Cedar Cladding Board – T&G Profile – 94×18 mm (4×1″) – 4880 mm (15 ft.)

Cedar T&G Cladding Board

Specify Western Red Cedar once and you’ve made a decision that pays you back for thirty years. While most softwoods need babying, Cedar has its own quiet authority — a cladding that ages gracefully from warm honey-brown into the elegant silver-grey patina you see on the most considered buildings in Dublin. It’s the species architects reach for when a project has to look effortlessly right for decades. Sourced from sustainably managed forests in British Columbia, Canada and stocked in our yard for delivery across Ireland, our Cedar boards are graded as Clear Heart Vertical Grain — the highest commercial grade available.

Why Cedar?

Cedar earns its reputation honestly. The natural fungicidal oils that give the wood its character also make it one of the most durable softwoods on the planet — Durability Class 2, naturally resistant to rot, insect attack, and fungal decay, with no chemical treatment required. It’s exceptionally light (around 380 kg/m³), which means a single person can handle long boards single-handed and the structural load on your supporting battens stays minimal. The grain runs straight and tight with very few knots, giving facades a calm, considered appearance. Subtle colour variation between boards adds quiet character to a finished elevation, the kind of detail that catches the light differently through the day. Cedar has been the benchmark for premium timber cladding in Ireland and the UK for decades — specifying it puts that pedigree to work where it shows.

Installation guidance

Cedar is straightforward to install for any competent contractor. Boards run vertically or horizontally over a ventilated batten cavity, fixed with stainless-steel ringshank nails or screws — never galvanised or mild steel, which Cedar’s natural tannins will react with and leave dark streaks on the timber. Pre-drilling near board ends prevents splitting, and leaving small expansion gaps at every joint allows the timber to breathe through the seasons. Cedar is exceptionally easy to work — it cuts cleanly, planes to a fine finish, and rewards careful detailing with results that look effortless.

Finishing & maintenance

You have two good options with Cedar, and there’s no wrong answer. The natural route — leaving the timber untreated to silver gracefully over twelve to eighteen months — is what many architects specify for, and it’s the lowest-effort path forward. The preserved route — keeping that warm honey-brown colour for years on end — takes a little more attention but rewards you with a facade that holds its character indefinitely. If you choose to oil, use a UV-protective oil specifically formulated for Cedar (we stock the right ones — ask us if you’re unsure which to pair with your boards). Apply within the first few months of installation, then refresh every two or three years. The one thing to avoid either way is film-forming paint, varnish, or general-purpose stain — Cedar’s oily surface repels them and they’ll flake within a couple of seasons. For periodic cleaning, a soft brush and diluted neutral cleaner is all that’s needed, whichever route you choose.