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Stuart Noble

wrote:
On 10 Aug,
"Angela" wrote:

I have a new house that's partly clad with Douglas Fir (just over a half at
a guess). The developer said that the cladding would last about 10 years.
I hate to think of the expense to re-clad the house but I can't believe
that if it is looked after it should last a lot longer. When it was
raining yesterday I looked at my cladding which was getting wet yet my
shed treated with cuprinol Duckback just had the water rolling off it so
it got me wondering if there was something similar which could be applied
to my cladding, only I don't want to change the colour.

Neighbour got Douglas fir when his house was built 30 years ago. Still as
good as new. Probably had a couple of coats of B&Qs fimest in the intervening
years.

Mine was done (at the same time) with softwood cladding, and is still ok, but
has been done with a version of wood preserver a couple of times. it always
seems to absorb the rain, but no rot, and I won't change it until I get round
to improving the insulation behind but I might then refit it).

It should last a hundred years at least, with the odd coat of preservative
(preferably creosote if you can get it).

Doug fir is a more resinous timber than "ordinary softwood" and should
last a good deal longer. There is no reason for it to rot other than
where it's in prolonged contact with water. Pretty easy to see where
that's likely to happen