Waney Edge Cladding – A Beginner’s Guide
What is Waney-Edge Cladding?
Waney-edge cladding is used to create a traditional and rustic appearance by layering boards that have been sliced straight from the tree. One edge of the board is usually cut straight making it easy to assemble, whilst the other keeps the shape of the tree and its bark i.e. the waney-edge.
The result of using this type of cladding is not only weatherproof protection but also a striking feature thanks to the waney-edge, which showcases the individual character of the original tree.
What is Waney-Edge Cladding Used For?
When it comes to a natural look, little else can compete with the beauty of wooden cladding, and when that cladding holds the charm of a waney-edge, you start to really appreciate the distinctive appeal it brings to a huge variety of projects.
From a simple fence panel, to an attractive garden shed, cosy outbuilding, enchanting holiday cabin or a stylish feature on an existing building, waney-edge cladding has been used for hundreds of years. More recently, it is the use of waney-edge cladding to change the appearance of existing buildings that has seen its popularity soar beyond traditional construction projects. For builders and architects alike, there are many benefits to its use, and here we discuss the reasons for its longstanding and ever-growing popularity.
Benefits of Waney Edge
Privacy
For those looking for privacy, the overlapping boards of waney-edge cladding provides just that. It comes as no surprise then as to why it is a popular choice in garden fencing.
Blend into Surroundings
The natural look of any wood cladding makes it a pleasing choice for almost any building but with waney-edge cladding, by keeping the character of the tree in each board, the end result is one which sees itself naturally blend into rural surroundings. This makes it a great choice for projects such as barn conversions or rural holiday lodges and cottages.
Robust and Durable
When it comes to construction, the robust nature and durability of timber is not to be underestimated. With waney-edge cladding, choosing the correct species is of paramount importance to ensure you benefit from the natural qualities of the most appropriate wood for your project.
For more information on picking the right timber species, take a look at our guide.
Environmentally Friendly
Waney-edge cladding comes with a number of important environmental credentials. Keeping the waney-edge actually helps to shorten the manufacturing process and as with any timber cladding it provides a natural barrier of insulation. Of course, the use of wood as a construction material is also renewable, providing it is sourced sustainably. You can check the source certification schemes of any supplier. Here at NORclad, we are committed to the protection and sustainability of the world we live in and fully research each supplier to ensure products are from legal sources.
Ease of Installation
As with most cladding, waney-edge cladding is fairly straightforward to install and if you want a project to progress quickly, cladding is certainly the way to go in comparison to other construction materials.
Versatility
The versatility of waney-edge cladding can see its use range from the more obvious choice of creating a weatherproof shelter or building, to exterior or even interior design. A less obvious example of its versatility might be its use as a feature wall, bound to make an impression on visiting customers in a showroom or commercial space.
Choice of Aesthetics
For many, it is the stunning natural look of waney-edge cladding that is the main reason for its popularity. That said, one of the great benefits of timber is how easily it can be adapted to suit an individual project or personal choice of aesthetics. Not only can you achieve different colours with a lick of paint, but you can also experiment with different types of textures such as sawn, charred or burnt to add that extra character.
Care and Maintenance
As with almost any material, particularly those exposed to the elements, timber cladding will see wear and tear over time and waney-edge cladding is no exception. Thankfully, there are many options that allow you to maintain the quality and durability of the timber and prolong its lifespan.
The natural greying of timber when it is exposed to the weather can be slowed with UV protection oil for example and other issues such as warping can be reduced by simply choosing the right wood for the project in the first place. For more tips on how to care for timber, see our blog post on shiplap cladding, which details treatment, paint and fire-protection options.
The other good news is that when it comes to wood, repairing or even replacing it can be a relatively straight forward job. Wood filler for small holes or screws to tighten any signs of warping are examples of quick fixes. Be careful to ensure you look for any underlying issues that may be causing the damage.
Timber Cladding from NORclad
If thoughts of waney-edge cladding has left you intrigued as to how you can incorporate the stunning look of natural wood into your existing home, a new project or even commercial building, here at NORclad, we have over 40 years of experience specialising in the manufacturing of wood cladding.
We work with a huge variety of clients from architects, to designers, to contractors, specialist developers, specifiers and individual self-builders and have a superb range of products all of which are produced in the UK or through our partner in Switzerland.
For professional support and a quotation, or simply to find out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team today.
