British Douglas Fir Shiplap Cladding

There are two profiles of British Douglas Fir Shiplap cladding that we have to offer which are:

• IWC6 - 19mm x 145mm overall, with a 135mm face - For horizontal fitting
• IWC7 - 19mm x 145mm overall, with a 128mm face - For horizontal fitting

Shiplap cladding is designed to be fitted horizontally so the curved lip along the boards can drain water away effectively.

Of the British softwoods we supply, Douglas fir is one of the best. British Douglas fir varies in colour from a pale red to an orangey colour, the natural variation in the timber gives you a unique product which looks great. Our Fresh Sawn Merchantable Douglas Fir will contain small knots.

Our British Timbers are growing more and more in demand and many projects are now specifying that British timbers must be used over the foreign alternatives. British timber is often cheaper than imported wood and is just as good for external use like cladding.

If you have any special length requirements (currently Douglas Fir shiplap cladding is supplied 3m and longer) please give us a call on 01889 597281 or talk to us on our online chat before order. This will allow us to make sure we can fulfil your requirements. If we can, you can enter your chosen lengths into the “Special Instructions” box on the shopping basket page.

Treatments

Most people leave their timber to go the traditional silver-grey in the sun. We recommend talking to www.wood-finishes-direct.com if you would like to treat your timber. If you do decide to treat your timber, it needs to be treated all the way round including the ends to prevent moisture getting in at all.

Fitting Guidance

Our fitting guidelines are designed to give you a starting point on how to fit your shiplap cladding and we recommend that you consult an expert fitter to advise on your actual scenario.

Be sure to read our treatment guidance as treatment needs to be applied prior to fixing your cladding

Breathable Membrane

Consult a fitter to determine if your scenario would require the fitting of a breathable membrane between your wall and the cladding. This membrane stops rain getting to the wall, but allows moisture to escape, helping to prevent internal condensation and mould that can come with it.

Treated Softwood Battens

Treated softwood battens (available from our cladding accessories pages) are most commonly used to fix to the wall (or on top of the breathable membrane) to then fix your cladding to. Shiplap cladding is to be fixed horizontally only, so your battens need to be placed vertically, at around every 600mm (60cm).

Fixing the Cladding

** Whether you use nails or screws, it's important that they are stainless steel, or silicone bronze ARS, so that the natural tanins in the timber will not corrode them. Never use iron nails for fixing timber.

The timber is designed to only be fitted horizontally with the start of the running lip across the width of the timber at the top. To stop your wood from splitting it’s best to pre-drill any holes and then hold the boards with the head of the screw.

You can also use nails, preferably ring-shanked for extra grip, and again stainless steel so they don't corrode. For lower-density species like cedar, consider using nails with larger heads so the cladding doesn't pull through.

As already stated, these are just ideas to get you thinking about installation and you should consult a professional installer before fitting your cladding as every scenario is different.

All our claddings are provided untreated. Fresh sawn timber claddings are best left untreated and to go silver grey. There are a wide range of optional treatments available for different species of timber and we recommend talking to the excellent team at www.wood-finishes-direct.com, who know the most up-to-date information on all the newest treatment products.