Shed companies use lots of jargon when talking about their Shed specifications, like shiplap vs weatherboard vs loglap.
Even as someone somewhat in the know, when researching for our review blogs, I came across lots of terms that were contradictory or just buzzwords without any explanation.
If you’ve been searching around for a shed, you’ll also have noticed lots of shed companies claiming to make their sheds out of “high-quality timber” – without specifying what the timber is. If we don’t know, we can’t be sure it’s high quality.
Then we’ve got cladding. Companies will be deliberately vague when describing what cladding profile and size they are using, so that the cladding appears of better quality than it is.
Not all cladding profiles are created equally, which is why it’s important to stay vigilant Sheddies! In this blog, I’ll pit three different cladding profiles against each other – shiplap vs weatherboard vs loglap – so you can determine which is the right choice for your garden Shed.
What is Shiplap Cladding?
Shiplap is a type of timber cladding where the boards are designed to overlap. It’s popular for garden buildings, especially sheds.
Design
Shiplap boards have a groove cut into the edge which allows them to overlap and fit together. This makes the walls look “stripy” – there’s a clear line between each board where the overlap happens.
Water Resistance
Although shiplap cladding provides some weatherproofing by allowing water to run off the surface, it isn’t the most water-resistant cladding option.
Keeping water out of your Shed is going to be particularly important in Scotland. Our heavy rain and strong winds mean you’re going to need robust cladding to keep your Shed standing strong.
Shiplap provides some protection but it’s not as effective at keeping water out as other alternatives. The only thing keeping the boards together is the nails used to fix them to the framing. This gives only one point of failure before you have water inside your Shed.
Something to be aware of with shiplap cladding is that it can warp over time when exposed to excessive moisture and temperature changes. Because the boards are simply overlapped, any warping can literally cause gaps between the boards.
This is why shiplap isn’t the best cladding for an outside building in Scotland. All the rain we get here can cause water ingress issues in shiplap sheds, causing a mouldy or damp shed – which nobody wants!
Cost
One of the big advantages of shiplap cladding is that it is cheap to manufacture. This is one of the main reasons it’s so widely used for sheds. A shed at the cheaper end of the market will likely have shiplap cladding and will likely be whitewood. Both of these factors contribute to a lower cost and lower quality.
Installation
Shiplap, in theory, is easy to install. However, a lot of shiplap cladding tends to be whitewood. For shiplap cladding to work well at keeping water out, it needs to be installed expertly, creating a tight seal. Whitewood can be really difficult to work with because it’s quite a flimsy material. This means that you need serious skills to ensure the shiplap cladding is constructed properly to keep it sealed together as intended.
Aesthetic
Shiplap is also popular because of its rustic and uniform aesthetic. However, other cladding options provide a similar look while also offering better protection from the weather.
Evaluation
Shiplap is a good option for shed cladding if you’re on a budget however if you want a long-lasting shed that can withstand the Scottish weather you might want something that provides a bit more weather protection.
What is Weatherboard Cladding?
Tongue and groove weatherboard is a type of cladding where specially-profiled boards slot together snugly, even before they’re nailed.
Design
Tongue and groove weatherboard involves each board having a tongue (the protruding edge) and a groove (the sunken edge) on the other. This allows the board to fit snugly together like a puzzle piece. This interlocking system creates a strong and stable structure that provides a good level of moisture resistance.
Water Resistance
Tongue and groove weatherboard cladding will provide better moisture resistance than shiplap cladding. As you can see in the diagram the tongue is curved on one side. When laid horizontally this allows water to easily flow off the boards rather than gathering in one area. This is what you want and adds to the weather-resistant nature of the cladding.
Tongue and groove weatherboard cladding is less susceptible to warping and splitting compared to shiplap cladding because it’s more moisture resistant. This means it’s going to create a more long-lasting Shed!
Cost
Tongue and groove cladding is quite expensive to manufacture because the tongue and groove system is complex to machine. Therefore, a shed with tongue and groove weatherboard cladding will likely be at the higher end of the market.
Installation
Tongue and groove weatherboard does take some skill to install, so is probably not a great choice for anyone DIYing it without experience.
Aesthetic
Tongue and groove weatherboard offers a smooth polished finish to your shed. The overall look is similar to a shiplap profile, but the additional contours provide better protection from water and rot.
What cladding does G&M use?
At G&M we use tongue and groove redwood weatherboard cladding for our Sheds, Garages and Garden Rooms. We use this cladding because it offers superior weather-resistant performance. This is especially important for us as a Scottish manufacturer, as our buildings are designed to be long-lasting in our difficult climate.
Tongue and groove weatherboard also creates a very durable and stable structure which is key for us. We don’t want any flimsy sheds around here! The extra cost is worth it for the durability and moisture resistance that tongue and groove weatherboard cladding provides.
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What is Loglap Cladding?
You may have seen a few different shed companies offering loglap cladding as an upgrade from shiplap cladding. Loglap cladding has a curved profile to mimic the appearance of a traditional log cabin.
Design
Each loglap board has a curved front that faces the outside of the shed and then a flat back. Similarly to tongue and groove weatherboard, loglap cladding has one protruding edge and the other edge has a gap. This allows the boards to slot together in an interlocking system.
Confusingly, all loglap cladding is NOT created in the same way. The cladding may have the extra security of a tongue and groove profile, but this isn’t a given.
Water Resistance
The interlocking system provides some weatherproofing by allowing water to run off the surface. However, the curved profile of log lap cladding is done for aesthetic purposes only rather than for weatherproofing like tongue and groove weatherboard. The curved profile creates the perfect place for water to pool at the joint between the boards, rather than letting water run off the building. If water builds up here over time it can lead to water ingress issues and rot.
Aesthetic
Log Lap cladding creates a log-like effect, giving a traditional and rustic finish.
Cladding Thickness
The curve in the Loglap profile means that it’s thickest in the middle. So, if a Shed company claims their cladding is 19mm thick, it’s important to find out where this measurement is being taken from. The thickness of the boards where they join determines how water-resistant and sturdy the cladding is. This means that you want the joint to be a good thickness.
If the Log Lap cladding is 19mm in the middle, then it’s going to be thinner than this at the joint. At G&M, we always recommend a minimum cladding thickness of 16mm to be sturdy in Scotland. I’d advise always checking with your Shed company where they’re taking their cladding thickness measurement from on a board of loglap, so you have clarity on what quality you’re getting.
Machined Vs Non-Machined Sizes
Another thing to watch out for across the board is machined versus non-machined cladding thicknesses.
Before the cladding is made into its profile it’s going to be thicker before it has its joins cut into it. Therefore, a machined size will be thinner than a non-machined. If you see a cheap shed claiming to be 21mm it’s likely a non-machined size and the actual thickness of the cladding is closer to 19mm or even 16mm. Don’t be afraid to ask your shed manufacturer these questions, Sheddies!
Here at G&M for example our 19mm tongue and groove weatherboard is the machined size, so the final size that you’ll have in your Shed.
What’s the best cladding for a garden shed?
In the mighty battle of shiplap vs weatherboard vs loglap, who emerges as the victor? It really depends on what you’re looking for.
- If your priority is keeping water out and maximising the life of the building, we’d always recommend tongue and groove weatherboard – specifically Scandinavian redwood tongue and groove weatherboard.
- If you’re dead set on the aesthetics of a loglap building, make sure that you’re getting tongue and groove cladding, and be aware that over time, rot may become an issue.
- And if you’re looking for the cheapest option and quality isn’t your biggest concern, shiplap will be the most likely candidate. Make sure you know what you’re paying for – this isn’t going to be a long-lasting building.
And the next time someone tries to baffle you with timber-related jargon, you can be well-prepared to explain the difference between shiplap vs weatherboard vs loglap!
