How to fit featheredge cladding

Video by Robin Clevett. This guide is based on "How to set out, measure, cut and fix Timber featheredge cladding the carpenters way" from Robin Clevett’s channel. Robin is a UK carpenter and joiner from Dorking, and his approach to setting out the reveal and working from a consistent story pole is the clearest explanation of this process I have come across. The video is particularly useful for understanding how to calculate the number of boards and what reveal to expose on each course before you start cutting anything.

1. Calculate your reveal and set out on a story pole

A featheredge board is typically 125mm or 150mm wide at the thick edge. You overlap each board over the one below, leaving a “reveal” of around 25–35mm for 125mm boards. Work out the reveal by measuring the total height to be clad and dividing it into equal courses — the reveal can vary slightly to make the courses come out even at the top.

Mark all the course lines on a straight piece of batten (a story pole). You will use this to mark each corner, which gives consistent courses all the way around the building without measuring each board individually.

2. Fix the battens to the wall

Featheredge cladding needs counter-battens to hold it away from the wall and allow air to circulate behind. Use 25×50mm treated softwood, fixed vertically at 400–600mm centres. The battens must be level and in the same plane — pack out any hollows in the wall with offcuts before fixing.

The first batten at the bottom needs to be tilted slightly to set the angle for the first course of boards. A thin offcut nailed to the back of the first batten does this job. That tilt is what makes the bottom board lie at the correct angle and ensures every subsequent board sits consistently on top of it.

3. Treat the boards before fixing

Apply preservative or a base coat of stain to all four sides of every board before it goes up — especially the end grain. Timber that is only treated after fixing will have bare, untreated ends at every cut, which is where rot starts first. This step is frequently skipped and frequently regretted.

Allow the treatment to dry fully before fixing. Wet boards will also shrink as they dry, so letting them acclimatise outside for a few days before fixing reduces gapping later.

4. Fix the first course at the correct height

Start at the bottom. The first board should overhang the DPC (damp-proof course) or the bottom of the frame by around 40–50mm to throw water clear. Use your story pole to set the height, and fix a temporary batten as a ledger so the first board sits at exactly the right level without you holding it.

Nail through the thick edge of the board, just above the overlap point, with two 65mm galvanised clout nails per batten. Do not nail through the thin edge — that is where the board needs to be free to move slightly as it shrinks and swells with moisture.

5. Work up course by course

Each subsequent board laps over the one below by the reveal you calculated. Use the story pole at each corner to keep the courses consistent across all faces of the building. Check plumb every few courses with a spirit level — drift creeps in gradually and is hard to correct late in the run.

Stagger the joints if you need to join boards end-to-end on a long run. Joints should fall over a batten, not in mid-air. Cut the ends at a slight bevel (5 degrees or so) to throw water off the joint.

6. Detail corners and any window or door openings

External corners can be finished with a simple mitre or with a corner batten that the boards butt up to — the batten method is easier and just as weathertight. Around windows and door frames, fit a small drip mould at the top to keep water from running behind the cladding at the head.

Gable ends where the cladding meets a barge board need careful cutting to follow the roof pitch. A sliding bevel set to the roof angle and a sharp saw will give you a clean line.

7. Apply a finish coat

Once all the boards are fixed, apply a full finish coat of exterior stain, paint, or oil. Work the product well into any end-grain cuts. Two coats are better than one. Some timbers — larch in particular — weather beautifully if left untreated, but treated softwood benefits from a coat every three to five years to stay in good condition.

When to call a handyman

Featheredge cladding on a small shed is manageable for a confident DIYer. For longer runs, work at height above a single-storey wall, or jobs involving bay windows, gables, or tricky corner details, it is worth getting help. Richard can quote for the full job including batten fixing, boarding, and a painted finish.