Cladding: Change the Character of Your Home
Looking for a new, fresh look for the exterior of your home, office or business? Cladding could be the perfect option for your needs. Applied as a covering over a building?s existing exterior surface, cladding can change the look and character of a building while adding an extra layer of protection to the underlying structure.
Cladding is available in a wide variety of materials to suit nearly any taste to budget, including stone, brick, wood, aluminium, vinyl and stucco, as well as veneers that look like more costly materials but are offered at a lower cost.
While paint changes the colour of a home or other building, cladding is unique in that it can change the entire character of your home or workplace, defining or even creating unique, memorable architectural details that can allow your building to take on a completely different appearance.
Historically, the familiar standbys of exterior cladding are vinyl and aluminium siding. Those options remain popular among many homeowners and other building owners, but other options exist that can offer your building additional and less common results.
Clapboard, cedar shingles, and other wood cladding options are also popular among homeowners, as well as business owners looking for a more rustic, cottage or seaside appeal. Wood offers several advantages: in general, it?s a long-lasting material; it can be painted or stained to match any existing d?cor, outbuildings or environment; and it is also easily recycled, making it a popular choice among those searching for ?green? cladding alternatives. Real wood siding options are expensive, however, and many homeowners are turning to wood veneers and engineered wood products, which offer the same styles and finish options as solid wood, but at a fraction of the cost. Most of these products are made of hardboard, oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood.
Homeowners who long for the look of solid stone or brick may be daunted by the cost of these materials; but like wood materials, costs can be significantly decreased through the use of veneers, which look like stone and brick but which are much thinner, and therefore cheaper and easier to apply.
Fiber cement siding is another versatile option that can be moulded and shaped to mimic other more expensive options, such as wood, brick or stone. In addition to being budget-friendly, fiber cement siding is also fireproof and termite proof. Fiber cement cladding often includes a long warranty.
Similar in consistency to fibre cement cladding, stucco is a cladding option that has been used for hundreds of years, and can be textured and coloured to suit nearly any individual style or taste. The material is also resistant to fire, rot and insects, and can be repainted as desired.
Steel, aluminium and vinyl siding are all popular choices, with steel and aluminium offering a longer lasting profile than vinyl, which cracks and fades easily and requires more consistent upkeep to maintain its appearance. PVC is a much more sturdy option than regular vinyl. Vinyl also does not decompose and is resistant to recycling, making it less popular among environmentalists.
When considering adding cladding to your home or building, you don?t need to confine yourself to one product or style. Because it is applied over the existing surface of your building, different types of cladding can be combined to create a custom look that will suit any home or taste.
Martin Troughton is an expert in all things to do with home improvement. If you want more info about cladding or are looking for a reputable cladding company please visit http://www.anglianhome.co.uk
No related posts.