Siberian Larch Rainshield Cladding

Siberian Larch rainscreen cladding is available in our IWC8 profile. It is designed to be fitted horizontally with around a 12mm gap between the front faces of the boards (click on 'more information' next to the profile above for a diagram).

The colour of Siberian Larch can vary between a pale reddish-brown and a brick red, however over time it will weather to a silvery grey, which is the most common finish that people desire. Larch is a characterful timber which is very knotty making it feel like a more traditional timber than some of the other "cleaner", less knotty timbers available.

For a higher grade alternative with minimal knots we also offer Siberian Larch in the Unsorted grade.

Larch is a very durable softwood which means that it doesn’t need treating to preserve its lifespan because it is naturally resistant to movement. This means that as moisture leaves and enters the timber, larch is very resistant to shrinking or expanding which would leave gaps within the wood, making it ideal for external use.

If you have any special length requirements, please ring to tell us. Usually we supply Siberian Larch cladding, randomly, 3m and longer however sometimes we can provide exact lengths. If you do have any special requirements on the length of your cladding, please call us before ordering so that we can confirm we can supply those lengths. Alternatively, you can talk to us on the online chat.

Treatments

Most people leave their timber to go the traditional silver-grey in the sun. We recommend talking to www.wood-finishes-direct.com if you would like to treat your timber. If you do decide to treat your timber, it needs to be treated all the way round including the ends to prevent moisture getting in at all.

Fitting Guidance

Our fitting guidelines are designed to give you a starting point on how to fit your rainshield cladding and we recommend that you consult an expert fitter to advise on your actual scenario.

Please note: One of the edges of our rainscreen profile has a steeper angle than the other. The profile is designed to be fitted with the steepest angle at the top, so the gap between the boards is widest at the front exposed side, and smallest at the back.

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

Breathable Membrane

Rainshield cladding should be fitted on top of a breathable membrane, because it is designed to be fixed with gaps around it. 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. For rainshield cladding, which is fitted horizontally, your battens need to be placed vertically, at around every 600mm (60cm).

Fixing

When fitting your timber to the battens we recommend pre-drilling the holes to avoid splitting the wood and then hold the board with screws. Rainshield cladding boards are designed to sit on top of each other and we recommend leaving a 12mm gap in between them on the front face.

Unlike other profiles of cladding, many people line up the joins on each row of cladding to create bold lines for a modern look.

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.

All our claddings are provided untreated. Fresh sawn timber claddings are best left untreated and to go silver grey. There are a wide range of optional treatments available for different species of timber and we recommend talking to the excellent team at www.wood-finishes-direct.com, who know the most up-to-date information on all the newest treatment products.