John Brash Supplies Western Red Cedar For School
John Brash’s Western Red Cedar Shingles were recently fitted by Old English Roofing onto timber cabins at Valence School, located near greenbelt land in the village of Westerham, Kent. The six new-build accommodation units will provide term-time boarding for 36 students at the LEA funded Special School, which caters for five to nineteen year olds with physical disability and mental needs.
John Brash, which is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and importers of timber products, supplied 1,200 bundles of Western Red Cedar Shingles for the project, as specified by Burn’s, Guthrie and Partners architectural firm. Following discussions with planners, it was decided that John Brash’s Western Red Cedar shingles would help the cabins blend in with the semi-woodland and rural environment and maintain the tranquil atmosphere of the site. The units were also clad in timber weatherboard, and the shingles perfectly complemented this exterior facade.
Old English Roofing is a well established roofing contractor with over 20 years’ experience. It offers a full range of services including work on all types of roof tiling, new roofs, soffits and fascias, roofing repairs and chimney work. The company has specialist roofers that are highly experienced installers of timber shingles. “We have an excellent relationship with John Brash and have fitted their Western Red Cedar shingles onto previous roofing contracts we have worked on”, said Floyd Courtnell, Director of Old English Roofing. “Our roofers enjoy working with shingles because they are easy-to-handle and lightweight”.
“They are also an environmental option, which makes them a sustainable choice for our customers.” He added: “This was a great project to be a part of and the natural look of the shingles really complements the accommodation units and the surrounding landscape.” Western Red Cedar weathers naturally over time to create a beautiful silvery grey colour. It has an excellent strength to weight ratio, requires minimum maintenance and provides good thermal performance. As timber is the only truly sustainable and renewable material, it helped Valance School meet the minimum requirement of BREEAM ‘very good’, which ensures that new-build educational buildings comply with strict environmental criteria.
All John Brash timber is sourced from renewable and environmentally well managed sources with most either Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or PEFC certified. The shingles used for this project were given extra protection with an FRT Exterior Fire Retardant Treatment (AA Rating) to ensure they complied with Part B Building Regulations. They were also given a preservative treatment that protects them against wood rotting fungi and insect attack for a minimum of 40 years. Christian Brash, Managing Director of John Brash, commented: “Our Western Red Cedar shingles have helped to create a warm, rich and textured appearance to the accommodation units at Valence School and really showcase the benefits of using timber”.
“Its natural and sustainable qualities are unmatched, which makes it a leading option for specifiers.” John Brash has been importing and manufacturing timber for over 100 years. The company supplies a wide range of sustainable timber building solutions including cladding, shingles and shakes, decking, roofing battens and carcassing.
