Exterior cladding. Help me decide

[Gregory01]

Hi, I hope some of you can help.

I am in the process of remodeling my home. As part of this we have a gable wall which we were going to fit with western red cedar cladding. I really like the look of this wood with its different colours.

The issue is that now we are at the stage where we need to order I am concerned partly due to the cost (approx £45 per sm plus circa £20 per sm for treatment, sanding etc). Obviously this is excluding any fitting costs. The second and probably more important issue is that to achieve the colours and stop it going grey it needs a clear oil coat which I have been told needs replacing every year or so. Realistically I am unsure if I will have the enthusiasm to get out the ladders and do this yearly. We are also in a very exposed position close to the sea so am not sure how this will effect it.

So I have been looking at the alternatives and in particular the fibre cement cladding boards. I am just not sure on the woodstain colours and wondered if anyone else has any experience with these. I haven't found anywhere that does them in a cedar finish which obviously would have been ideal.

So if it was your choice what would you go for?? Suggestions welcome.

Thanks

 

[ziden]

Just a point.

The words, "enthusiasm (not)/ladders/yearly" do not sit well with "very exposed position close to the sea". If you do go for wood you have to get out and do it.

At least timber treatment is a comparatively easy lick over compared to the chore of painting - blistering and flaking - repainting and so on.

FWIW. I recently visited Branscombe where there are cedar chalets erected along the sea front. They looked so good I thought they were recently erected. I chatted to a guy repairing storm damage and was amazed when he said they were put up in the early 80's . . . but have been given timber treatment religiously every year.

 

[geraldthehamster]

It shouldn't need sanding. Apply the first coat of oil (Osmo or similar) yourself and it will cost a fraction. It will need regular oiling but the oil goes on really quickly, and you don't really need to do any preparation before you apply it.

Cheers
Richard
(two dormers and front porch clad in cedar)

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Prdema Lignum is really nice cladding material though maybe out of your budget. But then it does not need any annual maintenance apart from a clean every now and then to clean the dirt dirt off etc. Just a thought.

 

[mranon]

freddymercurystwin. The Prdema Lignum looks very nice indeed. Any ideas on cost. I cant find it on their website. Is it one of those that if you have to ask the price, you probably cant afford it

 

[Gregory01]

Nearly 3 years on and this part of the project still needs doing and is next on the list. Does anyone have any other suggestions for a cedar look alike i.e. Cedar look but without the maintenance?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It's wood. It all changes colour with exposure to light and air. That's the inevitable result of choosing a natural material. If you don't want thst to happen then either do the maintainanceor choose PVCu (yuk!)

 

[Tigercubrider]

To be honest, I don't know the wood, but my modern building has wood cladding that is designed designed to degrade and create it's own skin over time. Think Grand Designs
It goes grey and sort of stays there without rotting

 

[Roger928]

If you haven't decided in three years then not a lot we can do.

 

[Gregory01]

Lots of other bits on the build needed doing. I kind of hoped if I waited long enough there might be some new man made product on the market which replicates the different tones of cedar. A friend of mine had seen some on a building in London but I can't find anywhere online who stocks it hence I thought it would be worth a try asking on here.

Anyway if there is nothing around then it looks like I will go with cedar and make sure I do the upkeep. I will upload some photos on my house extension diary. https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/my-house-extension-diary.375965/

Thanks