There are different things meant for the protection of your building. One of these is cladding or siding. Cladding is the coating of your wall or floor using another material.
Other than protecting your structure from weather elements, dirt and pollution, cladding serves an aesthetic purpose and also creates good heat insulation for your interiors. The material options for wall cladding are vast.
Timber more so cedar cladding is the popular material choice. This is because wood is lightweight and hence reduces your necessary foundation’s size, has natural decay resistance and comes in different finishes and textures.
Wood is also eco-friendly since it can be recycled after its use in your cladding. The following are the best wood species to pick for your wall’s cladding.
Western Red Cedar
This is one of the common softwoods for wall cladding. If you use the heartwood, your cladding might not need protective treatments. Western red cedar can be screwed or nailed easily with minimal risk of splitting.
It is also known for its natural decay resistance, aroma, and exceptional appearance. Its natural oils, however, corrode ferrous metals, and hence you should use stainless or galvanised steel fittings to mitigate this. The expected service life of western red cedar cladding is 40-60 years.
European Redwood
This wood species can be used for external and internal cladding and comes from Scandinavia. It has a light colour with a yellowish tint making it ideal for joinery and machining works.
European redwood can also be impregnated using high pressure to protect it from fungal and rot damage. Its ideal painting or staining choice primarily depends on the wood’s natural colour.
Larch
This is a softwood species, but unlike others, does not need regular treatment. Left untreated the wood species turns into an attractive silvery-grey tone with time. Larch comes in several colours ranging from rich brown shades to warm amber hues.
The service life of the wood is 30–50 years, and the ideal choice is one which has been air-dried to achieve a moisture content of 16–18%.
Sweet Chestnut
This is a hardwood species popular for its strength and durability. It is an eco-friendly alternative since it has a quick growth cycle and will hence be replenished faster than other wood species.
Sweet chestnut can be nailed and cut easily making it ideal for innovative designs. It also readily absorbs stains and paint.
Oak
This is also a hardwood variety which is extremely durable. The most popular oak choice for external cladding is green oak which has a natural rustic look. There is a variation of oak with a 15–25% moisture content known as dry oak ideal for profiled cladding sections.
More often than not, oak is left untreated to showcase its beautiful natural colour. It has a 40- to 60-year service life.
The exact characteristics of the above wood species for cladding depend on their growing conditions and your site’s specifications. There are different wood cladding style options. The common ones include Victorian and Georgian for a traditional look and open cladding for a contemporary one.