Exterior cladding - educate me please

[Gone fishing]

We’ll be starting some building work in the new year and the plan is to clad the exterior in something appropriate for the countryside, next to a barn conversion, probably more rustic than sharp, but not distressed

I’m starting to look at what’s out there and my head hurts. ideally something that’s low maintenance so I presumed solid wood is a potential issue, not against composites but some look cheap, and I’m struggling to know what I’m looking for.

Why do I need to know? Thx

[Rough101]

Cement board type stuff, fire retardant and doesn’t shrink or warp.

Cedral or the like.

[OutInTheShed]

Slate or tile hanging are traditional in some areas.

There's also a world of 'rainscreen' cladding.
Many materials including stone and brick finishes.

[Steve H]

Green waney edged spruce is a good option if it would suit. Very economical, needs zero treatment and looks great in a rural setting.

When new -



A few years later -

[Rampant Golf]

Rough101 said:

Cement board type stuff, fire retardant and doesn’t shrink or warp.

Cedral or the like.

That's what I have going on mine. Zero maintenance ans doesn't fade or weather.

[WrekinCrew]

Check out recent videos by Robin Clevett on Youtube. He's a big fan of Thermowood cladding.

[Simpo Two]

Gone fishing said:

We’ll be starting some building work in the new year and the plan is to clad the exterior in something appropriate for the countryside, next to a barn conversion, probably more rustic than sharp, but not distressed

I’m starting to look at what’s out there and my head hurts. ideally something that’s low maintenance so I presumed solid wood is a potential issue, not against composites but some look cheap, and I’m struggling to know what I’m looking for.

Why do I need to know? Thx

Old barns are often clad in horizontal timbers with a black coating - pitch perhaps. Lasts for centuries, 100% country authentic. How about that?

[Aluminati]

Proper barnplank.

[Gone fishing]

Rough101 said:

Cement board type stuff, fire retardant and doesn’t shrink or warp.

Cedral or the like.

Fire retardant isn’t a bad shout, I’ve heard about insurance companies being funny about some cladding. I’ve ordered a sample of Cedral

[Frankychops]

Rough101 said:

Cement board type stuff, fire retardant and doesn’t shrink or warp.

Cedral or the like.

This would 100% be the wrong stuff. Just looks cheap(to my eyes).

Go for a natural material, one that ages, it’ll last longer than you and fit in with the surroundings.

A decent larch will grey in over a few years without the cost of oak

[Gone fishing]

The waney edged spruce or similar that silvers does look good although Mrs Fishing isn’t so keen, the various charred/blacks do too and I imagine the quality of the finish can vary quite a lot depending on supplier

[blueg33]

Frankychops said:

This would 100% be the wrong stuff. Just looks cheap(to my eyes).

Friends which one you use. We use HardiePlank, it’s excellent.

[LooneyTunes]

What’ll look right perhaps depends to a degree on where you are in the country. I didn’t recall ever seeing, for example, a black clad barn/similar around where we are, so one would look a bit odd.

Around me most people going for cladding have gone for western red cedar and either left it to silver or oil treated (we did the latter as we don’t really like the colour variation you get on the more sheltered parts of walls). Gets re-treated with an Osmo UV product every year or so, not a huge job, any should last for ages.

Two things worth considering if you go for natural materials:
1) Treat the rear of the timbers before installation to further extend lifespan:
2) Think about how you’re going to fix the cladding. Ours is all “secret nailed” which I think looks massively better than being able to see exposed nail heads. Takes a bit longer but worth the effort if it’s a slightly “crisper” style of cladding that you end up going for.

[skeeterm5]

We looked at the cement board stuff but it is just too clinical and clearly “artificial”. We decided that if we wanted a wood look then the best solution is to use wood.

We chose Scottish Larch.

You can use it without treatment, it is naturally durable and it weathers down over time to a lovely silvery grey colour. Plus it is relatively cheap to buy, easy to work with and source ( at least in Scotland it is!).

[Frankychops]

blueg33 said:

Friends which one you use. We use HardiePlank, it’s excellent.

You build a lot of developments though don’t you? On something like that, it’s prob the perfect application. On anything else, I think it just looks like ‘fake wood’ where a natural product should be.

[blueg33]

Frankychops said:

blueg33 said:

Friends which one you use. We use HardiePlank, it’s excellent.

You build a lot of developments though don’t you? On something like that, it’s prob the perfect application. On anything else, I think it just looks like ‘fake wood’ where a natural product should be.

We do quite a few. Some small and it looks good on those. The black is IMO better than natural timber, it’s doesn’t fade after years. The coloured ones that replicate painted timber are all good, the ones that replicate unpainted timber are less good and we don’t use them.

I am seriously considering doing my summer house in the blue or grey versions.

[blueg33]

Frankychops said:

blueg33 said:

Friends which one you use. We use HardiePlank, it’s excellent.

You build a lot of developments though don’t you? On something like that, it’s prob the perfect application. On anything else, I think it just looks like ‘fake wood’ where a natural product should be.

We do quite a few. Some small and it looks good on those. The black is IMO better than natural timber, it’s doesn’t fade after years. The coloured ones that replicate painted timber are all good, the ones that replicate unpainted timber are less good and we don’t use them.

I am seriously considering doing my summer house in the blue or grey versions.

[Den Den]

I've been considering this stuff, https://www.cedardirect.co.uk/ it seems quite reasonably priced.

[Gone fishing]

Thanks for the replies so far

What I've learnt so far:

The youtube bloke is pretty good and its highlighted the detail around windows etc which with man made materials can sometimes look more bulky or using a different edging strip. The finish he gets with Thermowood looks very much like the finish we're after,

Thermowood looks favourite for a natural material, how it ages I guess is the next question, and what treatment it needs. Looking at some of the buildings and structures using it, it can't need annual maintenance, I presume thats primarily for UV protection?

I've had a few samples delivered of cement board type stuff and I was supprised by the thickness of one of them. Something to be mindful of unless I don't understand the one sample I was sent.

[blueg33]

Surprised at how thick or how thin