Cladding
Cladding - What is it?
Cladding is a term for the external skin of a building which keeps out the weather and provides the building's aesthetic effect. In America cladding is called "Siding". There are number of factors to consider when choosing cladding including:
- Style
- Cost
- Maintenance
- Durability
Cladding Styles and Materials
There are number of styles available for external cladding including:
- Fiber-Cement cladding
- Wood cladding
- Engineered Wood
- Vinyl cladding
- Metal cladding
- Brick cladding
- Stone Veneer & Brick Veneer
- Rendering (Stucco)
- Synthetic Rendering
Fiber-Cement Cladding Features
- Fiber-Cement cladding made of portland cement, sand, wood fiber, water, and additives.
- Available in smooth or wood textures and can have protective urethane coating.
- Fiber-Cement cladding is fire-resistant and termite-proof, won't rot or crack.
- Holds paint longer than wood cladding. Paint jobs should last about 15 years.
- Fiber-Cement cladding should last up to 50 years.
- Cladding costs: $2 - $6 per square foot, uninstalled; $3 - $8 per square foot with trim, uninstalled.
Wood Cladding Features
- Wood cladding made of solid wood boards which are milled in several styles, sizes, species, grades, and finishes.
- Wood cladding offers some insulation value.
- It is flammable but can be factory-treated with flame retardant.
- Wood cladding is naturally decay-resistant if made of cedar or redwood.
- Damaged boards are easy to repair and refinish.
- Wood cladding should last 50+ years.
- Cladding costs: Cedar boards or panels cost $1- $4 per square foot, uninstalled. Redwood costs about $5 per square foot, uninstalled.
Engineered Wood Cladding Features
- Engineered wood cladding made of plywood or hardboard into lap panels or 4x8-foot sheets.
- Available in smooth or embossed textures, unfinished or factory-primed.
- Engineered wood cladding is dimensionally stable.
- Exposed cuts or edges of engineered wood cladding can weather or decay.
- Will need repainting every five to 10 years, preferably with acrylic latex paint.
- Engineered wood cladding should last 20 to 30 years.
- Cladding costs: $1.50 - $3 per square foot, uninstalled.
Brick Veneer Cladding Panels Features
- Brick Veneer cladding panels extruded from PVC into smooth and wood-grain textures. Quality panels are at least 0.044 inch thick.
- Available in insulated-foam backing which adds impact-resistance.
- Brick Veneer cladding panels won't rot or peel, but dark tones may fade
- Brick Veneer cladding panels is not recommended for painting, so color options are limited.
- Requires low maintenance: spray off annually with a garden hose, remove mildew with a soft cloth and a household cleaner or a solution of 30 percent vinegar, 70 percent water.
- Brick Veneer cladding panels should last about 40 years.
- Cladding costs: $1- $6 per square foot, uninstalled
Metal Cladding Features
- Metal cladding made of aluminum or steel.
- Comes smooth or embossed with wood grain; may require electrical grounding.
- Metal cladding ia a poor insulator.
- Available in wide range of factory-baked enamel colors.
- Scratches on steel cladding will rust; aluminum cladding can dent.
- Steel cladding isn't suitable near saltwater or in heavily polluted areas.
- Metal cladding resists fire, rot, and insects.
- Requires low maintenance: check annually for scratches and dents; needs occasional washing with a garden hose and soft-bristle brush.
- Metal cladding should last about 40 years.
- Cladding costs: $2 - $5 per square foot, installed.
Brick Cladding Panels Features
- Brick cladding made of fired clay.
- Available in many sizes, colors, and textures.
- Brick Cladding Panels needs to be supported by the foundation.
- Brick Cladding Panels won't rot, burn, or fade, and provides excellent sound and thermal insulation.
- Mortar joints require annual checking for cracks, which should be repaired as soon as possible.
- Brick Cladding Panels should last a century, with practically no maintenance in the first 25 years.
- Cladding costs: $6 - $12 per square foot, uninstalled. Requires professional installation. Installation costs can be high.
Brick Veneer Cladding Panels Features
- Brick veneer cladding pannels made of lightweight aggregates, portland cement, and pigments which are cast to imitate brick or stone.
- Brick veneer cladding pannels typically 1/2 - 4 inches thick; usually applied to a wood-frame wall.
- Brick veneer cladding pannels available in wide variety of stone styles to choose from.
- Brick veneer cladding pannels are fireproof.
- Brick veneer cladding pannels almost maintenance-free; hose off annually.
- Brick veneer cladding pannels should last the life of the building.
- Cladding costs: $4.50 - $6 per square foot, uninstalled. Requires professional installation. Installation costs can be high.
Cement Render (Stucco) Cladding Features
- Cement Render cladding made of portland cement, lime, building sand, and water which applied in three coats over a masonry or frame substrate.
- Cement Render cladding is durable, fire-resistant; but susceptible to water penetration if on frame.
- Requires annuall check for cracks, which should be repaired.
- Cement Render cladding should lastthe lifetime of the building.
- Cladding costs: $3 - $15 per square foot, uninstalled. Expensive and time-consuming to apply.
Synthetic Render Cladding Features
- Synthetic render cladding made of polymer/cement sprayed onto fiberglass mesh, foam board or fiber-cement, then topped by a textured finish.
- Also called exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS)
- Synthetic render cladding (foam board cladding) is energy-efficient; less expensive and less likely to crack than conventional render cladding
- Foam board cladding requires annuall check for cracks, which should be repaired; remove dirt with careful pressure-washing; consider clear masonry sealer in humid areas.
- Synthetic render cladding (foam board cladding) should last the lifetime of the building.
- Cladding costs: $6 - $14 per square foot, installed. Requires professional installation to prevent problems with interior moisture buildup.