Ecowood Cladding

What Ecowood cladding is

Ecowood is the name we give our kiln-dried Red Class softwood. Red Class is the reddish, resin-rich grade of softwood, and kiln drying brings every board down to a predictable moisture content, so the boards stay straight and stable once they are fixed to the wall. You get consistent quality from one board to the next, a warm honey-brown tone with an even grain, and boards that are ready to install straight from the pack.

It suits anyone who wants the look of natural timber cladding on a house, extension or garden room without paying hardwood prices. If you want a board that holds its colour for longest without oil, or a darker hardwood look, compare the other species further down this page.

Ecowood cladding profiles and sizes

The profile decides how the finished wall looks and how the boards fix together. All five Ecowood profiles are sold by the board, and the widths differ, so compare them by the cost of the finished wall rather than by board count:

• T&G: 145×18 mm tongue and groove boards that lock edge to edge for a flat, tight face.
• Shadow gap: a wide 195×18 mm board that leaves a crisp recessed line between boards, for a modern elevation.
• Half lap: 195×18 mm boards where each one laps over the one below to shed rain down the face. This board is pressure impregnated right through with preservative.
• Triple slatted: one 140×22 mm board machined to read as three narrow slats, a quick way to get a slatted look.
• Feather edge: a traditional tapered 195×19 mm board, overlapped for a rustic, shed and fence style finish.

Choose the length on each product page; T&G comes in more than one length, and longer boards mean fewer joints on long runs. Enter your area in the calculator on the product page and it works out how many you need; the cart adds the fixings and extras.

Why choose Ecowood cladding

Ecowood gives you the character of real timber at a softwood budget. Kiln drying means the boards move less on site, and with proper care Ecowood has a service life of 25 years and beyond. Because the profiles share the same warm tone, you can mix a T&G wall with triple slatted features and keep the colour consistent across the building.

Ecowood vs other timber cladding

Ecowood is the value choice in our timber cladding range. If your project calls for something different, these are the usual alternatives:

• Cedar cladding: a lighter, naturally durable softwood with a rich red-brown colour, for when the budget allows.
• Thermowood cladding: heat treated timber with a darker, even brown tone.
• Larch cladding and Douglas fir cladding: tougher softwoods with a strong grain pattern.
• Charred timber cladding: a burnt black surface for a bold, contemporary facade.

Installing Ecowood cladding

Ecowood fixes like any softwood cladding and suits a confident DIY fit as well as a trade one:

• Fix the boards over vertical cladding battens with a ventilated gap behind, so the timber can dry out between showers.
• Use A2 or A4 stainless steel fixings outdoors to avoid black staining, and pre-drill near the board ends to prevent splitting.
• Keep the bottom edge clear of the ground and finish corners and edges with trims from our cladding accessories.

Expect slight colour variation between boards. It is part of the natural character of the timber and evens out as the wall weathers.

Looking after Ecowood cladding

Ecowood doesn’t need treating before it goes up, but left bare it weathers to a silver grey over 12 to 18 months. Most people oil it within the first few months to keep the honey-brown colour, then top it up every couple of years on the sunniest walls. A UV protective oil made for softwood from our exterior oils and stains keeps the boards looking new and helps them shed water.

Ecowood is one of several species in our full timber cladding range, all stocked in our warehouse and delivered across Ireland.