Timber Cladding

@Frank Taylor wrote:

Also, is timber cladidng still the in thing or has that ship sailed?

I get the feeling that there is starting to be a move away from the style of building that you are talking about, the ones primarily in a chocolate or deep red coloured brick with copper (more often than not fake) canopy elevations and a timber gable thrown in for effect. My guess is that the DeBlacham & Meaghar scheme in Waterloo lane inspired a lot of people and that the style has been done on too large a scale.

most of the timber being used to clad buildings is cedar, which contains its own natural preservatives, life span of 25 years+ …

Cedar, which is not actually real cedar at all, will fade almost immediately once exposed to light etc. it doesn’t need to be treated but the colour will fade to a grey / silver colour quite quickly if not.

I saw a recent article on Limerick University…. anyway the campus contains some ‘new’ building which was finished off in this timber affect. Looked absolutely dreadful. Waterlogged, dirty rubbish. Personally I like the effect but does the Irish weather?

A great company for Timber Cladding supplies are Machined Timber Services Ltd. in Kilcoole. They have supplied many jobs around Ireland in various different timbers. I have used them many times and if you want to talk to someone who knows this area inside out its them. [email]info@woodcomponents.ie / http://www.woodcomponents.ie
By the look of things, most of the new builds around town are all clad with timber sections and I can see it continuing for a while longer.

the glucksman gallery is a very good example of timber used well in a design. it’s american oak and looks great in the dappled light by the river.

It’s all the rave, timber on floors, timber on walls …..A few new buildings gone up in James Street have the timber cladding too. Looks good mind ye. However I hope it ages and weathers well.

the grafton architects apartment building on the junction of north king street and constitution hill has weathered very badly. the timber finishes on all levels look terrible.

See I always failed to see the attraction that the “urban hive” had for architects. Living near it and passing it every day for a few years, I hated it – hated the brick, hated the woodwork, hated the way it hit the street…..

The Glucksman looks so high-maintenance that recieving a once-over with Pledge and a duster each morning wouldn’t be in the least surprising 🙂
A magnificent building though – equalled only by its setting it would seem.