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Best time of year to start cladding with western red cedar?


oranjeboom

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Not sure if this is the best place for this posting so admins pls move as you see fit.

With both extensions up and now just waiting for the windows to go in, I'm getting organised to get the cladding on which will be WRC using a TGV profile. Window reveals will be done in cedar too. With 'summer' here now, should I wait to put the cedar on until the cooler months set in and the sun starts to disappear again? I'm wary that the wood will start to contort/shrink too quickly over the summer months. But then I'm also wary of my scaffolding costs and I'm tempted to get rid of it as soon as the windows are in and either erect again in October or use a couple of scaffolding towers instead.

 

What is best practice? Timber merchant just said that he gets orders in all year round even during the summer - but then they're mostly big commercial buildings being clad where property owners aren't as picky with wood shrinkage issues.

 

Thoughts?

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Just a quick google brought up this advice:-

Avoid these common mistakes for longer-lasting exterior wood cladding

  • Bear in mind this country’s  damp climate means moisture is inevitable. It helps to avoid cladding north or east facing surfaces
  • Get the timing right – to avoid warping and curling of green or freshly cut timber, clad your building between October and April to stop one surface drying faster than the rest
  • Never install cladding before or during a heatwave
  • Choose hardwood cladding, so much more durable than softwood
  • Find an expert installer, not just any old builder
  • If you’re going to use a wood finish, you will need a maintenance cycle to keep the cladding’s appearance up. Depending on the type of cladding, the wood finish or treatment used, which direction the surface is facing and also on how much wind, rain and sun the cladding gets will affect the maintenance period which could be anything from 2 to 5 years. Wood oils are easier to maintain as there is no need to sand the old finish off, just clean and re-apply
  • If you’re in an urban area remember dirt and pollution will affect the colour and condition of your cladding. It can even make some timbers turn almost black, notably cedar

 

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25 minutes ago, oranjeboom said:

 Not sure if this is the best place for this posting so admins pls move as you see fit.

With both extensions up and now just waiting for the windows to go in, I'm getting organised to get the cladding on which will be WRC using a TGV profile. Window reveals will be done in cedar too. With 'summer' here now, should I wait to put the cedar on until the cooler months set in and the sun starts to disappear again? I'm wary that the wood will start to contort/shrink too quickly over the summer months. But then I'm also wary of my scaffolding costs and I'm tempted to get rid of it as soon as the windows are in and either erect again in October or use a couple of scaffolding towers instead.

 

What is best practice? Timber merchant just said that he gets orders in all year round even during the summer - but then they'e mostly big commercial buildings being clad where property owners aren't as picky with wood shrinkage issues.

 

Thoughts?

Are you planning on treating it or just leaving it to weather ..?

One tip I was given was to spray the timber before fitting using a Sadolin treatment so the whole board got a coat. 

It does shrink slightly but not so much that you can see it. Your other option is to wait until it shrinks slightly and fit it, but if it swells then it could warp as its got nowhere to expand to. 

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14 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Are you planning on treating it or just leaving it to weather ..?

One tip I was given was to spray the timber before fitting using a Sadolin treatment so the whole board got a coat. 

It does shrink slightly but not so much that you can see it. Your other option is to wait until it shrinks slightly and fit it, but if it swells then it could warp as its got nowhere to expand to. 

Yes i do intend to apply a UV treatment to it. Mrs OB wants it to retain it's 'new look' whilst I don't mind it going grey....like all good things. And I have no intention of treating it yearly so it will weather. I'm thinking that over time, Mrs OB will not notice the gradual change.....;)

 

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Hi. I'm making my own cladding from stock oak, and larch. There are a few bits of sweet chestnut and hemlock lying about in the yard too. Wood dries out in the air naturally, even when it's raining. I have a nice little damp-meter which shows me my oak has dried from about 29% down to 18% in a few months. It hasn't rained much recently , it's true, but cutting through it when wet shows very little water penetration. And what little there is evaporates quickly. 

The main thing before use is to store the wood flat and distribute the weight evenly. Woods with a high tannin content; oak, sweet chestnut, larch last longer than most others

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3 hours ago, recoveringacademic said:

Hi. I'm making my own cladding from stock oak, and larch. There are a few bits of sweet chestnut and hemlock lying about in the yard too. Wood dries out in the air naturally, even when it's raining. I have a nice little damp-meter which shows me my oak has dried from about 29% down to 18% in a few months. It hasn't rained much recently , it's true, but cutting through it when wet shows very little water penetration. And what little there is evaporates quickly. 

The main thing before use is to store the wood flat and distribute the weight evenly. Woods with a high tannin content; oak, sweet chestnut, larch last longer than most others

I'm just cladding a shed at the moment with wood that I stored from last year and it is noticeably lighter than when it was first delivered. I've got sufficient space to store it for a few months to purchase the cedar now and then fit it later in the year. Have you stored your wood in a shed/barn or just tarp? I guess if it's got a proper roof over it, it's less prone to water leakage through the tarp and is better ventilated to dry a bit quicker? And is this the type of meter you have or you have a more £££ one? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moisture-Meter-Detector-building-materials/dp/B0036PSX0K 

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Hi, no cover over the wood yet, but a bit of cover is planned for the winter. Not sure how yet, but I'll get that fettled soonish. Yes, it's really nice when you pick up a piece of wood which was so much heavier. That's my real damp meter. My forearm. But I do have a super-cheap Aldi Special.

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1 hour ago, recoveringacademic said:

Hi, no cover over the wood yet, but a bit of cover is planned for the winter. Not sure how yet, but I'll get that fettled soonish. 

How about creating a frame out of scaffolding and then tie down some corrugated sheets for roofing? That's my plan for all my gear that I need to shift from the house before I put the UFH in.

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