Bear Creek Barn House – Tennessee, USA

Vulcan Cladding with a naturally derived Sioo:x coating gives this vacation home a fine, textured look.

Project details

Architect: Northworks

Timber distributor: reSAWN Timber

Builder: Simple Homes

Product: Vulcan Cladding – Vertical Grain, (WB10 Profile) in Sioo:x Wood Coating

Photography: Natchez Photography

Completion date: 2024

Location: Tennessee, USA

Located on a 130-acre forested site outside of Nashville, the house by Northworks Architects is designed with a rural aesthetic, complete with simple forms and barn-style windows and doors.

Arranged around a central courtyard terrace, it features several outdoor areas from which to take in the vistas of rolling hills visible from its ridgeline position, including a large space to host guests around an outdoor fireplace.

While this allowance for outdoor living reflects the moderate climate of the area, the subdued, natural palette is a contemporary departure from the traditional, southern style of homes in the area, which are often brick or stone-clad with gabled windows.

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However the contrast remains subtle due to the gradual silvering of the Sioo:x coating, which naturally forms a silicon based shell on the Vulcan timber, creating a long-term weathered look that is at once protective.

For those looking to maintain a healthy home for both people and the environment, this product is Red List free as required by the Living Building Challenge, and is made from safe, plant-based active ingredients.

Maria Sanchez from Northworks notes “The house needed something that was resistant to rot, termites, and required minimal maintenance, and the 15-year warranty was an added comfort.”

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“

Abodo was a great solution for our clients who were looking for a natural, highly durable siding product to withstand the harsh elements of this wooded environment.

- Maria Sanchez of Northworks

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Vacation homeowners often come up against maintenance issues, which can counter the relaxation they hope to gain from their time away. Instead of requiring annual recoating like many cedar products, Vulcan finished in Sioo:x has an extended recoat period of up to seven years. As a penetrating, non film-forming coating that sits on the surface, Sioo:x is easy to apply to timber, and as a waterborne product, is also easy to clean up.

Surrounded by trees, the pale finish of the cladding seems to echo its natural setting. Complete with a separate guest house and designed with large expanses of glazing to take in the varied views, this is a much-loved place of respite for its owners and their family and friends.