Style without the stress of maintenance - that's the beauty of a maintenance-free wooden façade. A wooden façade means ageing, the need to strip, sand or treat the wood to restore it to its original colour.
The choice of a maintenance-free timber façade is one of the concerns of homeowners, who see timber cladding as an ecological, authentic and environmentally-friendly material with undeniable technical, thermal and aesthetic properties. Over the last few years, the popularity of wood in construction has continued to grow, with a real craze for this healthy, high-performance material. The trend towards timber-framed houses, the cladding of modern homes and the rejuvenation of old buildings with cladding all bear witness to this.
Why choose a maintenance-free wooden façade?
Wood is a living material that evolves under climatic conditions and is subject to external attack by insects and fungi. Wooden facades require special care to protect them from greying, the natural ageing process of wood under the effect of sunlight, moonlight and rain, which is often accompanied by mould (blue stain) caused by humidity. Facades to the west, which are most exposed to the elements, age quickly, while those protected by an overhanging roof retain their original colour for longer. Differences in tone can be very unpleasant to the eye.
Rot-proof species for a maintenance-free wooden façade
It's a good idea to choose certain types of wood for cladding. Choosing a wood species that is suitable for exterior cladding avoids the risk of deterioration caused by biological agents such as fungi and insects. The risk of attack depends on the wood's exposure to humidity and the natural durability of each species. Some durable woods, such as western red cedar, Siberian Larch and Douglas fir, are renowned for their rot-proof properties and natural class 3, meaning that they can be subjected to humidity frequently in excess of 20%. These woods are therefore more resistant to climatic deterioration. These natural properties can be further enhanced by preservative treatments.
Preservation treatments
Exterior wood cladding requires very little maintenance if it has first undergone a preservative treatment and a finish. Preservative treatment is carried out in the workshop, on the processing site, to protect the structure of the wood, which varies according to its putrescibility and degree of humidity. These finishes make maintenance easier, but still require annual cleaning to preserve the brilliance of the colours.
The heat-stabilisation solution
Heat-stabilised wood is more resistant to external aggression and will give your façade great stability and durability. Heat-stabilised wood is resistant and long-lasting, with lighter colours that are permanently protected by the saturator. Refreshing a wooden façade is essentially an aesthetic consideration, as the quality of the material is not affected by its natural greying.
Saturator-type finishes
Saturators (natural, pre-weathered or dark) offer low-maintenance finishes on naturally durable wood that will age over time. Pre-weathered wood façades anticipate the natural ageing of wood, giving façades a uniform grey finish. Regular cleaning is all that's needed to keep them looking their best.
A maintenance-free façade is one that is designed to be easy to maintain thanks to compliance with these various requirements. This does not mean that it does not require annual cleaning, which is essential to preserve the brilliance of the colours, as with any other façade cladding.
