Introducing Architect Select® Larch, Russwood’s new alternative to Siberian Larch cladding
Russwood Founder, John Russell, began importing Siberian Larch for cladding back in 2001. For over two decades, he has extensively worked with this species, understanding its benefits and limitations, and perfecting our unique grading system and range of profiles to meet the design requirements of the UK architectural market. Given his expertise, it’s no surprise that with the decline in availability of Siberian Larch, John has been at the forefront of testing and developing new timber products to fill the gap. In this blog, John explains why our new product, Architect Select® Larch, may be the answer architects are looking for.
The Legacy of 20 Years with Siberian Larch
When the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the UK imposed sanctions and trade restrictions on Russian goods, leading to uncertainty about how this would impact the future of UK cladding marketing. I’ve worked with Siberian Larch for over 20 years, and it has always been a special – exceptional, even – product. As a natural material, it’s hard to see how it could be replaced. In the early 2000s, I visited Holland, the then European leader in Siberian Larch trading and learned best practices in grading Siberian Larch from three exemplary companies. At that time, the Russian grading system was inconsistent and unreliable. That meant, that to meet UK market demands for quality, we had to develop our own in-house grading system, leading to the creation of our SILA Select® Siberian Larch product.
Why Siberian Larch was the preferred choice for timber cladding
When it comes to timber cladding, Siberian Larch has become the go-to for many in the UK. Architects are familiar with specifying it, having built up experience in its successful application, and self-builders and contractors are confident working with and installing it. People like using larch because it’s easy to work with, durable and tough, and has attractive figuring. At Russwood, we’ve built up extensive experience with larch, supported by two decades of rigorous testing to understand its performance in various situations. It’s also an ideal and commonly used substrate for coating with SiOO:X, the Swedish silicon system which gives a consistently weathered appearance to timber. We recognise Siberian Larch’s popularity and versatility, and that’s why we’ve dedicated time to researching alternative larch options to continue to meet the needs and preferences of our customers.
Introducing Architect Select® Larch: A premium larch cladding solution
After extensive research and testing, I am proud to introduce our new larch product, Architect Select® Larch. Sourced from Europe and the UK, European Larch grows faster than Siberian Larch due to milder climates, meaning growth rings are further apart. However, the key to achieving a quality product lies in the way the timber is sawn, carefully dried, graded and processed. Our Architect Select® Larch is quarter sawn, which gives greater stability compared to flat sawn material. This method means that the growth rings run up the length of the board face, offering an attractive vertical or semi-vertical grain appearance. After sawing, the boards are graded, rejecting any with knots bigger than 45mm diameter, and ensuring the face of each board is sapwood free.
Finally, the boards are profiled into our unique profiles; a horizontal open rainscreen (RW014), and a contemporary vertical profile, with a square edge and 7mm shadow gap (RW082). What’s unique about these profiles is their narrow, yet thick dimensions. Both profiles are 24mm thick – 20% thicker than the standard 20mm you might expect to find elsewhere. This thickness creates a pronounced shadow gap and improves the stability and durability of the cladding board, as do the narrow 95mm widths.
Key Features
Alternative to Siberian Larch, sourced from Europe and the UK, providing a sustainable solution to supply issues.
Boards are quarter sawn for enhanced stability, resulting in a vertical / semi-vertical grain appearance.
Carefully graded for quality with knots larger than 45mm rejected, and a sapwood free face guaranteed.
Available in two unique profiles, featuring 24mm thickness for increased durability and pronounced shadow gaps.
Microtex® finish as standard, can also be wire brushed to accentuate the natural figuring.
Ideal substrate for coating with SiOO:X Wood Protection or Woca Oil.
Enhancing the look and longevity of larch with coatings
You might choose to leave larch uncoated, and given ideal conditions, it will eventually weather to a silver grey colour. If you don’t want to wait, or want to avoid differential weathering, then larch can be coated with SiOO:X which gives a consistent weathered appearance. Both of our Architect Select® Larch profiles come with a Microtex® finish as standard: the fibrous surface finish providing optimal performance of SiOO:X and other coatings. If the weathered look is not for you, Woca Oil coatings are an excellent alternative. Our larch can be coated in black for a contemporary finish, or teak if you want to retain a natural larch effect. The oils are translucent, meaning the attractive figuring of the timber will still be visible. Resin exudation is a natural characteristic of all types of larch. For this reason, we don’t recommend using dark colours of traditional film-forming paints on Architect Select® Larch, as the resin can seep through and look unsightly.
The bottom line?
Architect Select® Larch offers a sustainable and durable solution for modern cladding needs. With its carefully considered profiles, enhanced stability, and visual appeal, it provides a high-quality alternative to Siberian Larch.