The right exterior cladding outlasts the building it covers. iLumber specializes in thermally modified hardwoods — lightweight, dimensionally stable, and ideal for walls, ceilings, and facades — complemented by Brazilian hardwoods for projects that want maximum density. Here are the species we stock for cladding and what each is good at.
Shortlist
- Thermo Ayous — our flagship cladding. Lightweight, dimensionally stable, Class 1 durability, and exceptional for walls, ceilings, soffits, and fluted profiles.
- Thermo Ash — European Ash, thermally modified. Denser and harder than Ayous, with a warm crème-brûlée tone. Class 1 (25–30+ yrs).
- Thermo Scandinavian Pine — premium Nordic pine, thermally modified. V-Joint, Nickel Gap, and Fluted profiles for modern exterior facades.
- Clear Radiata — knot-free, finger-jointed thermally modified pine for a clean contemporary look.
- Cumaru — Brazilian hardwood, ~3,330 lbf Janka. Reddish-brown tropical cladding for high-density applications.
- Garapa — Brazilian hardwood with a golden honey tone. Class 1–2 durability, best price-to-life ratio in the hardwood line.
How to Pick
Start with intent. Walls, ceilings and soffits where weight, stability, and easy install matter → Thermo Ayous or Thermo Scandinavian. Modern minimalist facades → Clear Radiata or Thermo Scandinavian. High-density, hardwood-rich aesthetic → Cumaru. Golden, light-modern tone → Garapa or Thermo Ayous.
Thermally modified hardwoods are typically the right call for vertical surfaces — they barely move, weigh less than tropical hardwoods, and install faster on furring strips and rainscreens.
What to Avoid
Pressure-treated softwoods, cedar in coastal exposures, and unrated composite slat products. None match the design life of true hardwood or thermally modified hardwood cladding.
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