Weathered larch cladding: how to speed the process up and slow it down

When choosing timber, aesthetics is always a consideration. The colour and grain of your wood can completely transform the style of your project, dictating whether it is contemporary or rustic, bright or warm, cosy or classic. For many, Larch ticks all the boxes when it comes to style, bringing a light, golden warmth which suits a whole host of applications, the most popular being cladding.

But over time, the colour of this durable softwood is likely to change. Intrigued? in this guide, find out more about weathered Larch cladding.

What is Weathered Larch?

Weathered Larch is Larch which has been weathered – not a huge surprise. To explain a little more, the Larch has been exposed to UV rays, which fade its colour and transform it into a silvery-grey timber with dark knots. That golden-yellow disappears, replaced by more muted tones which are picture-perfect for rustic aesthetics.

How Long Does Larch Take to Weather?

Larch actually weathers fairly slowly, largely because of its high resin content, which makes it a little more resistant to the impact of UV rays. You can expect your cladding to turn silvery-grey in around 1-2 years. This can be either sped up or slowed down, depending on a variety of factors which we will explore in the next sections.

How to Speed Up Larch Weathering

If you love the silvery-grey look and do not want to wait too long, there are a few ways to help Larch weather more quickly.

The simplest, all-natural method is to leave the timber untreated and exposed to direct sunlight so that the UV rays can get to work. Ensuring good air circulation around the boards also helps the process along, as it reduces moisture retention and encourages even weathering.

There are also weathering treatments which can be applied to Larch to accelerate the process. If you are looking for a quicker path to that silver look, you can mimic the look with stains or speed up the natural process with accelerants.

How to Slow Down Larch Weathering

Just as some people love the silvery-grey of weathered Larch, others love its original bright, golden warmth. If you do not want your timber boards to weather, apply a UV-resistant treatment to your cladding, which will protect your Larch from the sun with very little change to its natural appearance. You can also prolong the richness of the timber’s tones with oils, helping replenish any natural oils the Larch has lost over time and repelling water for long-lasting, vibrant colour.

Choose Sustainable Larch Timber

Whether you love Larch for its golden glow or are seeking that rustic silver for a sleek style, we can help. At EcoChoice, we supply both “natural” Larch and weathered Larch timber cladding, ensuring you get exactly what you are looking for. All our Larch is sustainably sourced from FSC® and PEFC-certified woodlands.

Reach out to start your Larch cladding order.