Exterior Wall Cladding Ideas / Options

Exterior wall cladding is essential in protecting your home from external elements such as water, wind, snow, sun, and general structural damage. Additionally, cladding insulates your home and thus reduces your heating and cooling costs and changes your home’s look by providing a modern finish. When choosing cladding materials, it’s essential to consider durability and performance. To ensure proper exterior wall cladding, homeowners are advised to look for a professional rather than DIY. Below are some external wall cladding ideas:

Aluminum cladding

It’s a popular exterior wall cladding option with an excellent shiny and modern appeal. Aluminum cladding is mostly used in older properties to restore their general look. Since aluminum material is malleable, its installation is straightforward and also requires low maintenance. Since aluminum doesn’t absorb moisture, there will be no mold, fungi, and algae growth, which are harmful to human health. Lastly, aluminum cladding is fire resistant and energy-efficient.

Brick slip cladding

It’s a standard cladding option for most property owners. Bricks are very affordable and durable. They also come in many different ways, patterns, colours, and textures. Brick cladding brings that natural taste and can be used with timber frames. There are many patterns of brick slip cladding that can be used, including stretcher bond pattern, basket bond pattern, and stack brick bond pattern.

Natural stone cladding

It’s a cost-effective exterior wall cladding system that creates a unique finish and maintains detail and heritage to your home. Materials that can be used in stone cladding include bluestone, sandstone, quartzite, and slate. The choice of the best natural stones to use depends on your home setting and overall outlook. You can choose to use high-density stones because they slow discoloration and absorb little water. If you prefer lighter stone colors, be prepared to wash them regularly to reduce staining.

Vinyl cladding

This is among the most durable cladding options today. Vinyl cladding is mostly considered by people who want to update tired facades. There are many types of vinyl finishes to choose from. Vinyl cladding is also affordable, although it’s essential to ensure you don’t get low-quality materials since they’re susceptible to cracking, fading, and even warping, especially in areas with extreme weather conditions.

Wood cladding

Wood is a natural and eco-friendly cladding option. In most cases, wood cladding involves the use of hardwood timber, which is durable, termite, and fire-resistant. Wood cladding can be done in many patterns depending on the taste and preference of the property owner. For wood to maintain its natural color, chemical treatment can either be done before or after the cladding process.

Metal cladding

The most used metallic materials for external wall cladding are steel, zinc, and copper. Most manufacturers of these materials ensure that they’re adequately coated to preserve their shiny appearance in all climatic conditions. Metal cladding can also be done using various designs, including the metal mesh cladding design. The best thing about metal cladding is that it’s durable and provides maximum protection from elements such as the sun.

In conclusion, these are some of the top external wall cladding options. Others include fiber cement cladding, composite cladding, and ceramic cladding.