1. Q . Do I have to stain my clapboards right away? 2. This is a town of neat lawns and tidy clapboard houses. 3. The biggest building in town is white clapboard , naturally enough. 4. Most paints fail because of moisture behind the clapboards or shingles. 5. It is OK with clapboards , because fewer vents are used. 6. A . The best way is to nail through one clapboard . 7. Anything higher and the clapboards will curl and warp like crazy. 8. With care and luck, you can use the clapboards again. 9. The clapboards are 25 years old and in need of fixing. 10. Pressure-washing wood clapboards and wood shingles is less hazardous.