To Clad or Not to Clad...

You will notice more and more houses are being Timber clad. Whether it’s the gable end of a 50s bungalow or the front elevation of a new build, timber cladding is making a strong come back, but why?

Wooden cladding has many benefits and unlike other exteriors, if properly maintained, it can last for upwards of 30 years, it also makes for a fantastic contemporary Scandinavian look. The benefits of using high quality imported timber such as Canadian Western Red Cedar or Kiln dried Siberian Larch, is that it contains natural anti decay and rot properties and provides low future maintenance. If left untreated the timber will naturally silver down .If you want to retain the colour of the timber you can coat it in a UV protective oil and it’s a bit like us putting on a sun cream as it stops the timber going silver in the UV rays ! Cladding also doubles up as a great insulator. Timber has high insulation properties; it helps to sustain energy resources on the planet and saves you money over time! Cladding also works as a great acoustic barrier due its excellent sound absorption properties.

Innovative products to the market make cladding your house a solid investment, take for instance Thermowood D which was launched in the 90’s .Thermowood D is a Finnish pine or spruce timber which is thermally modified making it more stable than untreated softwood. The heat treatment changes the chemical make-up of the timber so it is less able to absorb moisture. This restriction of moisture movement limits any potential for swelling, shrinkage or distortion and makes for a very stable lightweight timber.

Timber cladding is an “on trend” yet classic product which is seeing a massive resurgence in popularity and from cladding small sections to update your existing home to a complete cladding project on a new build, the process will certainly increase your house’s curb appeal!