8 linear metres per m2
Key features & benefits
Some of the standout characteristics of sweet chestnut cladding include:
- Natural durability: Sweet chestnut is rated as Durability Class 2 (EN 350-2) meaning “durable” — suitable for external use without preservative treatment (provided proper detailing) in many cases.
- Good stability / less movement: Many specifications note that sweet chestnut has “small movement” compared with some softer woods, especially when finger-jointed and dried.
- Aesthetic appeal: Freshly machined chestnut has a light golden-brown tone, occasionally with mineral streaks, and weathers to a silvery or soft grey if left untreated.
- Workability: Chestnut is easier to work with than oak while giving a hardwood finish.
- Sustainability / local sourcing: In the UK context you’ll often find sweet chestnut from managed woodlands/coppice, offering lower embodied carbon and local provenance.
- Lightweight relative to some hardwoods: For instance, one specification gives density ~540-650 kg/m³ for sweet chestnut.
- Uses & applications
- Sweet chestnut cladding is suitable for:
- External façades on residential, commercial or institutional buildings, especially where a hardwood finish is desired and durability is important. For example: one supplier highlights commercial use for civic/education buildings.
- Rainscreen cladding systems, horizontal or vertical orientation, modern contemporary or traditional look.
- Spaces where sustainability/local timber sourcing matter and chemical treatments are to be minimised.
- Internal feature walls (though more common externally) where a hardwood cladding look is desired.
