Installing Featheredge Cladding

Ensuring your Oak cladding is fixed right is very important to its looks & longevity! This article has a few key tips and tricks to help you achieve the best results: oak featheredge cladding that will look stunning and last for centuries.

Get It Up Quick

Fresh sawn Oak naturally shrinks and moves as it dries. Once you receive the featheredge boarding, you should aim to install it within a few days to prevent them from cupping and shrinking. Before installation, keep the boards neatly stacked together on even ground, and out of direct sunlight.

Fix It Right

Fix the cladding boards approximately every 400mm to ensure they are properly supported and stable. Begin by selecting and fixing the boards so that the heart of the board is facing 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. You can also fix the featheredge cladding with two fixings, which keeps the cladding flat but does not allow for natural shrinkage to the same extent.

The length of the fixings you use should be a minimum of 2.4 x the thickness of the cladding. You must use stainless steel fixings when fixing Oak, otherwise the acidic tannin will react with normal steel, which will stain the timber and corrode the fixings. We recommend Carpenters Mate screws.

Don’t Forget the Gap

Overlap is essential to allow for natural shrinkage and movement. Once sawn, the drying process starts – so by the time fixing of the boards takes place, the width may already have reduced slightly. Ensure you still allow the recommended overlap for further shrinkage after fitting.

 

 

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