In America, wood has been the leading choice for siding since the first settlers arrived, and is still in use today. Unfortunately, due to the high cost to purchase and maintain wood siding, it has been replaced by other types of non-wood or composite siding, some better than others. Wood siding includes clapboards, white cedar shingles, red cedar shingles, re-squared and rebutted shingles, and shakes to name a few. The photo is of standard white cedar shingles with a five inch exposure, commonly referred to as five inches to the weather.