If you’re unable to find either flat-sawn or radially sawn lumber to match the depth and profile of clapboards on your house, it’s possible to have new boards milled to spec, or to field-cut the wood to size. It’s more expensive, but custom milling eliminates some potential problems with field cutting. Not all carpenters are experienced in cutting lumber on site, and field cutting also may also leave unfinished raw cuts on seasoned or factory-finished wood. (A raw end grain absorbs water exponentially faster than a finished surface.)