The use of timber cladding can lift the aesthetic of garden buildings, garages, outbuildings, sheds, car ports, and many other external structures that complement a home – or a commercial building, for that matter. Timber cladding is a wonderfully versatile and resilient product, which will add character as well as giving protection against the elements, for any type of external building where you choose to put it to use. If you are hoping to install timber cladding on any of your outbuildings, you need to know that you’ve chosen high quality timber from a reliable supplier. Buying timber that is below the expected quality might mean that it rots, and there is often no guarantee of the timber’s sources, so it might not be from sustainably managed forests. These are all very important points to consider when picking the perfect timber cladding for your property.
So where do you start when looking for timber cladding for an outbuilding? The main considerations are twofold: how do you want your cladding to look, and how will it be installed? It’s important you know the answers to both of these questions in order to get satisfactory results from your cladding installation. If you want your cladding to look rustic and homely, there will be certain types that are better to use. If you prefer it to look more modern, or you want a specific colour or finish, this needs to be taken into consideration too. Thinking about installation is also very important at this stage, because it will dictate the type of cladding you end up choosing. Will you go for a type you can install yourself, or will you opt for a professional installation?
Here are some of the different cladding types that you can select, and a brief guide to the situations in which you might choose the for your outbuildings:
- Featheredge cladding. Featheredge cladding boards are cut from one board. They’re diagonal, creating two tapered boards that overlap. For a rustic appearance, with a rough sawn face on show, this is the perfect option.
- Rebated featheredge cladding. These boards are very similar to featheredge cladding in many ways but will fix flat against a surface, improving stability and weatherproofing. They come in a range of finishes, including black and white painted.
- Siberian cedar cladding. This is a popular type of cladding board and will offer a host of benefits, as well as a distinctive appearance.
- Ends matched cladding. These boards have a tongue and groove structure, so they’re easier to fit and might be a good option for a self installation project.
- Profiled cladding. This is available in various options like half lap and ship lap.
- Waney edge boards. Boards come with a waney edge, complete with bark, to give a distinctive appearance.
If you want to try before you buy, good suppliers will understand this and will be able to provide you with cladding samples. This allows you to see the exact colour of the cladding boards (it can be difficult to tell online) and will show you the size and shape of the boards as well.