When we are talking about cladding, the topic can go on for hours. When you start researching, it’s hard to stop as you can keep digging up endless amounts of information on the subject. That’s why we have put together this helpful guide to walk you through the basics of house cladding.
This guide will discuss the following:
- The benefits of cladding
- The various types of house cladding available
- What to avoid when cladding
Now let’s take a look at some of the benefits of cladding:
- Your home can really do with some protection from the environmental elements such as harsh weather conditions, wind, debris flying around, and UV rays. Over time these elements can damage your home so adding house cladding can really help keep your home in good condition.
- You are protected from sound waves so you get an extra barrier of quietness around
your home.
- Your ventilation system becomes much more efficient with cladding because the air can move through the gap much easily promoting effective air movement.
- Because of the improved ventilation, moisture gets carried away from your home easier too.
People have different reasons for choosing to clad their homes. No matter what your reason for investing in cladding is, for aesthetic purposes or to help your home fight off the harsh environmental elements, this guide will walk you through the types of cladding. Educating yourself on this subject will make the purchasing process ten times easier and lead to making a choice your satisfied with.
Types of cladding available
- Timber – this highly adaptable material will protect your homes exterior from harsh weather and debris from strong winds. You will not have to do much maintenance and can repaint whenever required.
- Stone – coming in many different styles and textures, stone cladding can really bring your exterior to life. Nowadays, with new technology and more efficient manufacturing techniques stone is becoming more affordable!
- Weatherboarding – this house cladding requires a bit of upkeep unlike timber. However you do have the option of fixing it to your exterior either horizontally or vertically.
- Brick veneer – this is a more traditional type of cladding that blends to the outside of your home and does not need a great deal of maintaining.
- Metal – this house cladding type is really adaptable and versatile. Choose from a variety of metals such as brass, copper, aluminium, and bronze.
Cons To Consider
You should always consider how much maintenance will be required for the type of cladding you need. For example, textured cladding can easily gather dust whereas the metal cladding can oxidise and tarnish over time. If you want minimal maintenance, go for weatherboarding of brick veneer.
Before you buy, consider these factors:
- Which material to go for – house cladding must fit into your environment and where you live.
- Price – because upkeep is so important, think about do you want to pay more initially or smaller amounts over time to keep it in pristine condition.
- Aesthetic – this comes down to how adventurous and creative you want to become. For example, stones and metals provide room for personalisation whereas timber and weatherboarding are more generic.
Now you know a thing or two about cladding your home, you will be able to choose the perfect option for your budget and needs. Refer to this handbook when you are out searching for cladding so you can always be well-informed.