Benefits of Exterior Timber Cladding

Timber offers designers a unique combination of practical, environmental and aesthetic advantages.

Wood has long been used as a structural and finishing material in construction and it continues to be one of the few building materials that can help us meet carbon zero goals.

Practical advantages include:

• Wood is a strong yet lightweight material, offering protective and decorative design functions.
• Wood is easily worked to accommodate alterations and repairs.
• Performance and longevity of lower durability (and cheaper) timber species is easily enhanced by factory applied treatment technologies (preservative treatment or wood modification).
• The fire performance of timber can be upgraded with approved factory applied flame retardants when deemed necessary
• Surface finishes can be applied to customise appearance or give added protection.
• Suitable for both new build and renovation projects.
• Dry installation means the external envelope is quicker to install
• Timber clad buildings eliminate heavy masonry outer walls, reducing size and cost of foundations.
• Cladding panels may be factory pre-fabricated off-site, complete with insulation and breather membrane saving time, labour and costs.

Environmental advantages include:

• Timber is a renewable resource.
• Source certification schemes ensure its sustainability.
• Low carbon footprint - requires less energy to produce than any other construction material.
• Growing trees remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Using wood stimulates the expansion of managed forests to absorb more of this global warming gas. Specifying timber has major environmental benefits over other materials.
• Major potential for re-use or recycling at end of life. 

Wood CO₂ts less is a collective mark of Wood for Good Ltd. Using wood from sustainably-managed forests instead of other materials is a good way to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Aesthetic advantages include:

• Timber is a natural material, warm and comforting connection with nature.
• It is attractive in grain and colour.
• Wide availability of styles, textures and finish options encourages design innovation.
• Easily rejuvenated or redecorated.