerative Business Award.
• The Department of Commerce presented Spruce Pine Main Street with a Design Award for the Main Street Pocket Park and Visitor’s Center. This project is one that we spent years volunteering our time and resources to and we couldn’t be prouder of the outcome.
• In 2016, Bark House was an Architectural Record Product of the Year Winner.
• Root Cause honored us with the 2017 Support of Local Wood Product Award in recognition of our efforts in promoting local forest products and supporting jobs in the forest products industry.
• We may not have been on the prestigious John Ruskin Prize shortlist, but we were among the top 5%.
• Other certifications and awards can be viewed on the certification page

What social benefits do bark panels offer beyond the Appalachian region?

Bark House views the development of a relationship that honors nature as critically important, especially in view of a disrupted climate.  Our wall coverings go into the space where people spend most of their time (indoors) and provide a gentle invitation to remember those healing, invigorating moments outdoors – in a forest.

Can Bark House help me to share the benefits that my project creates with others?

Projects with Bark House products have been featured in over 250 well-positioned media outlets as well as being featured in our blog.  We want to celebrate the benefits your project is creating for people or the environment.

Share your project with us

If you have further questions for us, please reach out to [email protected].

We look forward to working with you!

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