timber cladding

[marmic]

Afternoon all, on the next topic now and need some more opinions please!  Plenty of contradictory information out there including from various timber suppliers and 'official guidelines'.   So to cut through the uncertainty - what's right, and what's sensible / acceptable? 

 

We have timber frame larsen truss wall panels with 38mm studs to fix battens to (through the breather).  Plan all along has been to use 25x50 battens.  We have full plans approval and I know 25mm cavity is fine.  Cladding will be horizontal sweet chestnut (as discharged planning condition) and have narrowed down to feather edge or shiplap.  Visaully feather edge probably preferable - but cost, practicalities, and speed all factors too.

 

(Rebated feather edge or half lap out as I need to trust somebody to leave the right gaps  - and after the groundworks phase would rather mitigate risk!  And I don't have time to do myself as have to work for a living. Waney edge visually was top of list but is out due to increased thickness and corner detail dimensions and how this interfaces with eaves/verge)

 

1.

We will have butt joints in the cladding - how many depending on cladding lengths. (shiplap available longer wth finger joints). The recommendations (tdca / trada / elsewhere) is double battens at joints.  And in which instance battens should be min 50x38. But seems possibly to be more precautionary rather then necessary.  If I keep to 50x25mm battens and if nail/screw holes predrilled (which is the plan anyway being hardwood) is a butt joint in practice ok here just over the 50mm?  Feather edge if green maybe not so good as a machined/dry shiplap.  Or just side fix additional batten 25mm thick and ignore 38mm?

 

2.

I haven't checked with timber yards yet but when I worked in timber industry 50x38 simply wasn't a standard size batten.  The next question is batten grades - been reading reference to cladding battens are necessary and roofing battens shouldn't be used. This a new one to me. Anyone?  Or maybe thinking some 75x25 suitably treated in all locations - again if easily obtainable with out paying stupid money - but feels over the top to me too

 

3.

Fixings - 2 or 1?  One makes far more sense to me, but again lot's of opinions and 'advice' out there!

 

4.

If we run with feather edge will we have a problem with movement/gaps making having insect grilles almost pointless!  The chestnut shouldn't in theory move like the softwood feather edge I've used in past on sheds etc (where it doesn't matter).  Any experiences?

 

Need to make a rapid decision - as whatever I do on the walls dictates what happens at the eaves/verge and the interface between corner of timber cladding at the interface with the eaves/verge joint.  Really need to keep to 25mm thick battens as planned unless no choice to go to 38mm.  No soffits / minimum overhangs. Need to order metal roof sheets / components urgent which will be made to measure for required dimensions!

 

Hopefully somebody out there has been through same process and has all the answers please!! 

 

 

 

 

     

[marmic]

oh and nails or screws - for batten and cladding?   (for the sweet chestnut need to use stainless).  trada etc recommend screws for cladding - but most suppliers so far seem to suggest ARS nails, and some supply too

[JohnMo]

Stainless ring grooved nails.

 

Make sure insects can not get in as well as mice etc.

 

Any gaps at corners joints between panels mean wasps can nest.

 

1. and 2. We just used 50mm battens, easy, no splitting if nailing near ends. Easy to get and cheap as chips. Nails for cladding have plenty of wood to get a grip in

 

3. We did two nails at each batten. Using standard nail gun. Mainly to limit wood from moving, any warping etc.

 

4. Whatever looks correct.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> mice

 

I spent an uncomfortable couple of days last summer - because it was all upside down / bending down / on my knees - putting in ss mesh in around the bottom of our cladding to avoid another mouse incident...

 

Seems to have worked, so far.

 

I should say that this is in a barn conversion that I didn't do. However, knowing that now, I will be 300% careful on that point with our new build.