Wood Claddings

Protect and extend the life of your timber cladding in Wanaka's harsh environment

Why this Service Matters

Timber cladding is one of the most beautiful and durable exterior finishes, but here in Wanaka it faces three major risks; high UV exposure, harsh winters, and hot summers. Over time, untreated or poorly maintained timber absorbs water, discolours, and loses its natural water repellency. This can lead to surface checking, accelerated ageing, and a faded appearance.

Timber cladding in Wanaka is exposed to intense UV rays, harsh winter freeze/thaw cycles, and hot, dry summer conditions. UV breaks down the surface fibres, causing fading, silvering, and discolouration, while repeated winter wetting and freezing can lead to surface checking and micro-cracks. During hot, dry summers, timber shrinks and expands with changing moisture levels, which can accelerate wear and reduce water repellency.

We provide ongoing maintenance with high-quality penetrating oils and regular softwashing, as well as complete restoration services to bring your timber back to its original condition, preparing it for long-lasting oil protection.

What the Service Includes

We offer two options to keep your timber cladding looking and performing its best:

Ongoing Maintenance Packages:
We ensure your timber is regularly softwashed according to the manufacturer’s guidelines for your specific oiling system, and re-oiled as required. While most timber benefits from oiling roughly every two years, factors like exposure, orientation, and climate can affect timing. Annual inspections help us tailor care to your property’s needs.

Full Timber Reset:
For older or weathered cladding, we provide a full restoration service to clean and prepare the timber, setting it up for long-term protection and ongoing maintenance. This ensures the wood is in prime condition before starting a regular care program.

Check out our Gallery for examples.

Maintenance Tips

Annual Inspection & Softwash: Regularly check your timber for mould, discolouration, or wear. Annual softwashing keeps cladding clean, preventing organic build-up and maintains the performance of your oiling system
Quality Penetrating Oil: A good timber oil completes several tasks: it penetrates and nourishes the wood fibres, enhancing water repellency and helps timber withstand freeze/thaw cycles in winter and wet/dry cycles in summer. A colortone acts like sunblock, locking in your preferred colour against UV, while most oils include a fungicide to help prevent mould, particularly the common black mould in Wanaka
Local Climate Considerations: While ‘silvered off’ timber can last in mild, low UV continental climates with minimal care, Wanaka’s harsh UV, hot summers, and cold winters mean that oiling is the most effective way to mitigate all major risks. Annual moss & mould treatments alone aren’t sufficient for our climate for long term care
Scheduled Maintenance Program: A tailored maintenance plan helps spread the cost and ensures your timber remains protected, with inspections, softwashing, and re-oiling performed at the right intervals for your property
DIY - Many homeowners start with a DIY clean with store bought "timber wash" products, hoping for an easy refresh. The challenge is that most of these cleaners are either bleach based or oxalic based. Bleach may kill surface mould but leave chemical residue and uneven colour behind. Oxalic acid cleaners target tannins and some staining but don't fully remove suface containination or biological build up. The end result is often patchy timber that won't take oil evenly, which is why we're frequently called in to fully restore it. Our professional timber cleaning process balances the right chemistry, dwell time, and rinsing techniques to lift containmination safely without damaging the wood. The cost is often comparable to retail cleaning products plus your weekend time. If you're unsure which way to go, send us a quick photo in the enquiry form