What is it?
Feather-edge cladding is a style of external timber cladding which is created by overlapping sawn and tapered timber planks.
The traditional aesthetic of feather edge cladding lends itself well to any type of space that is outdoors, for example outhouses, barns, sheds or even the exterior walls of your house or garage. Most people prefer this type of cladding when trying to create a more traditional appearance.
Unlike waney-edge cladding, feather-edge boards are supplied with a sawn finish, with straight edges and without any wane. This type of cladding is formed by sawing a rectangular section of board at an angle, which results in two sections that are tapered across the width. This then creates two wedge shaped boards from the initial one board. The reason for this is that feather edge cladding is designed to be laid horizontally. This is also the reason why feather-edge cladding is very cost effective.
Best Practices to Ensure Best Results
1. Don’t sit on your cladding
Don’t worry we don’t mean that literally. What we mean to say is that once you receive the boarding, installation should be done quickly. Fresh sawn oak naturally shrinks and moves as it dries so it is important to fix it up as quickly as you can.
Pro tip: Make sure that you keep your boards neatly stacked and out of direct sunlight when you receive them!
2. Fix your boards up right and tight
Cladding should be fixed approximately every 400mm. What you want to make sure of is that your fresh sawn cladding is fixed by selecting the boards in a manner which allows the heart to face away from the building. Then place 1 fixing 10mm above the top of the board below. This method allows for shrinkage as the product dries out. Some suppliers advise using two nails per board, but this does not allow for shrinkage of the board. Over time this will result in your boards splitting. We recommend fixing the board once with a stainless steel nail located 10mm above the upper edge of your previous board.
3. Please mind the gap
Once your oak boards are sawn, be mindful that the drying process has already started. The width of your board may have already reduced slightly by the time you start fixing the boards. Overlap of the boards are essential to allow for natural shrinkage and movement of the boards.
Transform the look of your home by giving your exterior surfaces a new lease of life with some oak feather edge cladding. If you are stuck on ideas of how to install your cladding, you can install them horizontally, vertically or even diagonally if you want to send out a bold statement!
Call us TODAY for all your cladding needs!!
At Wittswood, all our wooden garage doors are made from solid European Oak in prime or character grade, oiled or unfinished.
All our wooden garage doors are custom made in our factory to any size you may require.
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