In the UK the timber cladding market has grown massively since we first started manufacturing it at Bennetts Timber in the late noughties. According to recent data the cladding market in the UK is set to grow by a further 4% by 2027 as property owners and developers seek to find a sustainable, attractive durable and cost effective alternative to the traditional brick or render finishes.
But what is timber cladding? Well, in its simplest form cladding is the application of one material over another to create an outer layer. For example a building with blockwork walls could be over-clad with timber as an alternative to a brick or render outer skin. The timber cladding would be fixed to timber battens secured to the blockwork, usually over a waterproof membrane. Similarily, cladding can be used for timber framed structures too, with even better sustainability credentials! Timber cladding can also be used to retro-fit to existing buildings to give them a new lease of life, see the transformation of the building below from a dated bungalow to a stunning home, as a great example of what can be achieved, in this case using Western Red Cedar cladding:-
With the importance of environmental product declarations and the carbon life cycle of a building, it is not surprising that people are increasingly keen to procure environmentally sustainable products such as timber cladding which should be appropriately certified as FSC or PEFC compliant. Timber is a natural low carbon product that is produced from sustainable forests.
Coupled with its environmental qualities, timber is also an extremely versatile and attractive product. It can be used in its natural form which will fade to silvery grey over time, depending on the amount of UV exposure. Or it can be treated with a UV protector to retain those natural colours, or coated with an appropriate paint for a contemporary look. These treatments can be applied in factory environments, as can fire retardant treatments to appropriate standards which may be required for building regulations.
Timber is a versatile product that can be machined to a number of profiles. At Bennetts Timber we have a broad selection of face fix (FF) or secret nail (SN) profiles that can be used. These range from simple tongue and grooved through to shadow gap and rainscreen profiles. The profile and board width will determine the 'face cover' which is used to calculate quantities.
Which timber species to choose? The choice is wide and will depend on the look that you want to achieve and, probably more importantly, what fits your budget. European Larch is now popular, a slow grown timber from Central Europe it is durable and with a white to honey colour. Western Red Cedar hails from Canada, it is light yet durable and colours range from reddy brown through to dark brown. Thermowood is a thermally modified pine from Scandinavia which is dark brown and can be quite knotty but as the timber has been heat treated it is extremely stable.
Our expert cladding team have been dealing with premium timber cladding for many years and are on hand to guide you through the choices required. Call us on 01472 350151 for further information.
