Solve your cladding conundrum

From cladding on curved surfaces to advice on which board sizes to choose and guidance on removing stains - TRADA’s Frequently Asked Questions section is the perfect starting point for anyone looking for a quick answer to their cladding conundrum.

The FAQ area helps avoid making costly mistakes by getting the design right in the first place.  Those wanting to extend their knowledge of timber cladding can also learn from the personal experience of hundreds of case studies and the carefully selected recommended reading.

This month’s featured question is: “I want to clad onto a curved surface, what should I consider?” Check out the answer here.

For a fine example of timber cladding on a curved surface, look no further than the case study on Stanbrook Abbey within TRADA’s plethora of case studies.

Stanbrook Abbey is home to the Conventus of Our Lady of Consolation, a Benedictine community of nuns who devote their lives to study, work and prayer.

The architect says: “Our intention was that this space – their home for so much of their lives – should change throughout the day and with the light and the seasons. Morning light illuminates the curving wall to the north from a curved rooflight and a vertical shaft of glazing towards the east. As the sun moves round it is reflected off the timber columns which form the south glazed wall until the afternoon light enters from the south-west to bathe the whole church in light.”

TRADA publishes hundreds of books and guides, packed with quality content, drawings and tables, dedicated to inspiring and informing best practice design, specification and use of wood in the built environment and related fields.

Members can download a free copy of Choose and Use sheet External wood cladding or Top ten tips for timber cladding from the TRADA Yearbook 2015.

Viewing TRADA’s publications on cladding is quick and simple to do. Click on the ‘Wood Information’ tab on the main menu bar, click on ‘Start Here’, select ‘Cladding’ and scroll down to ‘Recommended Reading’. A colour-coded icon above each publication provides a handy guide to the access levels.

Join TRADA today and benefit from unlimited access to hundreds of authoritative guides, research and publications. Members enjoy 35% off all TRADA books and special offers on other publishers’ books, including British Standards. Non-members also benefit from savings on packs and annual book sales. Visit the TRADA Bookshop to take advantage of these generous savings.

Can’t find the answer to your cladding query? TRADA members can pick up the phone or email us for free, confidential advice on +44 (0)1494 569601 or advisory@trada.co.uk.