Timber Cladding - Low Processing Energy Consumer - Less Toxic Polution

There is a growing interest amongst Architects in the use of timber for cladding, not only for domestic construction but also for much larger and more prestigious building projects. Coverting a log to boards generally uses little energy and produces less toxic polution to the environment than the production of other major building materials. Careful selection of species and appropriate specification of finishes can minimise energy use and any calculated environmental impact both initially and in the long term use of the building.

The majority of timber cladding will be in softwood as a renewable building material using such species as Western Red Cedar, European or Siberian Larch and in some instances, Douglas Fir and treated European Redwood. Popular moves toward hardwoods have resulted in the increasing use of durable temperate species such as European Oak although tropical hardwoods such as Iroko and Massaranduba are still being specified.

CNA have been involved with the specification and design of installation methods of some complex timber cladding projects such as the open cladding of the new Aintree Grandstand escape stairways in large section Larch and the 'board on board' cladding, again in Larch, on the main buidling core sections. Some cladding Project Details are available for viewing relating to this and other CNA cladding projects.