Travelodge Car Park, Heathrow

Client: Travelodge
Type of works: supply of Cumaru Brazilian cladding from Vincent Timber, for the Travelodge car park.

Vincent Timber’s Cumaru cladding has transformed a previously dull and uninviting long-stay car park with a warm and user-friendly look that is guaranteed to last 50 years or more.

Situated in Slough, the car park was constructed for a new Travelodge located just 350 yards from one of Europe’s busiest airport terminals, Heathrow T5. The large, plain and square two storey concrete structure offers 154 spaces to the hotel’s visitors.

Cumaru – a Brazilian hardwood – was specified on the site to brighten up the construction with its unique, Dark Red visual characteristics. Cumaru has a density nearly three times higher than Red Cedar. As part of its service to contractors, Vincent Timber supplied the installers on site with timber components pre-cut to length, ready to be used. These different sized lengths were then incorporated into a distinctive wave-like design.

As a hardwood, Cumaru is classified as very durable, which makes it ideally suited to an outdoor application, especially upon a car park that is likely to see such substantial use. For this reason, Vincent Timber is seeing more and more car parks make practical use of timber cladding. All materials were supplied on time, in keeping with the development’s schedule. This came as part of the company’s firm understanding of the strict time frames that sub-contractors, such as specialist installers, have to work to.

The future is bright for the car park’s new look. Not only is Vincent Timber’s Cumaru strong while being rot and vandal resistant, but it will weather incredibly well to a delicate Silver/Grey patina that will last for 50 years or more.