Is there a need for drying Larch cladding and if so how long?

[tomcorke]

Hello

 

I'm looking at cutting some Larch cladding and wondered if there is a need to dry it before and if so how long for 22mm x 200mm boards and 22mm x 50mm batons?

 

I am also wondering how important it is to have the heartwood of larch rather than the sapwood for cladding?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tom

[billpierce]

sure people will tell you different, but i have always got away with larch cladding green. its pretty stable and unless putting it up in mid summer i'd say you'd be ok. worth pre drilling holes perhaps,

 

larch sap wood definatley doesn;t last that well, but if you have big eves i wouldn;t worry too much

[Old Lands]

I've always been told and thought to put it up green. It's cladding so it's partly superficial anyway, I wouldn't worry about the odd bit of sapwood, plenty of cladding is put up waney edge anyway.

[Duncansimpson]

We have done quite a bit of cedar cladding on our buildings and I was surprised by the shrinkage, up to 1cm on a 3 m board. A few gaps appeared. Give it a least 2cm overlap too to be sure. If you can use stainless steel nails as well it makes a much better job as no staining. Well worth the extra cost.

[SteveA]

Our barn is clad with waney edge larch.

My favourite bits are where there's lichen on the bark.

Ours was clad in winter when the boards were still green (very green).

Best to have a good sized overlap I think.

 

Stainless steel fixings are very expensive. We went with standard fixings.... yeah, they rust.... but who cares? they are cheaper and it's a rustic building.

 

However, I would use stainless or other suitable coated fittings with oak.

cheers, Steve

 

[billpierce]

nice "barn". when do you move in?

[SteveA]

nice "barn". when do you move in?

 

Haha! Lost count of how many people have said that. Does look great but it's not up to building regs standards on insulation.

cheers, Steve

[billpierce]

aye the roof looks like it wants a bit more sheeps wool

[tomcorke]

Great

 

thanks for everyones replies

 

i will hopefully post pictures of finished building on here

 

Thanks again

 

Tom

[sandspider]

Our barn is clad with waney edge larch.

My favourite bits are where there's lichen on the bark.

Ours was clad in winter when the boards were still green (very green).

Best to have a good sized overlap I think.

 

 

 

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Smart, that. Did you build it to a set of plans? I'd like to do something similar one day, but am not sure how to ensure it all comes together straight and accurately!