Cladding your home refers to covering one material, such as composite cladding, over another to ensure the building’s structural integrity. The right material for your cladding covers all the rough points of your walls.
The popular trend of using composite cladding gives your commercial or residential building a customised look. Composite cladding is one of the most popular ways to revamp your home without the hassle of paint. What are the advantages and disadvantages of adding composite cladding to your home?
What is Composite Cladding?
Composite cladding is an exterior wall cladding product made from reclaimed wood fibre and recycled plastic. Composite panels act as an additional “skin” protecting the exterior walls of your home or commercial building from extreme weather conditions.
The binders used to make composite materials are low in volatile organic compounds (VOC). During the manufacturing process, an additional protective layer is added to the composite cladding making it impervious to moisture, debris and extreme weather elements.
What Are the Pros of Composite Cladding?
Unlike traditional wood siding, composite cladding boasts several benefits. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of composite cladding.
Low-Maintenance
One of the key selling points of composite cladding is that it is exceptionally low maintenance. Unlike conventional timber cladding, composite wall cladding does not require routine painting, staining, sealing, and sanding to extend its lifespan.
Composite cladding does not rot, crack, splinter, or swell like real wood cladding. One of the many advantages is that it does not require strenuous cleaning; a simple wash-down with warm soapy water is all that is needed to maintain your composite siding.
Versatile
One of the many advantages is how versatile our composite cladding is. It comes in various colours and has a stunning wood grain finish that resembles wood siding. What makes composite cladding so unique is how real it looks without the hassle real wood siding has.
The versatility of the composite cladding range allows homeowners to find the best colour and texture for their homes. Whether you opt for slatted composite cladding or composite panels, your composite material will add visual interest and improve curb appeal.
Easy To Install
Composite cladding is straightforward to install, and you should use a professional installer to complete the installation safely and correctly. However, if you enjoy a DIY project and have the necessary skills and tools, you will appreciate how easy installing cladding can be.
Note: Ensure that the correct joists and clips are used during installation to prevent voiding your warranty.
Eco-friendly
Since composite cladding is made from recycled materials, it is an eco-friendly choice for many homeowners. High-quality composite decking and cladding materials are ethically sourced and use scrap wood fibre and plastic that would otherwise end up in landfills.
The composite material used to engineer the Composite cladding provides your building with insulation which reduces carbon dioxide emissions. This makes composite cladding and decking an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building material.
Energy- Efficient
Imagine there is a product that could help save on your energy bills, a composite cladding can. Due to the insulation properties of composite wall cladding, it is effective in drowning out noise and has excellent heat retention. This thermal insulation helps regulate the temperature in your home and actively cuts down on energy costs.
Durable and Long-lasting
Composite cladding is far more durable and longer lasting than wood cladding or vinyl siding materials as well as any other cladding materials. The recycled composite cladding materials used to engineer the boards make them resistant to decay, insect infestations, and warping and are stain and scratch resistant.
Choose UV stable boards that prevent discolouration from getting the most out of your composite cladding. Ecoscape’s composite cladding comes with a warranty against fading and
Provides Additional Protection
Not only does composite cladding provide thermal insulation, but it also provides additional protection for exterior walls from extreme weather conditions. Since composite cladding is water resistant, it prevents excess moisture and condensation from being absorbed.
With wood cladding, moisture and condensation will cause the wood to expand, and when it dries, the wood siding could crack and split. Composite cladding expands and contracts with temperature changes, but it will always retain its shape.
Adds Value
Besides its aesthetic and curb appeal, composite cladding can increase the value of your home. This is because composite materials are durable and have a lifespan of twenty-five years.
Sustainable and eco-friendly building materials like composite are being factored into the UK government’s plan for decarbonisation, homes with cladding installations are already at the forefront of fighting the damaging environmental crisis faced by the planet.
What Are the Cons of Composite Cladding?
The benefits of composite cladding are clear, and while there are many advantages, there are also certain disadvantages.
Initial Upfront Costs are Expensive
The initial upfront cost of composite cladding might be pricey, but it pays off in the long run. Your composite cladding will have a long lifespan because of its durability, weather resistance, and water resistance. The minimal upkeep and the additional protection from weather elements are worth the upfront costs.
Fades Over Time
While composite cladding is resistant to fading, it is not fade-proof. Your composite cladding will fade with the wet and hot British weather. The recycled composite materials are combined with natural wood oils called tannins during manufacturing.
When exposed to heavy rains, the tannins will begin to leach out or bleed from the boards, also known as extractive bleeding.
When the composite cladding does fade, it is not as noticeable as you might think. The colour shift will be more noticeable in lighter colours but will simply look slightly lighter. Extractive bleeding is a natural process that all composite materials endure, however, it is not as noticeable and retains its aesthetic appeal.
Where Can I Use Composite Cladding?
The use of Ecoscape cladding can be on garden buildings, commercial buildings, and residential homes. Composite cladding is ideal for anyone living in areas that experience extreme weather conditions.
Conceal Exterior Walls
Gone are the days when stone walls and paint were the only options to hide unsightly cracks and defects. Composite cladding conceals any issues with external walls. Not only is it visually appealing, but no one will know that the brick under the cladding looks defective.
Cladding will bring an architectural element to your home, boost your curb appeal, and perhaps make your neighbours envious. The wonderful thing about composite cladding is that you can install it on your garage and backyard sheds to match your home and make it look intentionally coordinated for many years.
Use Cladding as a Design Feature
Composite cladding can be used as a design feature. Many architects use composite cladding to create stunning designs and combine composite cladding with various materials while remaining true to functionality.
Composite cladding is changing the face of architecture. Mixing various colours and cutting the cladding into geometric shapes adds design elements that you can recreate at home. High-quality composite cladding goes well with exposed brick walls. Dark greys or black will complement a traditional wood colour for a sleek look.
Create a Feature Wall
Composite cladding is a fantastic way to create a feature wall for interior projects. It offers a contemporary finish and helps to add a bold statement to a specific space. Composite cladding on interior walls could offer a country farmhouse feel, using natural wood tones from floor to ceiling to achieve this look.
Architectural Design
Architects use textured composite cladding to create impressive design features for residential and commercial structures. It can produce a remarkable feature to a structure when composite cladding is combined with other materials, hues and panel modifications.
Composite cladding does not have to be installed directly onto surfaces, and a curved wall can also integrate textured composite cladding panels when used horizontally or vertically.
FAQS
Is rendering cheaper than cladding?
Although rendering does insulate your residential home or commercial building, it does cost a lot less than composite; however, it is not as durable and long-lasting.
Do you need planning permission to clad your house?
Planning permission is not required as it falls within your permitted development rights. The composite cladding will need planning permission if your home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Does cladding improve insulation?
Composite cladding improves insulation and has incredible heat retention, effectively reducing energy bills.
Is all cladding a fire risk?
Composite cladding is fire-resistant, meaning that the way it has been engineered slows the spread of fire. No cladding is fireproof, so it’s best to choose fire-resistant cladding.
Final Thoughts
Composite cladding has easily become one of the most popular cladding material nowadays. The reason is simple, composite cladding is more attractive and protects your exterior wall, and its main selling point is that it is durable and long-lasting.
Join the movement of composite material as an eco-friendly and long-lasting alternative to your home cladding and order your free samples from Ecoscape today!