Douglas Fir V Tongue and Groove External Cladding

Our Douglas Fir V Tongue and Groove External Cladding is v tongue and groove cladding in Douglas fir, for external use.

About Douglas fir

Colour varies from pinks and browns to creams depending on where in the tree the board is cut. Dark brown knots can loosen as the wood dries, and resin patches may ooze a little at first and in later hot summers.

Left untreated it weathers to silver grey.

A strong, hard-wearing softwood, air dried to 15–25% moisture content.

Profile and fitting

Boards fix together by inserting the tongue into the groove. Chamfered top and bottom edges give a subtle 'V' shadow line at each joint. They can be fitted horizontally or vertically; fit horizontal boards tongue uppermost so moisture runs off.

The boards are reversible, so either face can be used.

Grades and options

• First Grade: mostly clear of knots, with some knots up to 5 mm allowed and a small amount of sap on the underside only.
• Character Grade: knots, splits, sap, historic insect damage and other defects without limitation, as long as they don't affect usability.
• End matching (tongue and groove on the board ends) lets you place joints where they fall rather than on a batten, which speeds up fitting and reduces wastage.

End matching available

End matching is a paid option you can choose from the dropdown. The board ends are machined to interlock end to end as well as along the edges, so joints can fall between battens instead of having to land on one. That makes fitting faster, cuts waste because offcuts can be used, and gives a neater finish with no visible butt gaps.

Sizes and pricing

• 142 x 24 mm (visible face 130 mm): Character £25.49 / Character end matched £37.99 / First £34.49 / First end matched £51.49 per m² ex VAT
• Supplied in random lengths between 1200 mm and 3600 mm.
• Set lengths are available for an extra charge using Set lengths (Cladding): surcharge £8.00 per m² ex VAT up to 3500 mm, £12.00 per m² ex VAT above 3500 mm. Add the same number of m² of set lengths as cladding.

Specifications

Finishing and aftercare

Supplied untreated. No treatment is needed, but to hold the colour for longer or add a weather-resistant finish, see our cladding treatments.

Good to know

• Use stainless steel or specialist coated fixings: iron fixings can react with Douglas fir and cause black staining.
• Natural timber varies: expect some differences in colour and grain from board to board and from the photos.
• Boards left exposed to changing weather before fitting are likely to cup, warp and split. We suggest fitting between October and April where possible, within 7 to 14 days of delivery.
• Sizes are nominal and can vary slightly with moisture content.
• Not sure? Order up to two cladding samples first.
• Questions? Please contact our Sales Team on 01536 267107.