Cladding Profiles
A wide range of timber cladding profiles
Timber cladding remains a popular choice due to its timeless beauty, stability, durability and sustainability. When choosing the right timber and profile for external cladding, it is important to consider factors like durability, appearance, maintenance, and cost. If you have an upcoming cladding project take a look at the profiles available below.
Sawn Profiles
Feather-edge
Species available: Douglas Fir, Larch, Oak and Western Red Cedar
Fresh sawn (green)
Feather-edge cladding (also known as weatherboarding) is a traditional style of external timber cladding often used for oak framed buildings, rural properties and barn conversions. The fresh sawn boards are cut on the diagonal to produce a tapered board that is overlapped when fitted (similar to the appearance to roof tiles). Feather-edge cladding is designed to be laid horizontally and it is recommended that the fine sawn face of the board is exposed. This results in the traditional feather-edge finish and also allows the timber to accept and retain any treatment, minimising future maintenance.
Waney-edge
Species available: Douglas Fir, Larch, Oak and Western Red Cedar
Fresh sawn (green)
Waney-edge is the most natural and rustic style of timber cladding and is ideal for barn conversions, rural outbuildings and garden rooms. It is laid horizontally and created by overlapping rough sawn timber boards so that the natural edge (which can include the bark) is left exposed on the lower edge of the board. The sap band of the waney edged oak is susceptible to decay and insect attack, the installer should therefore ensure that the heartwood has a good overlap.
Square-edge
Species available: Douglas Fir, Larch, Oak and Western Red Cedar
Air dried or kiln dried
If you are looking for vertical timber cladding or screening, then there is quite a choice, from rough sawn to planed all round boards. This cladding option is both versatile and affordable - ideal for new, contemporary buildings, as well as for agricultural structures. Boards are available in a range of widths and can be overlapped or spaced to create a range of styles.
Machined profiles
Shiplap
Species available: Oak
Air dried or kiln dried
Our machined timber shiplap boards overlap, creating a tight waterproof seal that provides excellent protection against the weather. Generally fitted horizontally, shiplap is low maintenance and has a clean, smooth finish. The wide ‘scoop’ on the top edge of the board results in an aesthetically pleasing shadow line. WL West Timber can machine a range of shiplap profiles for both face fixing and hidden fixing.
Suitable for both contemporary and traditional buildings, in residential and commercial settings, the shiplap profile is predominantly used on new-builds, extensions to older properties and outdoor living spaces.
Halflap
Species available: Oak
Air dried or kiln dried
If you require a fresh, linear appearance and a waterproof façade, our machined halflap cladding is the perfect option. Unlike a shiplap profile, with its distinctive shadow lines, the halflap profile offers a smoother finish with a slimmer shadow gap, making it ideal for use on contemporary new builds or modern extensions to an older property.
Halflap cladding can be fixed vertically or horizontally and you can choose from a range of board widths and profiles to suit your specific requirements.
Rainscreen
Species available: Oak
Air dried or kiln dried
Rainscreen cladding consists of rhomboid shaped boards equally spaced apart to form a contemporary, decorative façade. Unlike most other types of cladding, rainscreen cladding boards are not interlocked or connected. As a result, they should only be applied to a structure that is fully waterproofed.
This style of cladding is ideal for covering unsightly walls and creating freestanding screens. Architecturally stunning, once installed, the gaps between the boards produce a sleek look, with strong, eye-catching shadow lines. Rainscreen cladding also offers design flexibility – it can be installed horizontally or vertically, mixed widths can be used, and it can even be installed at an angle, or with a mixture of orientations.
Tongue and groove (TGV)
Species available: Oak
Air dried or kiln dried
Tongue and Groove (TGV) is a machined cladding profile with a smooth finish and an interlocking edge that creates a waterproof façade. This style of cladding board creates a modern, uniform look, with a key benefit being the ability to hide the fixings through the tongue.
The boards fit together on the long edges (like floorboards) and can be fitted vertically or horizontally (depending on the profile you choose). Should you choose to fit them horizontally, it is recommended that the boards are installed with the tongue uppermost, this is to allow any moisture to fall away from the tongue.
Cladding Species
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Douglas Fir Cladding
Our native Douglas Fir cladding is strong and naturally durable, with the highest strength rating of a softwood. The timber has a distinctive salmon pink hue and darker growth rings, weathering slowly to a silvery-grey. A cost-effective option for cladding, Douglas Fir is very straight grained and 30% lighter in weight than oak.
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Larch Cladding
We source sustainable, British larch that offers excellent value for money. This species is perfect for cladding as it is both tough and naturally durable. A good all-rounder, British Larch ranges from a warm yellow to a reddish-brown colour. The timber has interesting grain patterns and knots are common but generally small.
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Oak Cladding
An iconic hardwood, oak has been prized for thousands of years for its timeless beauty, strength and resistance to decay. Our beautiful European oak is a durable and long-lasting choice for external cladding. It can withstand harsh weather conditions and maintenance is relatively low, as oak requires minimal cleaning and oiling.
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Western Red Cedar Cladding
Western Red Cedar is naturally durable, lightweight, stable and environmentally friendly, making it the most popular choice for external timber cladding in the UK. It has a unique, attractive reddish-brown colour and a distinctive aromatic smell. Even left untreated, cedar cladding will stay straight and last for decades.
Timber cladding in West Sussex
Looking for a particular piece of information, asset or advice? Visit our Resource Hub to find an array of resources on all products. From timber species and grading, to blog posts and case studies, through to downloadable information such as timber certification.
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Do you require cladding for your next project?
We are a leading UK timber merchant & machinist, supplying trade, commercial & homeowners.
From providing cladding and flooring to specialist services such as CNC machining, we can help. With over 155 years’ experience, timber is what we do. Get in touch with our Sales Team to get your cladding quote.