Exterior cladding establishes the design and style for your home and protects it against the elements. In fact, whether your home is a beach house, a city terrace or an urban family home, cladding is what creates its street appeal and sets your home apart from others.
However, it is also important to choose cladding that suits your location, the effects of the environment and the time you have available to maintain your home’s façade.
Every product offers a unique finish, yet some are more durable than others. With the sheer quantity of cladding products on the market, you need a starting point. So, what is the right product for your home? Here are a few cladding styles to help you get started.
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Wood Composite Materials
Wood composites are a combination of timber and other, usually plastic, products to give your home’s exterior durability and resistance against termites and the weather.
They are available in a variety of timber-looks, recreating a natural feel or finished with texture and colour for a modern finish to your home.
Wood composite products are not necessarily cheap, but when you consider that they are low maintenance and highly durable, you’ll save money and energy over time.
Plywood Sheets
Plywood is a veneer board designed for both strength and visual interest. It’s popular in commercial settings but as a cladding to your home, it can provide an architectural finish and add warmth to your home’s façade.
The grain and knotted finish to the large sheets form visual interest in a simple yet effective way.
Create recessed joints, flush finish or enhance the look of your plywood sheets with shadow gaps. The bonus? Plywood is a lightweight, cost-effective and eco-friendly choice, making it popular in architectural style construction.
Fibre Cement Products
This style of cladding is popular due to its affordability, easy installation and termite and weather resistance.
Fibre cement products come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and finishes, so you can recreate the Hamptons, fall in love with the Scandi style or be inspired by the coastline.
Fibre cement products need to be sealed and painted, but once installed, they offer a durable and long-lasting finish to your façade.
Solid Timber Cladding
Solid timber cladding is considered the pinnacle of cladding. It offers a cosy and inviting feel to your home and is a versatile product that can be laid vertically or horizontally.
Solid timber can be sourced with knots and grains, rough finish or smooth finish, ship lapped or designed with a tongue and groove.
It not only brings warmth to your home, it is sustainable and readily available. Most timber cladding requires maintenance, so make sure you’re prepared to put the time and energy into this cladding choice.
Stone Cladding
From external fireplaces to feature walls, stone cladding can bring a textured and raw finish to your home’s external facade. Installed in a similar way to tiles, this cladding style is popular in modern homes. Why? Because it creates the same look as masonry without the time and cost.
Stone cladding is a long-lasting product that requires little maintenance, so keep that in mind when making your decision.
Hebel Panels
Hebel panels are a relatively new cladding to the market made from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. But it’s biggest drawcard is that it is quick to install, durable and can be finished in a variety of textures and colours to suit your home’s design.
It’s a lightweight solution with high insulation properties, making it increasingly popular in residential construction. If you want a modern façade that is cost-effective yet stylish, Hebel panels tick those boxes.
Mix ‘n’ Match
Creating a façade that’s visually appealing takes planning and a balance of materials. But be sure you are matching products that complement each other to create your desired finish.
Solid timber cladding combined with stone cladding can emphasise warmth or bringing together plywood sheeting and Hebel panels can create a contrast in a modern setting. So, when choosing your cladding consider how the material will blend before you decide.
When selecting your cladding, a product that will not just look good but perform all year round should be a consideration. Balance the overall design with materials that are suitable for your location, environment and the time involved in maintaining the façade.
Choosing an exterior cladding involves time and research but it is also an enjoyable way to bring your design ideas to life. So take onboard these 7 exterior cladding ideas to transform your home’s façade.