Nowadays, modern aesthetics and modern lifestyles emphasize individuality. Façade decking, boards or battens manufactured specifically for the façade are the only elements of a building that definitively create a decisive first impression. A wooden larch façade is always unique – a façade plank, batten or boarding will impress anyone who loves wood with its beautiful properties: natural variety and lively appearance, durability, good structural properties, ecological attitude and the speed that is made possible during construction. Larch timber facades are gaining a reputation for prestige thanks to all these qualities and because their aesthetic value is increasingly recognised in modern architectural approaches.
LARCH FACADE – EYE-CATCHING MATERIAL
Larch wood is a scenic wood material. The cell structure of larch is precise and different from other tree species. Larch does not absorb moisture in the same way as, for example, pine. Larch is very resistant to mechanical wear and tear. A characteristic feature of larch is the strongly developed differences between winter and summer growths. In the core of the trunk, the reddish brown wood alternates with light brown, giving larch a unique visual structure that will caress the eyes of any lover of natural materials. When larch is exposed to the weather, it turns grey over time and changes its structure minimally over a long period of time.
Therefore, larch facades are suitable as cladding, not only for wooden buildings. You can use them in houses built with literally any building material. Thanks to the fact that larch facades are attached to the house by means of a supporting grid, a ventilated gap is created between the wooden cladding and the building itself. This makes the ventilated facade a safe solution for both masonry and timber houses, because even if there is an increase in moisture somewhere in the wall, the ventilated gap allows the moisture to evaporate from the building.
Larch wooden facades are suitable for residential houses and large public buildings as well as for commercial and residential buildings. The wooden facade is a protection of the basic structure from environmental influences and is an important design and aesthetic element of the building.
QUALITY AND DURABILITY OF THE LARCH FACADE
The quality of a wooden larch façade is determined by the right choice of tree species, the right cladding and the professional execution of details. The correct integration of the timber is crucial for the durability of the timber facade cladding. As long as the design principles of protection are respected, as well as the fact that the wooden larch facade needs to be aerated, you do not have to worry about the durability of your facade.
Wood as the basic material for the facade allows for many different types of cladding and the use of different profiles and colours. In combination with stone, glass or metal, its properties are even more accentuated.
TREAT LARCH FACADES OR LET THEM TURN GREY?
Larch wood does not need surface treatment in outdoor conditions because it will last about 20 to 30 years without decay without direct contact with the ground. Untreated larch will turn grey in about 2-3 years due to sunlight and moisture. The colour changes first from the points that are most exposed to the weather and evens out over several years, depending on the conditions. The greying of wood can be slowed down by treating the wood with transparent wood preservatives. Exterior cladding made from larch also does not need to be refinished, as the larch material can withstand UV and moisture stresses. Over the years, however, the wood will turn grey. Remember that during greying, the tone of the surface of the larch facade may become uneven. To keep larch surfaces durable and attractive, it is important to inspect them annually for damage. If necessary, washing dirt from the surface of the wood helps. We produce larch facades with visible or concealed joints in different widths and thicknesses according to customer requirements.
FEATURES
Slower growth than other conifers results in narrow annual rings with a distance between rings of only between 1-1.5 mm. In addition, there is a clear distinction between heartwood and sapwood and the proportion of heartwood can often be more than 90%. Heartwood is inherently durable and European larch wood is therefore often used as a substitute for pressure-impregnated wood.
Larch is left-handed throughout its growth, unlike spruce and pine, which are first left-handed and then right-handed. This means that larch twists more, which places greater demands on the fixing of the larch facade.
The knots are black-brown and pockets of resin may appear in the wood.
PROCESSING AND PROTECTION
Due to its high proportion of heartwood, larch has a greater durability than pine and spruce, without achieving the same durability as pressure-impregnated pine. This is particularly pronounced where the timber is in direct contact with soil or brick/concrete. In these areas, pressure-impregnated wood must be used to achieve acceptable durability.
Larch can be pressure impregnated and this should always be done if the timber will be in direct contact with soil or brick/concrete. However, pressure impregnation is only in the outer sapwood and therefore the protective effect is limited.
All timber must be protected as much as possible by “structural protection”, which means that you plan and build so that the timber is ventilated and water is drained away so that the material can dry out.
Wood is a natural material and will eventually turn grey. It is a good idea to protect the wood in dry conditions with suitable wood preservatives – either varnish or transparent wood preservatives. However, it is important to know that larch facades are difficult to treat with water-based wood preservatives.
