Naturally durable or treated cladding (larch, charred timber)

Weather/rot resistance from material choice rather than a maintained coating.

Cost

Medium

Upkeep

Occasional

Lifespan

Charred timber: 50-80 years correctly installed (some sources: 25-35 years for a zero-maintenance service life); untreated larch: 30-40 years

Embodied carbon

Low

Space / material use

Low

Output timing

None

Skill to repair

Basic

Regulation (FR example)

Changing the external appearance of an existing building normally requires a prior declaration (declaration prealable) at the mairie; stricter rules and an architect consultation apply within a protected or heritage perimeter.

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

Inputs

none

Outputs

none

Sources

• Timber cladding/charred-wood lifespan industry sources (The Larch Cladding Company, Timber Cladding Specialists)

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.