Sun-resistant materials

[GMM]

It's good having a south-facing garden but the sun can take its toll on materials exposed to it.

I have a small area (about 3sqm) of timber shiplap cladding that has seen better days (peeling paint and weathered wood) and would be simpler to replace [1] than refurbish. Replacing like for like would give the same problem in a few years. The question is, what would be the best material for a 'fit and forget' solution? Thoughts so far include: Varnished hardwood - would still deteriorate in time uPVC shilap - shiny white wouldn't look good and creaks nadtily when it expands in the sun, but I can't see any sensible info on how well the darker foil-faced versions last. Fibre cement cladding - plenty of finishes available but seems to be painted, not coloured throughout the thickness, so would possibly give the same problem again. Bricks - a lot of faffing to do, given the location, and I'm struggling to source bricks that match the house for other purposes. Synthetic slates - should be pretty sun-resistant but may be challenging to hang vertically.

In the US, they use aluminium 'siding' that lasts well, provided it doesn't suffer any impact damage. I've never seen it in the UK.

[1] As I'm in a conservation area, I really shouldn't have any sort of cladding anywhere, apparently (wtf is that rule about?), but I don't think anyone will notice on a like-for-like replacement at the back of the house.

[Nightjar]

Use a timber that doesn't need a protective coat, such as oak or western red cedar.

Horrible stuff.

Ditto.

Vertically hung slate is widely used as a wall covering in areas where natural slate is common. I've seen some very decorative slate work on walls in Germany.

That is because we call it cladding:

Looks a bit industrial to me.

[The Natural Philosopher]

yew hedge

[JimK]

/ The question is, what would be the best material for a 'fit and forget' solution?/q

Depends how you want it to look....

Cedar shingles?

Treated featheredge/shiplap?

Jim K

[GMM]

They seem to call it weatherboard, but that's the stuff. Ubiquitous in the US but rare here. I think the final appearance depends a lot on the colour and texture. There are a few photos of applications that look less industrial but in teh main, I would agree from those illustrations. Possibly because they want to seel large quantities in that sort of market.

[GMM]

A bit tricky halfway up a wall....;-)

[GMM]

I was sort of thinking that pretty much any timber in full sun is likely to shrink then, probably, split etc.

[F Murtz]

As the others are saying, Cedar, in some countries they don't even treat it, it just goes a silvery colour left natural.

[Chris French]

My wife's aunt lives in Canada and has it on her house, looks absolutely fine (and of course, lots of other houses around with similar siding), but as you say I guess that was down to the profile and the finish

[Fevric J. Glandules]

I did my shed roof in this stuff:

I expect it to last for decades. It's flexible. Rubbery might be the best word. So not hard to hang / mount. Just bang some nails in.

[meow2222]

shingles. Or even inner tubes.

[Dave Liquorice]

Different woods behave differently. A thin bit of fast grown "softwood" sliced from a log like slicing a loaf along its length will move and split.

Decent bit of slow grown hardwood, properly seasoned/quarter cut from the log will be far far more stable and durable. As others have said cedar is the one used for shingles, may have to get the right species of cedar mind...