🚚 Wood in stock in Kysucké Nové Mesto • we cut to size • we deliver 🚚
Customer support:+421 911 869 777info@zrubko.sk
    Language
    English
    Home / Installation guides / Preparing a wooden facade for installation – materials, tools and substrate

    Preparing a wooden facade for installation – materials, tools and substrate

    Preparing wood cladding for exterior use

    Before you start installing wood cladding on a facade, it is essential to have the right materials and tools and to prepare the substrate. Below we go through what to bear in mind for a durable, attractive and professional result.

    Do you need a building permit to replace a facade?

    As a rule, replacing facade cladding does not require a building permit (a decision on the building project). Under Building Act No. 25/2025 Coll., renovating the building envelope is a building alteration that has to be notified to the building authority in advance only in cases set by law – for example for a listed cultural monument, for a building in a heritage conservation area or in a protected area outside the built-up area of the municipality, or when the work may endanger the fire safety or the mechanical resistance and stability of the building.

    Before starting work, check with the building authority of your municipality whether this applies to you and whether the project complies with the municipality’s land-use plan. If the work has to be notified, do so in advance – the building authority deals with the notification within 30 days.

    Before starting work, it is worth discussing the planned work with the local authority to make sure that no further formalities are needed.

    Tools for installing a wooden facade

    Tools you need for installation:

    • A circular saw or a saw for rip and cross cuts, so that the cuts are accurate
    • A laser or a spirit level, so that the installation is straight
    • A nail gun or a cordless screwdriver
    • Measuring tools (tape measure, square)
    • A hammer and a pry bar (for straightening and dismantling)
    • A storage and organisation system for materials and tools (we naturally recommend the ESSBOX+ system)

    Which fasteners should you choose for a wooden facade?

    • Stainless steel nails or screws are especially important in places exposed to the weather.
    • If you plan to paint the wood cladding after installation, you can use zinc-plated fasteners. If the cladding will not be painted, zinc-plated nails can discolour the wood.

    Stainless steel fasteners

    Stainless steel cladding nails and facade screws are always a safe choice.

    ESSVE Ring shank nail 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 250ESSVE Ring shank nail 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 250ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15° 2.8 x 55 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15° 2.8 x 55 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 3009 oxide red 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 3009 oxide red 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800Ring shank nails 15°, coil collated, stainless steel A4, RAL 7016Ring shank nails 15°, coil collated, stainless steel A4, RAL 7016ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 7039 quartz grey 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 7039 quartz grey 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 8022 black brown 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 8022 black brown 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 9010 pure white 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Ring shank nail, plastic coil 15°, RAL 9010 pure white 2.8 x 48 mm A4, pack of 800ESSVE Facade screw with cylindrical head 5.0 x 52 mm A4, pack of 250ESSVE Facade screw with cylindrical head 5.0 x 52 mm A4, pack of 250Facade screw, countersunk head, acid-proof stainless steel A4Facade screw, countersunk head, acid-proof stainless steel A4ESSVE Collated facade screw with countersunk head 4.2 x 45 mm A4, pack of 1000ESSVE Collated facade screw with countersunk head 4.2 x 45 mm A4, pack of 1000

    Preparation is the basis of a durable installation

    1. Check the facade! If you are replacing the facade of an existing building, check it thoroughly – all surfaces must be flat, dry and in good condition. Remove old cladding or elements damaged by mould.
    2. Preparing the structure for installing the facade
      • For vertical cladding: a horizontal batten to nail to.
      • For horizontal cladding: a vertical batten to nail to.
      • For board-and-batten cladding: cross battens that provide both load-bearing capacity and ventilation.
    3. Ensure good ventilation behind the cladding – leave a ventilation gap at least 20 mm wide.
    4. Protection against moisture – before installing the cladding, lay a vapour-permeable wind barrier (windproof building paper or windproof membrane) – not a vapour barrier.
    A green ESSBOX case full of fasteners on a wooden floor.

    Choose the boards

    How do you want the building to look?

    Back to step 1

    Use our guide

    6 steps to correct installation ⮕

    Nails or screws?

    We present the advantages of each fixing method.

    Go to step 3

    A pack of ESSDECK Max decking screws on a timber deck.

    The right length and number

    Fix the cladding correctly and get help with the calculations.

    Go to step 4

    A pack of wood connector screws on the substructure of a timber deck.

    Installing the cladding

    A simple guide to installing wood cladding. Advice and information.

    Go to step 5

    Maintaining a wooden facade

    Make sure your facade lasts as long as possible.

    Go to step 6

    How do you prepare a wall for installing a wooden facade?
    Check the condition of the substrate before installation. The surface must be flat, dry and free of damaged elements. When renovating, remove the old cladding and any parts affected by mould.
    Which tools do you need to install a wooden facade?
    The basic tools are a circular saw, a spirit level or laser, a nail gun or cordless screwdriver, and measuring tools such as a tape measure and a square.
    How wide should the ventilation gap behind a wooden facade be?
    Leave a ventilation gap at least 20 mm wide behind the cladding so that air can circulate properly and moisture is carried away.
    Does a wooden facade need protection against moisture underneath?
    Yes. Before installing the cladding, lay a vapour-permeable wind barrier on the wall – windproof building paper or a windproof membrane. This is not a vapour barrier, which belongs on the inner, warm side of the wall.
    How do you build the structure for installing a wooden facade?
    The type of substrate depends on the direction in which the cladding is installed. Vertical cladding goes on horizontal battens, horizontal cladding on vertical battens, and for a board-and-batten facade a cross-battened substructure is recommended.

    The information in this guide is for guidance only. Follow the manufacturer's technical data sheet and the applicable standards; if in doubt, contact us.

    The information reflects the Slovak Building Act No. 25/2025 Coll. as amended on 22 September 2026 and does not replace legal advice. Before starting work, check the requirements with the building authority of your municipality.

    Previous article Next article