Siberian Larch Feather Edge Cladding

Our Siberian Larch Feather Edge cladding is supplied in two standard profiles:

• IWC9 - 200mm wide Feather Edge Siberian Larch Cladding - to be overlapped 25mm giving 175mm face cover
• IWC10 - 150mm wide Feather Siberian Larch Cladding - to be overlapped 25mm giving 125mm face cover

Feather edge is a is a popular choice for exterior cladding because there is more freedom with how it’s finished. Unlike with other cladding where there is a set overlap or groove to fix into, feather edge has a wider margin for fixing where you can fix the boards to an overlap of your choosing. This freedom and cost effectiveness of the cladding make it a popular choice.

The Sawfalling grade Siberian Larch we supply will contain knots, but fewer than the British Larch. Larch is a knottier wood than most which is one of the reasons it’s so popular because it looks more traditional. Siberian Larch feather edge cladding varies in colour from a pale reddish-brown to a brick red when fresh sawn.

The Unsorted grade will contain less knots and is the highest grade we supply, this is a very contemporary grade of timber leaving you with a clean, modern finish.

Even though it’s a fresh sawn softwood, Siberian Larch doesn’t need treating because it is naturally resistant to movement. You can treat your cladding to preserve the cladding but the most popular finish for is to let it go silvery grey as it weathers in sunlight.

All Larch cladding is supplied in random lengths to match the coverage area you need. If you would like to specify what lengths you need please contact us to confirm we can provide those lengths. If we can you can enter the lengths requested into the “Special Instructions” box on the shopping basket page.

You can contact us on 01889 279 018 or by talking to us on the online chat.

Treatments

Be sure to read through our treatment information by clicking on "Treatment Guidance" above. It talks about sealing, preserving and protecting the timber from the sun's UV rays. Here are quick links to the products we recommend:

• Wood Preserver Basecoat - Barrettine Premier Universal Preserver
• UV Protection to Delay Weathering

Fitting Guidance

Our Feather Edge Cladding is designed to be installed by a professional with previous experience in successfully fitting it. The information here is provided as an overview only and is not a substitute for professional fitting advice.

Be sure to read our treatment guidance as treatment needs to be applied prior to fixing your cladding

Breathable Membrane

Consult a fitter to determine if your scenario would require the fitting of a breathable membrane between your wall and the cladding. This membrane stops rain getting to the wall, but allows moisture to escape, helping to prevent internal condensation and mould that can come with it.

Treated Softwood Battens

Treated softwood battens (available from our cladding accessories pages) are most commonly used to fix to the wall (or on top of the breathable membrane) to then fix your cladding to. Feather Edge Cladding is for horizontal fixing only, so your battens need to be placed vertically, at around every 600mm (60cm).

Fixing the Cladding

** Whether you use nails or screws, it's important that they are stainless steel, or silicone bronze ARS, so that the natural tanins in the timber will not corrode them. Never use iron nails for fixing timber.

There are two common ways to fix feather edge cladding. The first is to nail it, in which case it's best to use two nails across the width of the board (so one vertically above the other), as long as you don't nail through two boards at once with the same nail, so it won't split as it expands or contracts with the seasons. If you use nails, preferably use ring-shanked for extra grip, and again stainless steel so they don't corrode. For lower-density species like cedar, consider using nails with larger heads so the cladding doesn't pull through.

Secondly, you can pre-drill holes wider than the body of the screws you are using, and hold the boards with the head of the screw. This will allow movement without splitting the boards.

Either way, start at the bottom and use an extra batten to space the bottom of the bottom board away from the building. Work your way up the building. Make sure you have the thinnest part of the board at the top.

Layout of the cladding

With each new row of cladding you add, it's preferred that you stagger the joins between each board so you don't create a visible seam.

As already stated, these are just ideas to get you thinking about installation and you should consult a professional installer before fitting your cladding as every scenario is different.

Treating Timber Cladding

All of our timber cladding is provided untreated.

For best results, cladding should be treated before it is installed to ensure application of the treatment on all sides and ends of the boards.

We recommend Wood Finishes Direct for all of your treatments. We have found them to be well priced and their telephone support and advice is second to none. We highly recommend giving them a call.

The following information is from Wood Finishes Direct in relation to treating timber cladding.

When it comes to treating your timber cladding, there are three areas of protection to consider.

1. Sealing against moisture movement - Sealants are used to help prevent moisture entering the wood causing it to expand. Kiln dried timber like European Oak will definitely need to be sealed, and for other timbers it is highly recommended.
2. Wood Preserver - Helps to prevent rot and protects the wood from insect infestation and mould.
3. UV Protection - The ultraviolet rays of the sun slowly bleach external timbers. UV protection oil helps to keep the natural colour of your timber for longer and prevent it from turning silvery grey so quickly. Some people like their timber to weather and prefer the silvery grey look so it’s completely down to you.

The following links will take you straight to the products on Wood Finishes Direct's website:

Product to Seal and Preserve

To address Sealing and Preserving, they recommend applying one or two coats of "Wood Preserver Basecoat - Barrettine Premier Universal Preserver" before installation to seal against moisture movement and protect it from mould and insects.

Product to Protect from UV Rays

Then to optionally delay weathering, two coats of OSMO UV Protection Oil. There are different colours of OSMO UV Protection Oil available, with names like 'Cedar' and 'Oak', but these colours are to make other timber look like the stated species. We recommend the 420 clear version which interferes the least with the natural colour of your timber.