Wood Cladding Considerations 

Waste 

Add 10-15% additional square feet depending on wood type. 

Acclimation 

Prior to bringing in the cladding, establish consistent living conditions at the job site. Ensure air conditioning or heating systems have been running for at least 5 days and establishing an environment of 60-75 degrees at 35-50% relative humidity. If air conditioning is not installed, use fans and dehumidifiers to achieve normal living conditions.  

Upon delivery, check wood cladding moisture content with a moisture meter to establish a baseline for acclimation. Be sure to check the content of multiple boards. Do not store wood cladding at the jobsite under uncontrolled environmental conditions. Garages, and exterior patios are not acceptable areas to store wood cladding. 

Cladding should be allowed to acclimate for a minimum of 72 hours or until conditions are at normal occupancy conditions and meet minimum installation requirements for moisture content. For most installations, we recommend a climatic temperature between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 30% to 50% humidity level. Environments that do not meet these criteria would be considered non-compliant and will cause wood to experience shrinking and swelling issues that damage the product. We cannot guarantee or warranty our products' performance in such an environment.   

Properly acclimating wood cladding is dependent on the amount of moisture in the wood relative to the moisture content of the surroundings. We recommend following the NWFA’s acclimation guidelines for your specific job site conditions.  

Work Site Prep  

Do not install wood cladding until all concrete, masonry, plastering, drywall, texturing and painting primer coats are complete. 

We recommend installing our product on a dark, neutral color wall. If the wall is not neutral, you may want to paint the wall so that holes, knots or cracks do not show the light color wall behind. Nail heads with clean face will be visible. 

Moisture 

For most installations, we recommend a climatic temperature within 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 30% to 50% humidity level. 

Test for moisture at several locations in the room – a minimum of 20 per 1,000 square feet – and average the results. Check moisture content on subfloors (wood or concrete). 

Finish 

You can apply a clear finish, but we recommend lightly sanding prior to applying finish. The type of surface may require different finish techniques and product. Wall or vertical cladding may require less sanding, fill and fewer coats of finish as opposed to horizontal, tabletop or work surface cladding. Heavy to moderate sanding will remove the natural weathered look and leave the wood lighter. The more patina left on the material, the darker the boards will be. Water base sealers are recommended as they add less amber to the wood. Oil base sealers will amber and darken the wood. 

 Reclaimed features may include color/grain variation, nail/knot holes, checking, insect scarring/worminess and other post-consumer characteristics. Cladding may require filling holes as needed subject to customer aesthetic with epoxy (various colors available, inquire on recommendations).