5 Best Wood to Choose from for External Timber Cladding

Choosing the Best Timber Wood for Exterior Cladding

External Timber cladding refers to the use of timber (wood) for cladding on another surface, usually walls and exterior of a place. The use of timber cladding adds strength, durability and natural beauty to the exterior walls.

If you are looking for the best wood for your next timber cladding project, you are at the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about timber cladding, including the best timber species for cladding.

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Timber cladding is a type of popular finish for the exterior of buildings. It refers to attaching timber/wood slabs to a primary structure (wall, etc.), generally to increase its strength and appearance.

Cladding is made by processing timber to a certain profile. Depending on the type of timber used in cladding and the profile, timber cladding can be of many types, such as v-groove cladding, shiplap cladding, shadow gap, half-lap, and others.

Since one of the reasons to use cladding is durability, timber species with good natural durability and beauty are preferred for external cladding projects. And thankfully, there are many options to choose from. A large number of timber species have been found to be useful in building cladding for building exterior.

Though cladding is made from many other materials, wood is preferred because of its high durability as well as aesthetic appeal. Not just homeowners and public properties, many commercial properties are also increasingly using timber cladding to add both protection and appeal to their building exterior. On top of everything, wood cladding is also favourable to the environment as compared to many other building materials, which is another reason why people are being inclined to them.

Benefits of Timber Wood Cladding

• One of the primary reasons why people choose timber cladding is that it adds beauty and a natural look to the place.
• Also, wood cladding is sustainable and environmentally friendly as opposed to other construction materials.
• It’s easy to install, change, customise or replace.
• It can fit any budget, as cladding is available in a wide range of timber species.
• And last but not the least, timber cladding is also known to provide outstanding insulation against temperature, sound, etc.

Now, let’s come to the main point. What’s the best timber for cladding?

How to Choose the Best Timber for Exterior Cladding

Depending on your budget and cladding needs, you can choose from a variety of timber options for exterior cladding. Exterior wood cladding must not only match your building style and look but also should be durable enough. Depending on your location, the wood cladding must be strong enough to withstand natural things like rain, sun, snow, wind, etc. At the same time, it should have decent resistance to insect and fungal attacks.

If you are looking for the best timber for your external cladding project, here are some of our best options.

Iroko

Native to the west coast of tropical Africa, iroko wood is extensively used for decking, flooring, furniture, and cladding. It’s often called African teak because of its teak-like look and properties. The hardwood looks beautiful in its yellowish-brown colour and has extraordinary strength and durability. It’s naturally resistant to insect attacks.

Iroko is one of the oldest wood species in Africa. Did you know many iroko trees live up to 500 years or more? The slow growth rate of these trees is one of the reasons why the timber is so strong and dense, making it a perfect choice of wood for exterior cladding.

Oak

Oak is highly durable and dense and can withstand a variety of insect attacks as well as natural phenomena. The timber is very tough and strong and lasts for decades, which make it a good choice for exterior cladding as well as a range of other exterior projects like furniture and flooring. Oak cladding also looks beautiful and has a unique appearance.

Sapele

Sapele is a West African hardwood found exclusively in tropical rainforests. It is primarily used in flooring, furniture, panelling and cladding. Being an exotic wood, Sapele can be expensive depending on where you buy it from.

Sapele looks somewhat like mahogany and gives a wonderful appearance when used in exterior furniture and cladding. It’s also exceptionally durable and has good resistance to rot and insects.

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Zebrano

Famous for its unique, zebra-like appearance, Zebrano is a highly durable wood that not only looks good but is also quite strong. It originates in West Africa and is commonly used for flooring, furniture making and cladding. The wood is dark brown with natural zebra-like stripes. Zebrano is highly durable and can withstand all kinds of natural phenomena. It’s also naturally resistant to insect attacks.

Wenge

Wenge is a premium wood like Zebrano. It grows in central and western tropical African and is widely used in furniture, flooring, cladding, among others.

Not only wenge wood looks exceptionally good in its natural dark brown colour with black streaks but also it’s extremely durable. The wood is very hard, dense and naturally resistant to termite attacks.