Growing fascination with the aesthetics of modern housing has given a boost to products that combine beauty and performance, and none more so than timber cladding.

That timber cladding is an important market with the potential to expand is not in question. According to a BRE study published last year, the current usage for timber cladding in the UK is approximately 180,000m2 per year.

Its increasing popularity among architects and designers reflects its unique qualities for use as a protective and decorative envelope for buildings. It also allows for great flexibility in design and can be used for any scale of project.

“The cladding market is undoubtedly growing, both for residential and commercial build,” said Christian Brash, managing director of John Brash, which supplies a wide range of timber cladding and shingles in materials such as western red cedar, European redwood and home-grown Douglas fir and larch.

Cladding allows for great flexibility in design and can be used for any scale of project

Duncan Kirkwood, of the A Proctor Group, agrees that the market is buoyant. “It appears to be getting stronger as many developers and commercial builders are looking for sustainable products,” he told Timber Building.

“It has been surprising [to see] the level of enquiries and orders we have received to date, considering we only launched the Maibec and Royale cladding ranges in January.”

Brash attributes timber cladding’s success to several factors. “It provides a sustainable solution and an environmentally-responsible design,” he said. “It also has an aesthetic appeal which means it can be sympathetic in a rural environment but also blends well with other materials for urban builds.”

Timber cladding also boasts strong green credentials. Converting a log to boards generally uses little energy and produces less toxic pollution than the production of other materials. The cladding wood can be used ‘green’ (ie undried), thus reducing both costs and the energy required. Performance issues differ for different specifiers, but most will want a timber that is durable and will require the least amount of maintenance, thereby reducing the lifetime cost of the structure.

Gordon Aitken chose Accoya for the cladding on his house in Scotland

When it comes to species, western red cedar is the most popular form of timber cladding, closely followed recently by Siberian larch. “Both timbers have naturally durable heartwood and therefore, do not require treatment,” said Brash.

Simon Thomas, at Capricorn Timber agrees, “Our turnover for both products increases at a rate of something close to 9% each year,” he said, although he has found that, to a lesser extent, iroko and Douglas fir are also being specified.

“Architects in increasing numbers are specifying cedar as it is complementary to more modern materials such as stainless steel,” explained Thomas. “Cedar is now accepted as a timber of major importance as far as its environmental credentials are concerned. It has high values of thermal insulation; is stable in situ; is highly durable, hence no need for treatment; and can be sourced from sustainable and legal sources.

“It is also aesthetically pleasing and can have its original appearance retained by stain or can weather to a silver lustre; the majority of our customers leave the timber untreated.”

Another species is creeping into the mix – namely Accoya, a softwood modified by a patented acetylation process to perform like a hardwood (TB Autumn 2006). Manufactured by Titan Wood in the Netherlands and distributed in the UK and Ireland by sawmiller BSW Timber, Accoya cladding was the material of choice for architect Gordon Aitken when he built his own house in Glenrothes, Fife.

“I knew from the outset that I wanted a cladding material with minimal maintenance,” he said. “However, the aesthetics were also paramount to a successful design. 

“I was impressed with the benefits of Accoya, including its outstanding durability and the significant reduction in timber shrinkage and expansion,” he added.

It is the aesthetic properties of timber cladding that are increasingly putting it high on the lists of architects wanting durable but visually effective finishes to their buildings.

“Originally, architects liked the idea of natural products weathering but various coloured finishes are becoming popular,” said Pat Burke, group purchasing director at Arnold Laver Group.

Christian Brash also believes the tide has turned and that stains or painted finishes are replacing the weathered look. “It’s particularly true in urban developments where the natural grey finish may be less desirable as it blends with other grey construction materials like concrete and steel,” he said. “We have seen an increase in stained timber enquiries from specifiers. The timber and coatings industries are working together to provide the best product with the least maintenance.”

Cladding provides an attractive, sustainable finish to any building

The A Proctor Group, for example, offers what it believes is a unique warranty on its Maibec range – 50 years against rot and decay and 18 years on the paint finish, plus a further 15 years if one coat of paint is applied in year 18.

“The response has been outstanding,” said Duncan Kirkwood. “Many of the major developers are considering switching from more traditional methods of construction because of the peace of mind we offer.”

With individuality becoming increasingly important, the company claims it can offer over 5,000 different shades and colours. “In fact, our first two major orders were both for a specific colour the client wanted and we managed to supply them within a tight timescale,” added Kirkwood.

External timber cladding provides an attractive, economic and environmentally-friendly way to complete buildings. As the type and form of construction in the UK changes to embrace the concepts of sustainable timber frame development, improved energy efficiency and increased fabrication, timber cladding's popularity is set to rise even further.

SHINGLES

According to Christian Brash, managing director of John Brash, sales of shingles are up on last year and the market remains buoyant. “The product is currently fashionable and shingles are being widely specified on many different projects,” he said.

One such project is Hudson Architects’ Cedar House, a new-build private residence in Norfolk that pilots a prototype for cost-effective new-build modern housing. Working with structural engineers Alan Conisbee Associates and off-site construction specialists Framework CDM (see pp10-11), the practice adopted Framework’s system of prefabricated timber panel floors, walls and roofing, making the building quick to assemble on site and offering high levels of insulation.

Externally the building has been entirely cloaked in 15,000 untreated cedar shingles (supplied by Coyle Timber), a finish which belies the prefabricated system beneath. Fixed to battens over a breathable waste-woodchip building board, cedar was chosen as a more cost-effective alternative to weatherboarding.

The building has been entirely cloaked in 15,000 untreated cedar shingles

Coupled with the clean lines of the aluminium window surrounds and integrated into a design that cleverly conceals obtrusive rainwater systems, the cedar provides a dramatic protective cloak that fits well with its countryside surroundings.

When it comes to species, western red cedar shingles have the lion’s share of the market, although there is small demand for oak and chestnut.

“It’s a practical, sustainable and economic roofing solution,” said Christian Brash. “With its natural attributes of strength, beauty and incredible durability, western red cedar is one of the most popular woods for building applications. The rich, warm colour and texture of western red cedar shingles can enhance the design of both traditional and modern structures to create truly individual buildings that blend naturally within the environment.”