Walls
There are many reasons why Western Red Cedar is used for cladding and roofing purposes. One of the most obvious is that of aesthetics as cedar is one of the most attractive woods, having a reddish gold colour when new that turns to an attractive silvery finish when it ages. The grain is straight and it has very few knots making it an ideal timber for premium building projects.
Importantly, it is also one of the best managed timbers and all of the wood we use comes from Russwood in Newtonmore which is a member of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This organisation works to ensure that timber extraction is properly managed and this is achieved by the use of the FSC certification which applies equally to timber imported from abroad. We also source the remaining timber that we use from certificated companies thus ensuring that we maintain an environmentally conscientious approach.
Specifically, Western Red Cedar has the following technical characteristics: It is one of the lightest commercial softwoods which allows us to minimise the use of concrete in the foundations - concrete being one of the worst environmental offenders in the construction industry.
Cedar is also the most resistant of all coniferous species to warping and twisting ensuring that it is stable and less likely to move over its lifetime.
It is highly resistant to decay and insect attack due to naturally occurring fungicidal acids in the wood. This ensures a long, trouble free life for the exterior timber.
Its low density and high proportion of air spaces makes cedar the best thermal insulator of all the commonly available softwoods. These characteristics also help to effectively absorb sound thus reducing noise from outside or keeping it in!
Finally, cedar is a wood that can be left untreated with chemicals and will still last for many years. This has the added benefit of keeping the exterior maintenance of our lodges to an absolute minimum. The cedar can be left to age naturally unless an oil treatment is preferred to maintain the original appearance of the wood.
In addition to cedar, almost any good quality cladding material can be used effectively. These can range from redwood in some locations to larch (local or Siberian) or even oak. Clearly some woods will require preservative treatment whilst others will withstand the local climatic conditions with ease. Timbers such as larch can add a more rustic feel to the structures, particularly if used together with a timber internal lining although profiled larch can be used which is more refined.
Roof
Whilst shingles are our usual option, being both attractive and long lasting, we do offer other materials such as profiled metal roofs. We use only the highest quality Blue Label cedar shingles that are guaranteed to contain only heartwood which ensures the longest possible lifespan. As standard we offer preservative treated shingles but an option also exists for shingles treated with a fire preventative chemical. However, given the British climate, these are largely unnecessary.
Shingles can be used down to a pitch of about 15 degrees, after which we would recommend sheet metal or fibreglass both of which can be used to within a few degrees of horizontal. This can be useful where the impact of the structure requires to be minimised. Sheet metal roofs are not noisy or cold as modern manufacturing processes and insulation materials are used to ensure that sound and heat loss are dramatically reduced. These roofs require considerably less labour and so are very cost effective typically saving around £1000 - £1500 on the overall cost.
Slate roofs are also an option and are a proven means of keeping a building watertight. Depending upon the type of slate it may be necessary to strengthen the roof timbers in order to bear the increased weight. It may also be possible to match the main dwelling slates if the client wishes. Slates will typically add a small cost to a build particularly if the slates are thick or more difficult to come by.
Windows
In the majority of instances it will be necessary to have windows made specifically for the build, particularly if the panoramic window option is chosen. All of our windows are made by a local company called Treecraft Woodwork in Dornoch who specialise in high-quality timber windows for both residential and commercial clients.
Treecraft have undertaken work for both Scottish Natural Heritage and the National Trust for Scotland and are widely recognised as the premier window manufacturer in the area.
All of our windows/doors arrive on site factory finished with your choice of stain or paint and also your choice of hardware. Internal paint finishes can then be chosen to best compliment these colours/finishes.
The windows are offered in both softwood and hardwood options and there is even an option to have the windows faced in a coloured aluminium in order that they are ‘no maintenance’. In this instance the windows benefit from all the thermal qualities of wood but never need staining or painting.
In addition to these premium windows we also offer ‘off the shelf’ windows from a local timber merchant. Clearly sizes are limited and the panoramic window option is not available but the cost can be reduced quite considerably by taking this option.
Whichever windows are specified by the client, we then tie the windows into the structure by using our one-piece cedar corner beading. This beading covers the insulating foam used to fix the windows into place and provides a weatherproof and attractive finish as can be seen in the picture to the left. The beading is attached using a powerful adhesive that enables the windows to be finished without any visible fastenings.
