What is Cladding and Why Is It So Important For Your Property?

Cladding is very important in construction and plays an essential role in protecting buildings. But what is cladding exactly, and what does it do?

Cladding creates a protective layer when it is installed on a building. It is often applied on top of the original structure or current exterior of the building. Cladding can be made from almost any material. Popular choices include fibreglass siding, engineered wood siding, and fibre cement siding. Why is cladding so important for your property? Let’s look at the biggest reasons why people install cladding.

It Is an Affordable Way to Update the Exterior of a Building

Photo by Julián Gentilezza on Unsplash

We mentioned that cladding can be made from almost any material. It might be granite, composite, brick, wood, or cement. This allows you to change the appearance of the building. You can choose cladding in a variety of textures and colours, even if you’ve narrowed your choice down to fibre cement cladding.

You could also use cladding to replace rotted, warped, or termite-filled wood. You could even choose engineered wood siding that will resist insects, moisture, rot, and warpage. Cladding can protect a building against things like heavy winds and hail, which makes it a great option if you’re somewhere that experiences a lot of extreme weather.

If you’re looking for a great contractor that will give you quality at a reasonable cost, Ecoscape UK can help you with your cladding projects. They sell a variety of cladding in both panels and slatted boards. They also have cladding in a wide range of colours, and composite cladding that will last much longer than timber since it won’t rot or splinter.

It Requires Little Maintenance

Cladding is often installed on new and renovated buildings instead of painting the exterior. The main reason for this is that the cladding requires relatively little maintenance. Painted surfaces need to be cleaned, repaired, and occasionally repainting. Cladded walls generally need a wash down to keep them looking great. Stone cladding and brick cladding may cost more than vinyl cladding upfront, but they, too, require little maintenance. That is despite the fact that PVC or other types of cladding will last much longer than painted walls or traditional wood panelling.

Cladding may or may not need to be treated or stained and it does not require the help of a professional to be cleaned. Depending on the type of material that you choose, you could clean your cladding with nothing but a garden hose. This makes it a very convenient option for people who want the appearance of wood on their property but not all the trouble that goes with maintaining it.

It Makes Buildings More Energy Efficient

Another benefit that many people don’t realise about cladding is how powerful it could be at reducing your energy consumption. Cladding creates a protective layer over the inner layers of the building shell. It is a great way to add insulation as well, though this depends on the type of cladding you choose. For example, you can find siding filled with foam insulation that sits next to the existing plywood panels or building envelope. Insulated vinyl siding has an R-value of nearly 4.0. This is a dramatic improvement over traditional aluminium siding.

Cladding can also be used to keep the house cool in the summer. The protective layer we just talked about earlier will provide a buffer zone that will prevent heat from penetrating the house. Not only that, but you can use materials and colours that will reflect sunlight. Cladding with reflective finishes is growing in popularity and is a great way to add style to any property while making it more energy-efficient. To maximize energy efficiency benefits, it’s advisable to consult with siding experts who can recommend and install insulation-backed cladding that suits your specific needs. If you’re in the San Jose area, consider San Jose siding installation professionals for specialized assistance.

It Protects the Building’s Structure

In addition to protecting the outer shell, external cladding helps to protect the structure of a building. Cladding acts as a shell to protect the wood or other materials underneath it. It can also prevent rain and snow from getting into the building. Furthermore, the cladding allows condensation inside the building to be expelled via vents in the ventilation system. This reduces the risk of mould and rot. While weather changes can lead to the cladding cracking or fading, it will still protect the structure underneath. Cladding can improve the mechanical strength of the building, too.

Modern cladding may also increase the fire safety of the building. This is especially true of fibre cement siding. The material is fire resistant as well as moisture and insect resistant. The only downside is that it needs to be painted every decade.

Modern cladding materials allow you to dramatically change the look of a building while reducing the work required to keep it looking great. It will add an additional layer of protection, and it often makes the building more comfortable, too.

By claire.