What sort of timber do Gillies & Mackay use?

What sort of timber do we use in each of our buildings?

It’s easy to lose track, given that change is afoot.

Once upon a time, we used Scandinavian Redwood for pretty much everything. We love Scandinavian Redwood. But these days it’s not the only option for your Gillies & Mackay building.

So I’ve put together this handy guide to make sure that you know exactly what sort of timber to expect in which building.

What timber do Gillies & Mackay use for sheds?

Our OG timber buildings and where it all started, we make our seriously good-looking Sheds from Scandinavian Redwood. The framing, weatherboard, sarking – they’re all slow-grown Scandinavian Redwood. Because of a decrease in timber quality, we’ve upgraded from unsorted Redwood to sideboard – a higher grade of wood usually used for finishing.

We don’t use pressure-treated weatherboard for our sheds, but we do use pressure-treated framing to give your building some extra oomph! Give any of our sheds a shove and they’ll stand firm.

This timber needs a coat of Sadolin to protect it from the elements and to minimise water ingress. You should repaint your shed every 3-5 years to keep it looking just as great as when it was first installed. 

What timber do Gillies & Mackay use for Garden Rooms Under 12m²?

Our new range of smaller Garden Rooms features an awesome timber innovation – heat-treated wood. 

Radiata Pine ThermoWood is treated with heat and steam to give it a beautiful, low-maintenance finish. ThermoWood is strong, weather-resistant and protected from insect damage and rot. It also insulates better than untreated timber.

You can use a clear UV-protectant to maintain the wood’s gorgeous reddish-brown colour or leave it untreated. The untreated wood weathers to a silvery grey colour. The colour of the timber doesn’t impact its durability, so either option will leave you with a long-lasting building.

What if you want to paint it? No problem. You can paint Radiata ThermoWood with a good exterior paint.

Please note – we use Radiata Pine Thermowood for the external cladding of our smaller Garden Rooms. At 5x the cost of Scandinavian Redwood, Radiata Pine ThermoWood is a low-maintenance, weatherproof option, but it’s also an expensive option. Since this timber is exposed to the weather, it’s more than worth it.

We use pressure-treated Scandinavian Redwood for the framing and floor of the building, and line these Garden Rooms with beautiful v’d Scandinavian Redwood for a classic interior finish. 

I told you – we love it!

What timber do Gillies & Mackay use for Blackstone Garden Rooms?

When it comes to our larger Blackstone Garden Rooms, our standard cladding is pressure-treated Scandinavian Redwood. 

We base-coat this wood, so you can apply a second protective coat of paint a few weeks after the building has settled. 

Why do we use pressure-treated cladding on Garden Rooms but not on Sheds? The article above goes into all the fine details, but the short version is that single-skinned buildings don’t benefit from pressure-treated cladding. It increases the likelihood of water ingress.

However, pressure treatment protects timber from decay and insect damage and strengthens the wood. If you’re using a layered construction and water ingress isn’t going to be a problem, it’s a great idea. 

Why not use Radiata Pine ThermoWood? Our Blackstone Garden Rooms are fully compliant with Building Standards, and don’t let water in. The pressure-treated Scandinavian Redwood is more than enough to keep your building weatherproof.

But if you’d like the low-maintenance option or natural finish of Radiata ThermoWood, this is available at an additional cost.

We can use Western Red Cedar cladding for Blackstone Garden Rooms on request, but this option is significantly more expensive than both Scandinavian Redwood and Radiata ThermoWood.

Whatever your cladding choice, we construct the framing and floor of your Blackstone Garden Room from, you guessed it, Scandinavian Redwood. V’d lining is also available as an interior finish, or we can use plasterboard. Many people opt for a mixture of both.

Remember that Blackstone Garden Rooms are custom projects, so no two buildings are the same. 

What kind of timber do Gillies & Mackay use for Garages?

I feel like you already know the answer here, Sheddies.

Like the Blackstone Garden Rooms, G&M Garages come with pressure-treated Scandinavian Redwood cladding as standard.

You have the same upgrade options – Radiata ThermoWood or Western Red Cedar.

We also offer Close Board and Strap cladding on our Garages and Blackstone Garden Rooms. 

The construction of our garages means that these buildings aren’t lined as standard. The interior shows the OSB layer and the Scandinavian Redwood framing. However, we do offer insulation and lining at an additional cost. 

Where can you find out more about Gillies & Mackay buildings?

Now that you know what your timber options are, you might be wondering what to do next. 
Whether you’re looking for more information on Sheds, U12m² Garden Rooms, Blackstone Garden Rooms or Garages, our Sales Team are happy to help. They can answer all your questions in a consultation. Book in now at a time that suits you.