Shown below is an example of my exterior above my garage. I was wanting to look into painting/stucco/new siding work and wondered if what "bracing" you see as the same color of the house was purely decorative or if it applied to the structure of the house. To be more specific, these are the boards that run horizontal and vertical which are not white.
Some of the inside panels below/between these 1×6 boards may need to be replaced around the house and I wanted to assess replacement options/methods.
Best Answer
The style of finish with several narrow vertical boards placed on broader surfaces is called board and batten. The battens are used to hides seams of the broader sections, and in more primitive construction, to fill cracks, block air, and improve insulation.
The battens are not meant to be structural, but when nailed, screwed, or glued into place, add some minor additional rigidity to the structure. The horizontal and angled strips are also primarily decorative, but fill roles similar to the battens.