Back to timber cladding British Elm
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Green British elm waney edge cladding
British Elm (Ulmus species) (hardwood)
Although elm is now largely extinct in the British Isles, due to Dutch Elm disease, Vastern continues to maintain some of the largest stocks of logs and sawn planks in the country.
Elm is undoubtedly the most beautiful timber grown in our native forests. The colouring of elm can range from dark purple to light green, with various hues of silver and brown in between. The grain can be wild, and the boards will contain various knots and burr clusters (cat’s paws), all creating a stunning finished product when used as cladding.
British elm has long been used as a cladding material, especially in Wiltshire, where it was known as the Wiltshire weed. The uneven, but usually sound, edge of elm has made it a popular choice for waney-edge cladding.
Elm is a particularly unstable wood prone to distortion. Therefore, care should be taken not to expose the cladding boards to excessive heat, either before or soon after fitting.
BS EN 350-2 Elm is classed as non-durable. This is, however, more of a testing issue than a performance issue. Elm cladding stands the test of time; even without treatment it can still be in situ, in good condition, fifty years later.
Workability: Elm is quite a difficult wood to work. Normally takes fixings without splitting, but should be pre-drilled. High tendency to distort and warp.
British-grown
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