NeoTimber® Composite Cladding

Installation & Care Guide

A complete step-by-step guide to installing NeoTimber® composite cladding — from pre-installation checks through to the finishing touches and ongoing care. Covers all three ranges: Classic, Deluxe and Slatted.

1. Pre-Installation

Handling Your Cladding

• Store boards on a flat, clear surface on wooden battens at 400–500mm spacings to avoid water, dirt or grit damage.
• When storing outside for extended periods, cover boards with protective sheeting.
• Take care when lifting, moving or fitting boards — do not drag, slide or drop them over one another.
• Keep your work area tidy to avoid construction debris scratching board surfaces.

Recommended Tools

Tool Tips: Standard woodworking tools work with NeoTimber® cladding. Use carbide-tipped blades for the cleanest cuts; a 40–50 teeth blade is recommended for circular saws. Use a 3mm drill bit for countersinking.

Safety & PPE Required

Temperature & Expansion Gaps

Composite cladding naturally expands and contracts with temperature. Maintain the following end-to-end gaps at board joins:

Colour Characteristics

2. Installing the Subframe

All composite cladding systems require a subframe network to promote drainage and airflow, and to ensure a solid structure for the cladding boards to be fixed onto. NeoTimber® Composite Joists (59mm × 40mm × 3600mm) are recommended, but compliant timber or aluminium alternatives may also be used.

Key Requirements

• Joist spacing: No wider than 500mm centres. In high wind-load areas, reduce to 400mm centres.
• Ventilation gap: Allow a minimum of 35mm space behind cladding boards for airflow.
• Top and bottom gaps: Leave a continuous 15mm gap at both the top and bottom of the system.
• Ground clearance: Minimum 15mm between the bottom of joists and the ground for airflow.
• Expansion gaps: Allow 20mm spacings between adjoining joist ends.
• Double joisting: Required where two cladding boards meet at butt-ends.
• Around features: Ensure adequate batten support around window sills, door openings, guttering and soffits.
• Fixing joists: Fix each joist at 500mm intervals using countersunk A4 stainless steel screws. Pre-drill to avoid cracking.
• Level: Ensure joists are level — use packers to compensate for any wall irregularities.

Joists should run adjacent (perpendicular) to the direction of your cladding boards in most cases. Consider your laying pattern (horizontal or vertical) before fixing the subframe.

3. Installing the Cladding Boards

NeoTimber® boards can be installed horizontally or vertically using starter clips and cladding screws. The same method applies to all three ranges.

Horizontal Installation — Step by Step

1. Fix Starter Clips to the first run of joists. Mark a level line at the base of your joists. Attach a Starter Clip at the base of each joist using the stainless-steel screws provided. This ensures a straight, level first board.
2. Fix the first cladding board. Align the concealed groove of your first board with the Starter Clips and press into place — tap if needed to fully seat it. Pre-drill a 3mm hole into the top channel and fix with a NeoTimber® Cladding Screw at every supporting joist along the board’s length.
3. Install subsequent boards. Slot the concealed groove of each new board into the top groove of the board below. Pre-drill then fix the top channel with a Cladding Screw at each joist. Maintain the correct expansion gap at all butt-ends (see temperature table).
4. Around windows & doors. Cut boards to size as required. Where standard groove-fixing is not possible, use colour-matched Trim Screws to face-fix the board. For Classic or Deluxe boards that cannot be fixed through grooves, a 12mm packer behind the board ensures a secure fix. Each board must be fixed at both top and bottom.
5. The final board. Slot its concealed groove into the previous board. If the final board needs trimming lengthways, face-fix using a Trim Screw into the face of the product. See the Edging section below for finishing options.

Vertical Installation

For vertical installation, the joists run horizontally and boards run vertically. Begin at one edge of the wall and follow the same steps 1–5 above, working across the wall.

4. Installing Edging Options

NeoTimber® provides two edging solutions — Skirting Trim and Corner Trim — to cap off exposed edges, cover expansion gaps, and neaten returns around doors and windows. Fix all trims using colour-coded Trim Screws at 300mm intervals after pre-drilling.

5. Cleaning & Care Guide

NeoTimber® composite cladding is low-maintenance by design. With occasional care, your boards will continue looking their best year after year.

Routine Cleaning (every 6 months)

Always clean along the length of the boards to avoid blocking drainage.

• General clean: Apply warm soapy water and clean with a soft-bristled brush or sponge.
• Deeper clean: Jet wash at no greater than 3,100 PSI using a fan attachment, held no closer than 250mm from the surface.

Stubborn Spot Stains

• Treat affected areas within the first 7 days for best results.
• Use a water-based composite cladding cleaner to remove excess oil from the surface.
• Classic range only: Lightly sand the stained area to remove the surface layer and lift the stain. The area will appear lighter initially but will blend in as the boards weather. Do NOT sand Deluxe or Slatted boards — the protective shell must not be sanded under any circumstances.

Water Staining (White Streaks)

Residual oils in the Classic range can occasionally appear as white streaks. These naturally disappear over approximately 6–8 weeks when exposed to rain. To speed up removal: clean thoroughly with warm soapy water or a jet wash, and use a composite cladding brightener to remove residual oils.

✔ Deluxe & Slatted ranges are protected by a polymer sleeve — highly resistant to water staining.

Mould & Mildew

All outdoor surfaces can attract mould and mildew, especially after winter. We recommend a thorough spring clean. Remove surface growth with warm soapy water and a soft-bristled brush or sponge. For heavier growth near foliage or in damp areas, jet wash and use a composite-specific cleaning product as a de-greaser.