View full sizeAmbara 1x6 T&G Nickel Gap Flush Back
Nova Ambara® thermally modified Ayous — 1×6 T&G Nickel Gap with a flush back. Class 1 durability, FAS clear, 6–16′. Sold by the lineal foot.
1x6 Nickel Gap T&G Nickel Gap Flush Back covers 5.125″ per lineal foot · 0.5 BF per lineal foot.
Tell us how much you need and we'll ship a fair spread of available lengths at the standard $4.40/LF— about 40% at 10′ & shorter, 60% at 12′ & longer, of which 20% is 16′+. Exact lengths aren't guaranteed.
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Ambara® 1×6 T&G, Nickel Gap pattern with a flush back. Milled to leave a consistent nickel-width reveal between courses — the tight, even shadow line that reads modern rather than rustic. The back is flush, so the board sits flat against studs, furring or sheathing.
Ambara® is Nova's thermally modified Ayous (Triplochiton scleroxylon, also traded as Obeche). The boards are modified in a closed system using only heat and steam — no chemicals — which alters the cell structure so the wood no longer takes on moisture the way it did. The even caramel color that comes out of that process runs all the way through the board, so a cut end or a ripped edge still matches the face. It is not a stain and not a surface treatment. The finished board is Class 1 durability.
It is also the closest thing we stock to clear Western Red Cedar, and for siding it behaves better in the ways that matter. Movement is under 2% in thickness and width — a fraction of Cedar's — so courses stay flat and reveals stay even through a wet winter and a dry summer. At 320 kg/m³ it is genuinely light, which you notice on the third hour of a ceiling or soffit. And unlike most thermally modified wood, Nova's closed-system process leaves it able to take a nail near the edge without splitting.
Ambara is siding, cladding, ceiling, soffit and trim stock — never decking. At 285 lbf Janka it is a soft wood, and thermal modification buys durability and stability, not strength. Do not use it for decks, stair treads, or anything load-bearing.
Left unfinished it weathers to a silver-gray much like Cedar. To keep the caramel tone, finish all four sides before installation with a UV-blocking oil- or water-based stain, then plan on a maintenance coat every two to five years depending on exposure.
Fasten with 304 stainless as a minimum, 316 near salt water. At 6″ wide these can be blind-nailed, one nail per stud, toe-nailed through the base of the tongue. Leave 1/8″ between courses; no gap is needed at board ends, since Ambara moves very little in length.
- Grade: FAS / A&Btr clear
- Lengths: 6–16′
- Species: Thermally modified Ayous, Triplochiton scleroxylon
- Durability: Class 1
- Shipping weight: 0.75 lb per lineal foot (1.5 lb per board foot)
- Certification: OLB; FSC® available on larger orders
- Warranty: Nova 25-year limited warranty — siding, cladding and paneling applications
About Ambara
Full Ambara profile →Nova Ambara™, aka Thermally Modified Ayous, resembles a clear grade Aye & Btr Western Red Cedar in appearance. Ayous has an even cream color in its natural form but Nova's unique thermal modification process changes this to a caramel brown or tan color that is very appealing and lends itself well for a clear or walnut color stain. The thermal modification creates a grade that is extremely stable and durable - this is what makes Ambara the best choice in thermally modified wood. Ambara™ compares favorably with Western Red Cedar for use as trim boards, siding, cladding, pergolas and more. Ambara™ is a softer, light weight species making it ideal for installation on walls and ceilings. It can be nailed or screwed, and clips can be applied to create a complete hidden fastening look.
- Color
- Light yellow color, sapwood not clearly demarcated. The wood becomes a caramel brown when thermally modified.
- Grain
- Straight or interlocked
- Texture
- Medium texture
- Durability
- Naturally a Class 5 durability, indoor use only. Nova runs its thermal modification to a Thermo D schedule, which takes Ambara™ to Class 1 durability for exterior use. Comparable to clear all heart Western Red Cedar.
- Working
- Ordinary mild steel recommmended. Easy to work and install. Peeling and slicing of non thermally modified Ayous are not known to have any issues.
- Drying
- Rapid with low risk of checking and distortion. No known of collapse or case hardening.
- Common uses
- Because Ambara™ is thermally modified, it can be used for both exterior and interior uses. Typical applications include trim boards, ceilings, soffits, and siding. Non-modified Ayous should never be used outdoors. Ambara is for siding and paneling only — it is not suitable for decking, stair treads or any structural use. Thermal modification buys durability and stability, not load-bearing strength.
- Origin
- Abundant in West Africa, and available with OLB and FSC certification from certified sustaible forestry.
- Botanical family
- Malvaceae
- Also known as
- Triplochiton scleroxylon, Obeche, West African Cedar, Abachi, Wawa, Sambawawa, Ambara™
Strength & performance
Compare all decking species →Mechanical properties, benchmarked against Ipe — the tropical-hardwood gold standard.
Specifications
- Material
- Ambara
- Brand
- Nova USA Wood
- SKU
- AMB-1X6-TG-NG
- Pattern
- T&G Nickel Gap
- Grade
- FAS Clear
- Nominal size
- 1 × 6
- Net size (actual)
- 3/4" × 5-1/4"
- Coverage per LF
- 5"
- Condition
- KD & Thermally Modified
- Sold by
- LF
- Weight
- 0.75 lb
- Availability
- In stock