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British Western Red Cedar Cladding

British cedar is stable, durable and it grows in our local woodlands. Although the wood is relatively knotty when compared to Canadian cedar, it is considerably cheaper.

Style

Traditional

Profiles

All sawn and machined profiles

Source

British woodlands

Beware

Easy to damage

British Western Red Cedar Cladding Features

The majority of western red cedar cladding seen in this country is imported from Canada; however, cedar grows well in our woodlands too. British cedar cladding offers a significantly cheaper alternative to Canadian cedar and avoids the substantial environmental impact of shipping timber to the UK.
The stability and natural durability of British western red cedar makes it ideal for external cladding applications. The wood is relatively knotty but the knots are sound and do not detract from its effectiveness.
For a comparison between British and Canadian grown western red cedar watch our video.

Call us to discuss your project

Specification

British western red Cedar Cladding from Vastern Timber

  • British western red cedar
  • Thuja plicata
  • Sourced from legal and well-managed forests in England and Wales.
  • Supplied by Vastern Timber (sales@vastern.co.uk)
  • Grade : BS1186-3 1990 Class 3 / EN942:2007 J50 (Knotty)
  • Finished thickness of 20mm
  • Overall finished widths 70mm / 95mm / 145mm
  • Random lengths 1.8mt – 3.6mt, allowing small % down to 1.5mt
  • Available in various profiles
  • Moisture content of 16 – 20%
  • Durability EN350-2 Moderately Durable. Class 3
  • Supplied uncoated. No treatment required.

Characteristics

Appearance
British western red cedar has a pink to amber heartwood with a creamy sap band. The wood contains frequent dark knots. The colouring of British cedar is paler, but more consistent than its Canadian cousin.

Weathering
When left untreated, cedar will bleach to a silver patina. Because of its relative consistency, British cedar cladding weathers more evenly than Canadian cedar. Northerly elevations may weather to a darker grey than those facing South

Desired service life
Occasionally wet 30 yrs. Frequently wet 15 yrs.

Movement class
Small

Resistance to impact
Low

Working properties
Good workability. Takes fixings satisfactorily. The wood is soft and relatively brittle which can result in bruising and splintering. No pre-drilling necessary. 

Density
330 – 390 Kg / m3

Extractives
Western red cedar contains reactive oils, which will corrode ferrous metals. All fixings used in conjunction with western red cedar should be stainless steel. The brown oil can leave unsightly brown stains on the surface of the cladding and will stain any porous materials below the cladding. The reactivity of the oil makes western red cedar cladding unsuitable for polluted areas.

Installation

How to fix
Hand nail with stainless steel nails through the face or through the tongue on suitable profiles.

Alternatively use a second fix nail gun and insert two nails per batten at opposing angles. For more information, visit the resource centre.

Batten type
Treated softwood. 35mm thick x 50mm wide

Batten spacing
400 – 600mm 

Nail type
Stainless steel only. 50mm ring shank nails for hand nailing or 50mm second fix brad nails if using a second fix gun. Trim head stainless steel screws are also suitable. 

When to fix
Year round. Very stable in all conditions.

Resistance to fixing
Low.

Profiles

We machine timber cladding to the profile of your choice. View our full range of cladding profiles

We recommend the following profiles for British cedar.

Disclaimer

While the utmost care has been taken to provide accurate information, Vastern Timber shall not be held responsible for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions on this website nor for any damages resulting from the use of the information.

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        We can send up to three cladding samples to show characteristics and grade of the wood. We cannot supply specific cladding profiles.

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