Siberian Larch: Unsorted vs Saw falling grades

As a building material for cladding, Siberian larch is held in high regard by architects and sought after due to its aesthetic benefits as well as its durability. 

Our Siberian larch cladding is available in two different grades Unsorted and Saw falling. You are probably wondering what the difference is, so we’ve put together this handy article to explain. Siberian Larch trees create solid and dense timber compared to other softwoods and are among the most durable woods available in the world. The straw-coloured Siberian larch stays extremely solid even after the drying and machining process.  

Siberian larch cladding is ideal for high exposed elevations or areas where there is the possibility of weather exposure. It’s well suited to almost all cladding and fencing projects. It’s quite dense at 590kg per m3. Siberian Larch cladding in any grade is well suited for commercial builds and residential projects alike.

Unsorted grade

This is the highest grade of Siberian larch available. This grade features minimal knots in the cladding, and where they are present, they are much smaller than those found in the saw falling grade. What unsorted essentially means is that the lower quality timber has been removed. You will receive cladding that has a clean and consistent finish when choosing this grade. The unsorted grade is used most often where a high-quality visible finish is essential, for example, for modern cladding, decking or stairs.

Saw falling grade

Saw falling grade is the most readily available grade of Siberian Larch cladding in the UK; it's essentially timber that is taken as it falls from the sawmill without any further sorting. It may include large knots, which can add character to the project if it’s not a concern. Saw falling grade is a mixture of all grades of Siberian larch and if you are not concerned about having knots and markings on your finished project, saw falling grade can still provide fantastic results for your cladding project at a fraction of the cost when compared to the Unsorted grade. 

Whichever grade you choose, you can be sure that by choosing Siberian larch, you will have cladding that, if properly maintained, could last 20-30 years. Colourwise it holds tones that vary from straw to reddish when fresh, which eventually go silver grey once weathered. Siberian larch is a naturally durable timber, but if a protective finish is added, it will offer further protection from the elements and add years to its service life.

Both saw falling, and unsorted grades offer their own benefits. The final decision has to come down to how clean and consistent a finish you require or if you are happy with the possibility of larger knots and character being present. Both grades offer excellent levels of durability, and there is no compromise on the quality of the finish between the two. Like all our timber, our Siberian Larch is sustainability sourced under the FSC guidelines. We know where our wood has come from and that the forest it originated from is being maintained for future generations.