The pros and cons of timber cladding

Timber has a strong reputation as an attractive and durable solution for exterior home cladding. From its eye-catching classic visual appeal to its more practical benefits in terms of durability, efficiency and versatility, there are numerous attributes in timber’s favour – however, there are also a few key considerations, such as maintenance.

Timber cladding, as a strong yet lightweight material, brings many advantages. With a wide variety of both soft and hardwood timber options to choose from and the ability to install it vertically or horizontally, there is something to suit every style and every budget. Timber is easily maintained and repaired and brings exceptional thermal insulation properties – and, as a natural material, timber is attractive and renewable when forests are managed sustainably.

What are the reasons to use timber cladding?

There are numerous reasons timber cladding is so widely popular. A sturdy material, timber offers natural resistance to corrosion – and with the advent of thermally treated timber cladding, it can provide an exceptionally durable and stable cladding solution.

What wood is used for cladding?

In New Zealand, native timbers were mainly used in construction until the 1950s, with the options broadening from the 1960s to include more exotic woods such as oak, Corsican pine, European larch, Radiata pine, western red cedar and western yellow pine.

What is the best wood for exterior cladding?

There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to selecting the most appropriate wood for exterior cladding. This will depend on many factors, including location and personal preference. For example, treated radiata pine weatherboard cladding is widely used in New Zealand in paint finish applications.

Western Red Cedar is a go-to for a ‘natural’ look – and for this reason is also a popular choice for decking. Locally grown thermally modified radiata pine, also with a natural look and enhanced stability and durability, is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to these old growth, imported timbers.

Rusticated horizontal weatherboards offer classic appeal and are known for reliability. Meanwhile, the bevel back weatherboard was a fixture of design in the mid-20th century – and is proving to be a timeless option that remains sought after.

What are the types of timber cladding?

There are a plethora of options when deciding on the wood to be used for timber cladding. The next decision is profile. Will the boards be horizontal or vertical? Perhaps tongue and groove is the desired aesthetic, or perhaps a more modern profile may better suit the architectural intentions of a home.

Find out more about the importance of timber cladding maintenance.

Top banner image credit: Kwila Handrails from ITI Timspec