Western Red Cedar from Silva Timber was chosen as the cladding and decking material for a stylish facilities building at countryside hotel.

Countryside hotels can be overlooked for the facilities city hotels benefit from because of their location. To provide an enhanced experience for their guests, Bryn Tanat Hall undertook a project to build a new gym and spa situated in their expansive grounds.

An existing steel frame was used as the base for the new facilities, which needed to have a contemporary, airy and organic feel. Western Red Cedar was the natural choice for the cladding and also some decking, which creates a path running alongside the new building, because of its durability.

Fine sawn tongue and groove cladding was used to give the contemporary look the owners had envisioned for the new building. Fine sawn is a bi-product of the two highest grades of Western Red Cedar and so is mostly clear but will contain a few more natural characteristics such as knots. The fine sawn cladding provided a better match to the grade of decking used alongside the building, creating a more natural but contemporary style.

To create a cohesive design large sliding doors were fitted and a feature wall was added to the gym using the same cladding, providing a seamless transition indoors.

Owatrol Seasonite was applied to provide protection from moisture damage. Both the cladding and decking will be left to age naturally to a silver grey colour, mellowing into the surrounding woodland.