For adding value and kerb appeal to your property, timber cladding is just the ticket.

After a sleek, contemporary look? A bold, daring design? Or just an smart, eye-catching flourish? Timber cladding offers you the chance to get creative. Perfect for home improvers, architects, designers and self-builders wanting to take their exterior to the next level.

Our team has pulled together some design inspo and trends, featuring a few cladding projects we've recently worked on!

1. Go vertical for a clean, contemporary feel

The most traditional orientation for cladding a house or outbuilding is horizontal, running along the lines of the brickwork.

Vertical, however, is now in vogue — especially when a narrow board is used to clad a full length of an exterior wall. This style provides the eyes with a smooth, clear, linear path and can add the impression of height.

Shadow gap is a particularly popular profile for this; as light falls across the building, the gaps between the slats create subtle linear shadows.

Two-story wooden house with vertical siding sits among trees; a raised front deck, a centered door, and a large upper-right window, with dappled branch shadows.

Modern wood-and-stone residence with a stone foundation, expansive glass doors, and a curved gravel path through a landscaped garden framed by trees at dusk.

Row of modern semi-detached homes with white lower walls and wood-clad upper facades, gray roofs with solar panels; fenced front gardens.

Wood-paneled pool house with glass doors, string lights, and potted plants; a blue-tiled pool and outdoor seating area in front.

Outdoor bar area with wooden wall panels, a hanging wicker chair with cushions, bottles on the counter, string lights, bar stools, and green plants in the foreground. — Vertical shadow gap cladding in Western Red Cedar stylishly applied garden room.

Modern two-story house with wooden cladding and white walls, blue front door, trimmed shrubs, and a car on a snowy gravel driveway under a blue sky.

Modern house exterior with a grey deck, wicker dining set, and a wooden accent wall; large glass sliding doors open to a living room with a TV and plants. — Vertical Western Red Cedar.

Tan vertical wooden siding on a modern building, with a gray-framed window on the left and an open doorway on the right, a stone path and small garden beyond.

Modern wooden house with large black-framed sliding glass doors opening to a weathered wooden deck; outdoor dining area, star doormat, and surrounding trees in sunlight.

Modern wooden cabin with vertical planks, a long window and sliding glass doors, set on a gray wooden deck in a sunny garden. — Vertical Western Red Cedar cladding in a shadow gap profile.

Modern glass-and-wood building with a curved wooden facade, tall white mullions, and blue-sky reflections in the large windows; pastel rounded benches in the courtyard. — Vertical cladding works just as well for commercial properties, like here with Redcar Leisure Centre, in Western Red Cedar.

Modern wooden house with a dark slate roof, skylights, and glass doors opening onto a wooden deck with outdoor seating on a green lawn.

Modern wooden garden room with vertical timber cladding, black-framed glass doors and windows, a flat dark roof, and a small concrete patio on a green lawn.

If you’re stuck deciding what might work best for your particular project, you might find our blog post on horizontal, vertical or mixed cladding to be helpful.

2. Weathered ‘old look’ grey cladding

Digging the subtle grey tones of weathered wood? You’re not alone. Interestingly, for many designers, the natural colour of wood is taking a backseat in favour of the silver fox.

Grey weathered timber is rapidly gaining a refined, rustic reputation and a characterful, graceful grayscale look — ideal for keeping things as natural as possible.

This weathering process can be achieved straight out of the factory with products like SiOO:X, or can be left to happen naturally.

Using a woodcare finish that has no UV filters — such as Owatrol H4 Wood — will allow your cladding to age gracefully whilst fully protecting from any water damage.

Modern two-story home with a stone base and light wood siding, large windows, and a curved driveway, set among a green lawn and shrubs under a blue sky.

Modern two-story home with a stone lower level and gray wooden upper level, black-framed windows, a sloped roof, and a landscaped yard with trees.

Modern wooden house with wide glass doors opening to a wooden deck; interior lit dining area and bedroom visible; outdoor bathtub on the deck; dusk sky. — Weathered wood has gained many architectural admirers for its rustic beauty and unsophistication.

Modern house with a prominent A-frame glass front, gray siding and black-framed windows, beside a turquoise pool on a curved wooden deck. — As seen on Grand Designs: grey Siberian Larch cladding completing a stunning property.

Modern single-story extension with gray vertical siding and large glass sliding doors, a tiled patio, trimmed hedges, green lawn, and climbing roses on the wall. — Thermo Nordic Pine vertical cladding in our DTC47 profile.

Any timber will naturally turn grey over time through weathering, but a few cladding favourites include Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Siberian Larch. Applying Owatrol H4 Wood will give it plenty of protection.

Or, as we mentioned just earlier, SiOO:X is a great factory treatment for getting those grey hues straight away.

3. Join the dark side with coated (or charred look) cladding

To continue the monochromatic theme, architects have a growing fascination for the magical, mysterious, atmospheric vibes offered by black.

This trend can be achieved through pre-painted black whitewood cladding or by using charred cladding. The latter is created using the centuries-old Japanese technique for burning and preserving wood — Yakisugi (焼杉).

As well as delivering a striking charcoal-black finish for a clean, crisp design, the charring process protects the timber, guarding against water damage, insect attack and fire. To give the wood its distinctive texture, the charred timber is lightly wire brushed.

Certainly great for creating an arresting, daring contemporary space.

Modern two-story home with dark vertical siding atop a white base, a gray front door, several windows, under a blue sky with distant hills. — Allowing your garden room or summer house cladding to age gracefully can add value and character over time. Or, you might prefer to speed things up with a greying accelerant.

Modern house exterior with dark vertical siding, large glass doors and windows, a light brick base, white side wall, and a glass-railed balcony.

Modern dark wood-clad building with tall vertical panels, two large glass doors, and a flat gray deck, set beside evergreen trees under a blue sky.

Modern house with a black slanted roof, timber columns, and glass walls; covered patio with wicker seating, potted plants, and a green lawn.

Contemporary two-story house with dark vertical siding, wood entry, and large windows; solar panels on the left roof, a lush front garden, and a garage with a car.

Modern townhouse complex with dark wood siding and red-tiled roofs, a carport on the left, curved driveway, and a wooden fence in the background.

Modern wooden garden shed with dark framing and large glass doors, surrounded by potted plants; a vertical stack of colorful totem-like sculptures on the wall. — You can use black cladding sparingly without it dominating your project.

Dark wooden building with a sloped roof, two skylights, and large glass doors reflecting a grassy field and trees. — Strikingly distinctive, clean and contemporary: Timber cladding treated according to the ancient Japanese technique for wood preservation, Yakisugi.

Two-story dark house with white trim, gray pitched roof, and a brick chimney; fenced front yard with planters and a sign under a blue sky.

4. Turn up the heat with thermally-modified timber

Like the luxurious look of expensive tropical hardwoods, but working to a tighter budget? Introducing heat-treated options like Thermo-Pine, Thermo-Ayous and Thermo-Tulipwood CAMBIA®.

Not only does the sustainable thermal modification process bestow the wood with excellent functional properties and durability, but it produces an alluring, clear-grade darker shade of brown, mimicking opulent African hardwoods like teak at a fraction of the cost.

Great for creating a space that has an environmental touch.

Modern two-story home with stone ground floor, wood upper level, blue-trim gable roof, glass balcony, and tall wooden garage door; gravel driveway.

Modern two-story wooden house with pitched roofs, expansive glass walls and balcony, warm interior lighting, and a green lawn at dusk. — Thermo-Ayous cladding: proving horizontal cladding can be contemporary

Modern wooden house with vertical siding, brick foundation, and large black-framed windows and doors; sits on a grassy yard under a blue sky.

Modern wooden house with stone base, curved brick driveway, landscaped garden in foreground, overlooking a lake with hills under cloudy sky.

Modern wooden building under construction with tall glass windows and vertical cladding; a dirt and gravel site with equipment and a cloudy sky.

Brown vertical wooden-clad building with four dark-framed windows, wall-mounted lights, and a raised planter bed in front under a clear blue sky. — Thermo-Ayous vertical cladding

Single-story wood-clad building with vertical panels, large glass sliding doors, a gray tiled patio, wicker seating, and a swimming pool under a blue sky. — Thermo-Ayous in our DTC14 profile

Modern exterior with vertical warm-brown wooden slats, black trim, and wall-mounted lanterns along a row of windows; green trees in the background.

5. Channel rustic charm

The natural, characterful looks so effortlessly achieved by rustic waney or feather-edge cladding have gained it many architectural admirers. Surprisingly versatile, waney-edged cladding can also provide a refreshing contrast when used on any property situated in a built-up urban environment.

Blue two-story house with a large wooden-framed glass conservatory along the ground floor, brick foundation, and a bright green lawn with leafless trees. — Featheredge: a traditional profile, given some added oomph with a blue RAL 5014 factory finish.

Blue two-story wooden building with a gabled roof, featuring a large glass-walled extension framed in light timber and a brick base on a green lawn.

Close-up of horizontal wooden planks with visible grain, knots, and small gaps; weathered brown-orange siding.

Or you could just simply opt for a character-rich species like Siberian Larch or Douglas Fir. Their knots and swirls provide plenty of no-nonsense beauty.

It’s about creating a nature-connected space with a warm, inviting and uncomplicated feel.

Perfect for creating a seamless transition between surrounding greenery and your exterior garden-facing wall or summer house, or for a barn conversion.

Wooden-clad single-story extension with large black-framed glass doors, a black pergola frame, potted plants, and a gravel strip by the green lawn. — Siberian Larch's grain pattern is sure to catch the eye

Night view of a wooden shed with a large glass sliding door; warm interior light shows a desk and chair inside, fence and trees lit by garden lights. — Douglas Fir cladding oozes character

Wooden garden room with large glass doors and dark frames, set on a wooden deck. Two potted trees frame the entrance; a green lawn and fence behind.

It’s ideal for those creating a garden room, summer house or wanting to reflect a rural, countryside feel for a barn conversion or period property.

6. Experiment with your profile choice

Whilst tried-and-tested profiles like V-groove and shiplap will always have their place, you might want to seize the opportunity to try something different. Cladding panels can be fabricated with various different profiles.

Arrange yours to form a mix of patterns and sizes — perhaps with a combination of V-groove, shadow gap, shiplap, rainscreen or feather-edge.

Maybe you like the idea of rainscreen cladding, but instead of the rhombus style, you’d prefer a straight edge, or a straight edge with a rounded corner? We machine all of our timber to profile on site and love being able to work with our customers to create something customised for their property and vision.

Single-story building with vertical wooden siding in warm brown, black-framed windows, exterior lights, a small ramp, and a paved parking area in front under a gabled roof. — Thermo-Ayous timber with a random-width, board-on-board profile

Wood cabin with a gray metal roof and glass doors on a raised deck, bordered by a rope fence and a garden with yellow shrubs. — Mixed-width Thermo-Ayous cladding

Heads can also be turned by throwing in some diagonal cladding.

Exterior of a Costa Coffee store with a warm wooden slat facade, burgundy window panels, and a sign inviting you to discover your new favourite.

Another profile that has trended for a number of years now (and doesn’t show any sign of stopping) is secret nail — with an extended top half to the rear that conceals fixings, this allows you to make a clean, contemporary statement.

7. Finish with a flourish

Just a little can go a long way, whether that's to frame your patio doors or just add a bit of character to a few walls on your house.

This might also be a feature wall (or accent wall) — fabulous for adding energy, texture and personality. You could also turn it into a multi-specie wall for a really striking, totally unique pattern!

Modern two-story house with white walls and horizontal brown wood panels; large glass sliding doors, gravel path, and a wooden bench along the front. — Horizontal Western Red Cedar cladding in a V-groove profile

Cozy outdoor patio with warm wooden walls and floor, potted plants on shelves, baskets, and a cushioned wicker sofa with a black-and-white pillow. — Iroko: a popular tropical hardwood also known as ‘African teak’

For those looking to make a statement, consider departing from the norm — perhaps with a tropical African species, like Zebrano (also known as Zebrawood). It's guaranteed to make an impact, so called as a result of its eye-catching cream and light brown colour with dark brown-black streaks.

Then there’s Iroko, known as ‘African teak’ by virtue of its phenomenal physical character and exotic golden-yellow-to-brown hues.

Just be sure they're sourced responsibly from a merchant with a clear environmental commitment (like us!).

Ready to start your cladding project?

After even more inspiration? Take a look at a few of our recent cladding projects. Or, if you think you know what you're after, contact us today.

At Duffield Timber, we’re a leading UK stockist and supplier of sustainably-sourced timber cladding. We’re proud to offer an unrivalled range of quality species from right across the world, all machined to profile on site.

However big or small your project, we can help.

Get in touch today

Timber Cladding Ideas & Designs for Your House & Garden

1. Go vertical for a clean, contemporary feel

2. Weathered ‘old look’ grey cladding

3. Join the dark side with coated (or charred look) cladding

4. Turn up the heat with thermally-modified timber

5. Channel rustic charm

6. Experiment with your profile choice

7. Finish with a flourish

Ready to start your cladding project?

Ready to start your project?

Join our mailing list

Timber Cladding Ideas & Designs for Your House & Garden

1. Go vertical for a clean, contemporary feel

2. Weathered ‘old look’ grey cladding

3. Join the dark side with coated (or charred look) cladding

4. Turn up the heat with thermally-modified timber

5. Channel rustic charm

6. Experiment with your profile choice

7. Finish with a flourish

Ready to start your cladding project?

Related pages

Ready to start your project?

Enquire about Timber Cladding Ideas & Trending Designs for Your House & Garden

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Enquire about Timber Cladding Ideas & Trending Designs for Your House & Garden