In a recent garden room build series on YouTube, one team called the Makers Manual documented exactly this challenge. Their experience highlights a common issue in the industry and shows what actually makes a difference when choosing a timber supplier.

The Challenge with Sourcing Timber Cladding

During their build, the team explained how frustrating it was trying to source cladding. Many suppliers did not display:

• Clear pricing
• Stock availability
• Available lengths
• Detailed product specifications

Instead, they required customers to get in touch, often leading to delays, slow responses, or limited information. For time-sensitive projects, this creates unnecessary friction and uncertainty.

What Made the Difference

After struggling with multiple suppliers, they came across us, Southgate Timber. What stood out immediately was the clarity and transparency of the website:

• Prices clearly listed
• Livestock levels visible
• Lengths and specifications provided
• Helpful product descriptions and guidance

Alongside this, they highlighted the level of service:

• Fast email responses
• Phones always answered
• Knowledgeable team offering real advice
• Live chat support with genuine expertise

This combination of product clarity and customer support made a significant difference in moving their project forward.

The Cladding They Chose

For this build, they selected the Thermo Ayous 20 x 95mm Channel Groove ST65.TA Cladding, a popular choice for modern garden rooms due to its clean lines and consistent finish. Thermo Ayous is also known for its enhanced stability due to the thermal modification process, its lightweight handling, its smooth, uniform appearance, and strong performance in external conditions.

Why Thermally Modified Timber Works So Well

While this project used Thermo Ayous, the same benefits apply across thermally modified timber products. These include:

• Improved durability
• Increased resistance to moisture movement
• Greater stability compared to untreated timber
• Reduced maintenance over time
• Sustainable material due to chemical-free process

This makes it a strong option not just for garden rooms, but for a wide range of external applications.

Other Cladding Options to Consider for Garden Rooms

Depending on your project, there are several other cladding options worth exploring if you’re planning a similar project like this one:

Thermo-ash cladding

Thermo-ash is ideal for a more premium, darker aesthetic with a pre-oiled finish available.

Western Red Cedar cladding

Western Red Cedar is a natural, lightweight timber with warm tones that weathers beautifully over time.

Thermowood Pine cladding

Thermowood Pine offers a more cost-effective option that still benefits from thermal modification.

Each option offers a different balance of appearance, performance and budget, so it is worth exploring what best suits your project.

Fixings and Finishing

To get the best result from your cladding, it is important to consider the full system. This includes using appropriate fixings and treatments like stainless steel fixings or hidden fixings where suitable, and protective treatments or oils to enhance colour (if that’s the finish you want for your project). Southgate Timber also stocks a full range of treatments, including Osmo and Owatrol products, to help maintain and protect your timber over time.

See the Full Build

You can watch their garden room cladding video here, and the full build process here to listen to their experience first hand.

Final Thoughts

This project highlights something simple but important. When choosing timber, it is not just about the product, but its about clear information, reliable stock, and fast, knowledgeable support.

Having all of this in place can save time, reduce stress, and help your project run smoothly from start to finish.