Ceiling or Wall Cladding It isn't often that you find hard wood cladding on either ceilings or walls in an ordinary house. Softwood on ceilings or on walls below a dado rail is reasonably common, but hardwood a rarity. There's no denying its beauty. Think of traditional oak panelling as found in older and more formal houses, castles, churches and cathedrals. It speaks substance, character, and it reeks of history partly because it lasts for ages. The first oak panelling in Scotland was put into Edinburgh castle around 1605. Wood for the panelling came from England and rumour has it that it originated in the estates of the Earl of Essex which were seized by the crown following his execution by Elizabeth I. Seems that Essex and Elizabeth were lovers too - a messy tale if ever there was one, but revenge is sweet. History aside, oak cladding is always eye-catching and will change the character of the room. It can impart an air of simplicity or of sophistication, depending on design. Cladding in timbers other than oak, e.g, in light timbers like sycamore will look and feel completely different. We are currently only able to supply tongue and groove cladding in oak, but we hope to bring out a similar product in different timber species in the coming year. Our oak cladding is 8-10mm thick, and available in widths between 2 ½ and 6 inches. Price Guide £25 - £30 per metre squared. For a cost estimate, e-mail us at info@mcconnel.co.uk or call us on 01848 331 662. Remember to tell us what area of ceiling or wall you have to cover!