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- Kristin Håverstad
That's why they chose cladding from Marnar Bruk
When you build or renovate a house, the cladding is one of the most important choices you make. It affects the look, the need for maintenance and how well the house withstands wind and weather. Karoline and Nikolai, who are behind the «House of Life» project at Ekeberg, share their experiences - and why they chose cladding from Marnar Bruk.
Local and sustainable
For Karoline, who works as general manager in Beak, it was important to choose a supplier that works as sustainably as possible.
- "It was important for us to choose a company that produces in Norway. What many people don't realise is that Norway imports large quantities of materials from abroad. This is unnecessary. That's why we're proud to be able to say that our cladding is locally sourced," says Karoline.
The fact that the wood is also royal impregnated made the choice even easier. This treatment is both more environmentally friendly and requires far less maintenance than traditional impregnation - a combination that gave the couple a house with both aesthetic expression and practical benefits.
Choice of cladding type
Before they could decide on the colour of the house, they had to choose the type of cladding. They had to choose between timber cladding, batten cladding and double seam cladding. Following advice from the architect and a trip to look at different houses and cladding solutions, they opted for vertical batten cladding. This provides variation in the expression and makes the facade appear alive as the light changes throughout the day.
Treatment and colour
Once the type of cladding had been decided, the next step was to choose the treatment and colour. Karoline and Nikolai wanted a natural cladding without paint, so that the wood could be visible and develop beautifully over time. They quickly discovered that the cladding from Marnar Bruk had a very special property - it greys evenly and nicely, which was crucial to them. They had seen several examples of uneven and scaly cladding, and they wanted to avoid this.
Karoline recommends that others who are considering natural cladding lay a test piece outside for at least a year, in the place where the house will stand. This gives a realistic impression of how the wood will develop in weather and wind. They also used this sample actively when choosing the colour of the windows. At first they considered white window frames, but after seeing how the cladding changed, they chose a green colour that better suited the forest and nature around the house. The colour code was RAL 6011 - a choice they have not regretted.
- The cladding we have chosen is royal impregnated. It's double-impregnated, which means that it's first pressure impregnated and then boiled in linseed oil. It can stand for a long time without us having to treat it annually, which we find very comfortable," she says.