Siberian Larch Cladding In previous Log Cabins LV blog entry (https://www.logcabinslv.co.uk/blog/2014/12/07/log-cabins-lv-and-russian-timber/) we discussed Russian forests and touched on the matter of Northern Siberian larch.

Today we would like go more in depth on this subject and talk about Larch cladding. We love working with Siberian Larch timber and this is why. Wood cladding is nothing new; people have been using it for hundreds of years. However, timber cladding is being rediscovered as more and more architects choose it for modern residential and industrial projects.

The most appealing feature of good timber cladding is its aesthetically pleasing effect on the building also timber cladding-wood is sustainable and environmentally friendly material. Our timber of choice for external cladding at Log Cabins LV is Northern Siberian larch.

Larch is softwood but its density is very high which makes it one of the hardest of all softwoods, approximately 70% harder than Scots pine. Long and slow growth in harsh climate makes Siberian Larch naturally resistant to decay, rot and fungal attack, very durable and long lasting.

These are very desirable features for outdoor use and applications. Siberian larch is used not only for cladding but also as a superior construction timber because of one of its main features – its dimensional stability.

Larch has low shrinkage factor and is resistant to twisting or warping in other words it is the most stable of the softwoods, subject to little movement when installed. Siberian Larch has relatively little sapwood, heartwood makes up 75–90% of a tree trunk, therefore timber milled from Larch is mostly heartwood which is much harder, denser, less penetrable, more durable, chemically and structurally stable and resistive to outside factors due to high resin content. Dimensional stability is very important when you want to use paint systems with your cladding. Overall stains (Oil based) work well on Siberian Larch but it can also be left unfinished for a traditional silver grey natural colour which looks amazing on modern timber frame buildings and cabins after one to two years exposure to sunlight (UV radiation). Some cladding suppliers claim that Northern Siberian larch is the same specie as European larch hinting that same quality is to be expected. This is so far from the truth it’s laughable, we know they are two distinct species. Even if they were the same biological specie, it is important to understand that growing environment plays a huge role in what properties timber will express.

Northern Siberian Larch is a slow growing wood it grows tall and sheds lower branches to conserve energy and nutrients during short summers and very long and cold winters. Consequently, that reflects as tight fine grain and fewer knots on the timber. Unlike European larch, the knots in Siberian larch cladding are a lighter grey colour and tend to stay solid even after drying and machining.

Siberian Larch is much harder and durable than the lesser European larch. With all that being said we offer the best quality Siberian larch for all of our timber frame panel buildings. So if you are looking for a glulam larch log cabin, or would like larch as your cladding on your residential timber frame building, or you are looking for a larch clad house, please do not hesitate to give us a call. Logcabins.lv Do not settle for less!

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