Frequently Asked Questions : Our Shiplap FAQ

We are always getting asked about our cladding products so that people can determine which ones are the best to use. We thought we would put the most frequently asked questions together in a series and shiplap is the first one we are addressing.

Is Shiplap the same as Tongue and Groove?

Yes and no, Iwc7 is a tongue and groove profile but with the additional shiplap groove whereas IWC6 is not. T&G boards are machined to fit by interlocking with each other whereas the IWC6 shiplap boards sit on top of one another and overlap. One of the main differences between T&G and the two shiplap profiles is the groove that runs along the board that helps to drain water away which isn’t present on tongue and groove cladding.

What lengths do the boards come in?

Usually all cladding is supplied in random lengths and the range of lengths is species specific. If you would like exact lengths, then please check with us to make sure that we can get the lengths you need before ordering.

Should I treat my Shiplap Cladding?

At the very least you should treat your cladding to seal it even if you don’t want to protect the colour of the wood. Depending on the species we would recommend UV protecting it as well, for example, Canadian Cedar is one of the most vibrant timbers you can get so we would recommend protecting the colour rather than letting it go silver grey.

What species can I buy as shiplap?

• European Oak
• Canadian Western Red Cedar
• British Western Red Cedar
• Canadian Douglas Fir
• British Douglas Fir
• Siberian Larch
• British Larch

Is there anything else that I need to know?

The two available face widths available in our standard profiles (IWC6 and IWC7) are 135mm and 128mm.

Also please note that shiplap cladding can only be fitted horizontally, if you would like vertical fitting look at our tongue and groove cladding section.