British Larch Shiplap Cladding

Our British Larch Shiplap cladding comes in two profiles for you to choose from which are:

• IWC6 - 19mm x 145mm overall, with a 135mm face - For horizontal fitting
• IWC7 - 19mm x 145mm overall, with a 128mm face - For horizontal fitting

The main difference between the two profiles is the face width you get: IWC6 has a 135mm Face and IWC7 has a 128mm face. Both profiles are only suitable for horizontal fitting.

Although it is fresh sawn, British larch, like so many of our other homegrown timbers is stable enough to be machined into profile. The fresh sawn merchantable grade larch we supply is ideal for external use.

British Larch is variable and colour and can be anything from a pale reddish-brown to a brick red. We recommend treating all external timbers to seal them from moisture movement. All timbers will eventually go silver grey due to the sun's UV rays, but you can preserve the colour of your timber by treating it with a UV protection oil which will protect it from sunlight.

The timber also contains knots which adds character to the wood and makes it look like a more traditional material. We source British Larch from fully managed forests where their aim is not only supply great wood but also make the supply sustainable.

Usually the board lengths of our British Larch Shiplap Cladding are randomly 3m and longer when supplied. Where necessary we can try and provide exact lengths to your requirements, if you do have any special length requirements please call us on 01889 597281 or talk to us on the online chat to confirm we can supply them. If we can, all you need to do is enter your lengths in the “Special Instructions” box on the shopping basket page.

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

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. Shiplap cladding is to be fixed horizontally 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.

The timber is designed to only be fitted horizontally with the start of the running lip across the width of the timber at the top. To stop your wood from splitting it’s best to pre-drill any holes and then hold the boards with the head of the screw.

You can also use nails, preferably 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.

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.