Scotlarch® exterior cladding
Made only from the heartwood of European larch, Scotlarch’s live knots give it a natural and characterful appearance. It comes in a warm mix of colours and can weather to a desirable silvery grey colour.
Scotlarch® Gallery
At a Glance
Species
Scottish Larch
Origin
Scotland
Appearance
Characterful, with frequent knots
Appearance
A warm mix of colours ranging from pale orange to reddish brown. Frequent knots demonstrate its natural origins and provide a characterful appearance.
Grade
Sawn, sorted and regraded in-house, to our Scotlarch® standard
Grade
Live knots only, up to a maximum of 50mm in diameter, practically free of centre, and all boards are sapwood free on exposed faces for enhanced durability. The Scotlarch® name is your assurance that this grading has taken place.
Modified timber
No
SiOO:X coating
Suitable for coating with SiOO:X
SiOO:X coating
Scotlarch® can be factory coated in-house with SiOO:X Wood Protection.
Density
Medium
Density
Medium – classified by BS EN 350-2 as approximately 556 Kg/m³ at a moisture content of approximately 18%.
Stability
Moderate stability
Stability
Air-drying to approximately 16-18% allows optimum stability, as the timber is not subject to the stresses of kiln drying.
Coatings
Scotlarch® pairs perfectly with SiOO:X Wood Protection for natural grey and driftwood tones, allowing the beauty of the timber to be seen. Water-based oil systems are also available in selected colours.
Surface finishes
Recommended surface finishes depend on the coating system and your project specification. Please contact our Specification Team for further information.
Fire retardant
Select profiles are suitable for treatment with Burnblock®, please contact our Specification Team for further information.
Sustainability
Sustainably sourced from well managed forests. EPD available. Our lowest carbon cladding option.
Weathering
If left uncoated, Scotlarch® will weather to a muted shade of silver/grey over time.
Durability
Naturally durable (Class 3 BS EN 350-2). Durability is increased by our grading process, which removes non-durable sapwood from the working face.
Application
Scotlarch® is typically used in simple arrangements such as ‘board on board’, or our RW102 and RW014 profiles, designed and perfected based on years of experience. Not recommended for T&G or secret-fixing. Various lengths, including fixed lengths, available from stock.
See how Scotlarch® compares with other species.
Grown in FSC-certified, well-managed forests in the Scottish Highlands that are within a 100-mile radius of our sawmill, it’s ideal if you prioritise sustainability.
Since our grading process ensures there is no sapwood (the non-durable part of timber that can decay or cause unsightly staining) on exposed board faces, it’s built to last, even in the most extreme conditions. This inbuilt quality is ideal for those who prefer a hands-off approach to building maintenance. Scotlarch will weather beautifully and consistently without any need for maintenance or coatings, provided the building experiences uniform sunlight and rainfall exposure.
Scotlarch is extremely versatile. We have seen it used beautifully in traditional board-on-board arrangements, left to weather naturally, as well as coated with SiOO:X protection and applied in mixed-width and open board arrangements with regularised edges. The fine-sawn finish is an ideal surface for coating with SiOO:X.
We keep our Scotlarch RW102 profile in stock, making it ideal for projects that need a quick turnaround. This profile’s 25 mm thickness makes it very robust and creates a strong shadow gap.
Scotlarch can be installed using face fixing systems.
Finishes
Learn more about our range of cladding surface finishes; from smooth, planed boards, to textured finishes specifically developed to enhance coating performance.
Planed
Planed boards are run through our planing mill to create a smooth, dressed finish.
Fine-sawn
To achieve a high-quality surface finish, boards are skimmed across the face to provide a clean, unblemished fine-sawn finish. This removes rough-sawn imperfections such as circular saw marks, twin-arbour lines, paint, grease, or compression marks from steel bands.
Brushed
To create this effect, wire brushes are used to pull out the softer spring wood, exposing the harder summer wood, thus accentuating the grain and creating a beautifully textured surface.
Next steps
Downloads
Download Environmental Product Declarations and species factsheet.
Scotlarch® Downloads
Quality and Sustainability Certification
Architects & Specifiers
We offer a range of services to help with specifying our products.
Get a quote
Get in touch with our sales team to discuss your project.
Coatings
SiOO:X
SiOO:X Wood Protection eliminates differential weathering and provides a consistently weathered tone.
Profile options
Scotlarch is best suited to board on board and other simple arrangements. It can be produced in the following face-fix profiles. Available in various lengths, including fixed lengths, to suit your project needs.
We offer a limited range of stock profiles, available in select finishes for projects which require a shorter lead time. Please note that additional processes like coatings will extend lead times on these products.
RW014
RW014
Standard widths: 66mm / 140mm
Standard thickness: 25mm
Ready to Despatch
RW102
Standard widths: 140 mm
Standard thickness: 25mm
RW103
Standard widths: 140 mm
Standard thickness: 25mm
Ready to Despatch
Board on Board A
Ready to Despatch
Board on Board B
Narrow Front
Ready to Despatch
Board on Board B
Narrow Rear
Ready to Despatch
Board on Board Lapped
Ready to Despatch
Square edge as vertical open rainscreen
Recommended fixing systems
How timber is fixed is fundamental to its long-term performance, influencing both its appearance and durability. Each Russwood species, profile and layout combination has a recommended fixing system, with detailed drawings available to help ensure the timber performs and looks its best for years to come. These are the recommended fixings for use with Scotlarch.
L-GoFix® A2 stainless steel screws
Face fix
Cladding screw for effective fixing and neat detailing
Russwood Battening System
Substructure
Non-toxic, engineer-assessed, method of fixing timber cladding. Circular economy ready.
KompeFix®
Face fix
Compensation strip designed to prevent direct contact between timber elements.
L-BohrFix® A4 Screws
Face fix
A highly corrosion resistant screw for special applications.
Questions?
With so many timber species, dimensions, profiles, coatings and fixing options to choose from, the possibilities are almost endless – which is exactly why pricing isn’t one-size-fits-all. To give you an accurate price, we first need to know more about your project.
Get in touch with our sales team for up-to-date pricing tailored to your specification. We’ll talk through your requirements and guide you to the best solution for your project and budget. To compare our cladding ranges, explore indicative price bands (£–££££) using our Compare Cladding Tool.
Yes, Russwood’s dedicated Specification Team can assist architects with selecting the best timber cladding species, coatings and fixings for their projects, ensuring both the performance and aesthetic requirements are met. We can also assist with writing the H21 (external timber cladding) National Building Specification (NBS). Find out more about the services we offer to architects.
To receive a quotation or place an order, get in touch with our sales specialists who will be happy to assist.
Physical samples can be ordered by contacting our sales specialists who can assist with selecting the most suitable cladding for your project and send out appropriate samples.
Our handy Cladding Comparison table allows you to compare species information and timber properties at a glance
We offer UK wide delivery on all of our products. Please contact our sales specialists for a quote.
We can offer Scotlarch in various lengths from stock, ranging from 3.0 – 4.8m, to suit your project needs. Fixed lengths are available. Please speak to a member of our cladding sales team for more information
Expert View
Scotlarch® is a robust, home-grown species that offers a durable and economic solution for projects striving for low carbon footprint. Locally sourced in Scotland, it has the knots and figuring ideal to deliver that natural aesthetic.
News & inspiration
A guide to understanding timber movement, stability and cutting techniques
Understand timber movement and stability, including how growth, grain orientation and cutting techniques influence performance in cladding applications.
