Timber Cladding

About Timber Cladding

Timber cladding is a timeless exterior finish for buildings in New Zealand, typically related to systems of wooden components with various joints. Attached to the external walls of the structure, it forms a protective shell with various properties and attractive visual appeal. 

A vast range of species can be used in New Zealand from softwood to hardwood, each with different properties and advantages, can be used to produce timber weatherboards. Some excel in natural durability, longevity, or resistance to moisture, decay, and insects. Other features include ease of use, stability, and appeal. 

Advantages of Timber Cladding

Using wood for enveloping buildings is a traditional, elaborated weatherproofing procedure in New Zealand with benefits that multiply proven over time. 

• Natural beauty: The timeless beauty and organic flair conveyed by cladding the building with wood have their place in every architectural style. They blend perfectly with the surrounding nature in rural areas and lose nothing of the character in the city environment. With the growing popularity of biophilic design, timber cladding slowly becomes a staple of urban design. 
• Sustainability: In New Zealand, Wood is a material mostly sustainably sourced today. Its natural, eco-friendly, and carbon-sequestering properties place it among the most sustainable, environmentally conscious materials available. Moreover, it’s renewable - and timber weatherboards are 100% recyclable. 
• Adaptability: Wood is comfortable to work with. Compared to many other finishing materials in New Zealand, timber cladding can be easily customised, changed, repaired, or removed. Availability of different paints, stains, oils, and other visual enhancers allows for creating unique designs and patterns.
• Budget-friendliness: Some species boast a luxurious character with a price to match. However, there is also a plethora of available cost-effective variants in New Zealand that share some of the same or similar properties. In addition, compared to many counterparts, timber cladding is lightweight, easy to transport, manage, and install - all of these factors play a role in the final cost calculation. 
• Functional properties: Wood is an excellent natural insulator due to its air pocketing and overall structure. It helps to maintain a stable internal temperature, saving some costs for heating and cooling in the process. Additionally, timber cladding is also a decent sound isolator. 

Types of Timber Weatherboard Cladding

Weatherboard profiles determine the structure and type of timber cladding, in terms of both the way the pieces fit together and the final look of the facade. In New Zealand, each system has its own set of advantages. For that reason, the right choice is a matter of personal preferences, desired effect, and overall architectural approach. Some profiles are better suited for a traditional or rustic look, while others convey a modern allure ideal for urban design. 

Along with the visual qualities, weatherboard profiles also determine the level of protection against elements.

Shiplap Weatherboards

Both the name and style of the shiplap weatherboards come from the system used to encase ships and secure additional protection from water. For a long time in New Zealand, it was the timber cladding method of choice for enveloping sheds and cabins. Today, it keeps gaining popularity as an element of urban architectural design - and for a good reason.

Shiplap weatherboards make one of the most popular timber cladding profiles. Similarly to the V-groove profile, shiplap is based on a tongue-and-groove joint system but features a more extended lip for improved waterproofness. Overlapping weatherboards create a solid structural system, flexible and resistant to elements. This type of cladding is a successful fusion of aesthetics and function, rustic and contemporary, traditional and modern. 

Bevel Back Weatherboards

A prominent horizontal composition is the trademark of bevel back weatherboards. This lightweight yet sturdy timber cladding system is designed to allow the air to penetrate the construction and quickly dry out any moisture. 

Boards are available in several sizes and quality grades in New Zealand, depending on the wood species used in manufacturing. They are typically primed with two coatings of paint. Due to their superior weather-tight performance, bevel back weatherboards are excellent for use in harsh climate conditions or coastal areas. 

Board & Batten Cladding

Wide, vertically arranged weatherboards with seams covered by thin strips make the airtight board-and-batten timber cladding system. This simple and affordable method produces diverse facade styles with the possibility of different board orientations.  

In New Zealand, board and batten cladding is typically available in white. It can be applied as a wrap around the entire structure, or as a single accent. Durable and weather-resistant, the system produces a visually attractive and functional facade, easy to install and repair. 

Rusticated Weatherboards

Very similar to the bevel back wood cladding system, traditional rusticated weatherboards boast strong yet slightly different aesthetics. The main difference, however, lies in their profiles. Wide voids, along with the prevalently horizontal board orientation, are best suited for mild and dry climate conditions. 

The rustic, vintage, farm-style weatherboard appearance strongly accentuates the attractive natural character of the wood species used for production. Various finish alternatives and a range of oil treatments are available to choose from in New Zealand, encouraging the creation of unique design solutions.

V-Groove

V-grove is a versatile, all-around profile suitable for both residential and commercial use. A tongue-and-groove system allows for a modern and neat silhouette with a distinctive shadow line between the boards. 

Like shiplap, the V-groove wood cladding boasts excellent weatherproofing properties, along with strong structural integrity. 

Wood Species 

Apart from visual appeal, the wood used for manufacturing timber weatherboards needs to satisfy a number of functional demands in New Zealand. It should be stable, durable, long-lasting, with at least moderate resistance to elements, as well as mould, rot, and insects. 

While softwood makes a preferred choice when the budget is a considerable factor, hardwoods offer similar performance with some additional benefits.

• Cedar cladding: Durable softwood with straight-grain texture and a hue falling between red and brown sides of the spectre, has been a highly popular material for timber weatherboards for a long time. Its key characteristics are rot and element resistance. Cedar cladding is stable, workable, lightweight, and affordable. 
• Siberian Larch: Another sought-after softwood species, this pale yellow wood features a more delicate texture than cedar. Its grain is straight or spiralled, available in two visual quality grades. Siberian Larch is dense, durable, relatively lightweight, and workable. While less resistant to rot than cedar, it boasts higher scratch and physical damage resistance due to its density. On top of all, it comes with a budget-friendly price tag.
• European Oak: One of the top hardwood choices for home siding in New Zealand, European Oak is golden brown in colour, with a coarse texture. It’s distinguished by exceptional strength, resilience, and natural durability. Although hard and dense, oak is quite workable. Proper treatments and staining showcase its natural beauty while maximising its resistance to rot and elements. 

Treatments and Maintenance

Just like timber decking, most of the wooden cladding will gradually discolour over time when exposed to daylight, air, and UV rays. While some enjoy the weathering effect and the specific rustic flair it conveys, others prefer to protect the wood and slow down the fading process.  

• Colourless preservative oils: The oils will delay the fading, but they will not stop it entirely due to the absence of UV filters. They are a good solution for controlling the weathering process, keeping it consistent and graceful, with good protection against insect and rot damage.
• UV protectants: Potent, deeply penetrating UV protectants can be applied by brush, spray, or cloth. They are typically available in a range of shades, from clear to deep greys. Such treatments protect the wood cladding from sunlight, preserving its colour for an extended period of time. Recommended application in New Zealand is bi-annually if the building endures prolonged exposure to the sun - or once every 3-4 years for the structures that dwell in the shade. 
• Protective paint: Layers of opaque paint provide lasting protection. Together with solving the weathering issue, protective paint helps to maintain the cladding in great shape and keep the insects, mould, and rot at bay. The only downside of painting is that it completely covers the natural appearance of wood.

Things to Consider Before Buying Timber Cladding

Although weatherboard systems can be installed year-round, it’s strongly recommended to choose the period with moderate climate conditions in New Zealand - not too hot or humid. 

Prices can vary. On average, durable hardwood species with all sapwood eliminated belong to the high-end of the price range. Softwoods protected by an industrial process fall to the more affordable end. However, although significant, the initial price is only one segment of the budget. The real cost-effectiveness of the wooden siding also relates to the necessary labour, facade performance and level of required maintenance. 

Prevention is the key - meticulous detailing during the installation process will maximise the structure’s moisture resistance, improve its durability and prolong the life span.  

If you need assistance to find the right timber cladding for your home or office, ArchiPro provides a connection to various professionals in New Zealand, ready to assist with all requirements and questions. Simply click "Contact supplier" on the product's page, or visit the supplier's website directly from the product's page.