Timber cladding is a brilliant way to transform your home exterior and make it more interesting. It’s a versatile material and it’s more environmentally friendly than a lot of other cladding options. However, when using wood, you have to pay more attention to things like installation and maintenance if you want it to stay in good condition. If you think that timber cladding would be perfect for your home exterior, here are a few tips you should keep in mind. 

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Choose The Right Wood Species 

The kind of wood that you choose is very important when installing timber cladding and a lot of people make the mistake of only focusing on aesthetics. Although the way that it looks is obviously important, you need to consider durability, cost, and maintenance needs as well. If you get a lot of rain where you live, for example, you need a hard-wearing wood that can stand up to the weather. There are a lot of different types of wood available, so spend some time reading this guide to see the relative benefits and drawbacks of each. 

Pick A Profile

Once you have chosen the right wood species, you need to pick a profile. The profile is the shape of the cladding and it affects how the cladding is installed. Some profiles are much easier to install than others and they all vary in terms of the way that they look and the protection that they provide. You can find a list of different profiles and some information about each here. Tongue and Groove cladding is one of the most common profiles that you will see and it’s a great option. It’s relatively easy to install and it overlaps nicely, giving a lot of protection to your home. 

Manage Pests 

Once your cladding is installed, you need to make sure that you stay on top of pests. There are some pests that love to eat wood and build nests inside it and if you let these pests run wild, your cladding will be ruined. You should check your cladding on a regular basis and look out for any tell-tale signs. If you notice any perfectly round holes with dark stains around the edges, that is most likely to be carpenter bee damage, in which case, you need an exterminator. You can tell if it is carpenter bees if you see a small pile of sawdust under the hole because they don’t actually eat the wood. Be on the lookout for lots of tiny holes too because that can be a sign that you have a woodworm. Pests can quickly ruin your cladding, so be vigilant and deal with them right away if you spot any. 

Treat The Wood Regularly 

Your timber cladding needs to be treated regularly to protect it from the elements and stop it from rotting when it rains. Paint is so good for your home because it gives you an effective protective layer during the winter. That layer will last much longer if you invest in good quality paint, but it doesn’t last forever, so make sure to reapply regularly. If you prefer the natural wood effect, you will need to use high-quality wood treatments to protect the cladding. 

Keep these things in mind when choosing and installing your timber cladding and you will be able to transform your home exterior. 

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