If you’re looking to transform the appearance of your property while protecting it from the elements, house cladding might be the perfect solution. First impressions matter, and while many of us spend hours on interior design, exteriors can sometimes be forgotten.
Let's explore exactly what house cladding is, the benefits and your different material options to choose from.
What we'll cover:
What is house cladding?
Cladding panels are fitted to the exterior of your home to protect it against rain, hail, wind or sunlight which can cause damp, mould or structural damage. However, it’s also useful to cover any exterior imperfections, such as flaking brickwork, and transform the look of a tired property.
Available in a range of colours and styles to suit your taste, cladding can help your home blend in with the surrounding environment or stand out with shades like grey and black that make an impact.
For example, our coastline cladding range is manufactured with 100% recyclable materials, including polymer resins, inorganic materials and acrylic colourants which are compressed together in a co-extrusion process.
The cladding panels are consistent in size, colour and shape, so they can be attached to your property with ease. Composite cladding is particularly durable and resistant to moisture.
Learn more: What is Composite Cladding?
Why install house cladding?
House cladding is a practical and striking feature to have. Not only can it improve your home's value and kerb appeal, it protects it so you can enjoy it for longer and not worry about maintenance.
UK homes are typically built using brick which puts them at higher risk of moisture related issues like damp or mould. Cladding acts like a sleeve around your home preventing the rain or water from seeping in.
The strong winds we often see in the winter months can also cause damage to roofs and walls, but cladding absorbs some of the impact to prevent this. In fact, Eurocell’s Coastline External Cladding can withstand wind pressures of up to 2000 Pa – perfect for our unpredictable British weather.
Modern cladding is also high quality and has been manufactured to prevent issues like fading, insect damage, scratches or rotting. It’s very durable and can last for over 35-years proving a good long-term investment.
It can even be added to garden rooms, extensions or outbuildings to make them blend seamlessly with your home.
Learn how to install composite cladding here.
Exterior house cladding material options
House cladding is manufactured from a range of materials like stone, wood, aluminium, composite or UPVC, with each choice offering different benefits.
Composite cladding
Composite is very strong and durable which makes it a top choice for cladding. Eurocell’s composite cladding comes with a 10-year guarantee, because it’s highly resistant to the weather, rotting, moisture, warping and chipping. It’s available in a range of colours like grey, white and taupe, and blue and green which would suit a house by the coast perfectly.
Composite cladding tends to be eco-friendly because it's manufactured from recyclable materials. Ecoscape Forma Composite Cladding is produced using recyclable plastic and wood, and because it’s encapsulated in a polymer sleeve, it offers extra protection against discolouration and scratches. It’s even available in a slatted style, which is perfect if you want to add more character and personality.
Some cladding even comes in vertical and horizontal styles like Eurocell’s Coastline Composite Cladding, which is finished with a natural wood grain pattern. It’s very lightweight which makes handling and installation a breeze.
Composite cladding is low maintenance compared to other materials and only needs to be cleaned with soap and water, saving you significant time and costs in the long run.
Learn more: How Long Does Composite Cladding Last?
uPVC Cladding
If durability and weather protection is your top priority, uPVC cladding will deliver because it’s highly resistant to moisture. uPVC is commonly used in the construction of doors and windows because it’s rigid, which makes it stable and strong.
These properties are perfect for external cladding because they ensure it is suitable for the outdoors. It’s an affordable choice, and it comes in shades like grey, black ash, golden oak and white so you have plenty of choice.
Timber Cladding
Timber cladding looks very natural and blends into the surrounding landscape perfectly. However, it can be subject to issues like warping, rotting and insect damage quicker than other materials and needs to be treated for use outdoors which can get costly in the long run.
Eurocell’s Tudor Board Cladding is designed with a natural oak finish, giving you all the benefits of wooden timber but it’s more durable and resistant. It comes with a 15-year guarantee and is the perfect replacement to existing rotting panels. Made from a polyurethane construction, it is lightweight, weatherproof, durable and easy to install.
House cladding ideas and inspiration
With so many house cladding options, styles and colours to choose from, it can be confusing. Ultimately, you want cladding that protects your home well and enhances its natural beauty.
You can’t go wrong with a natural and timber-looking finish. It blends into the surrounding landscape perfectly, and slatted cladding like this adds extra charm to your home.
If you want your porch to look welcoming and cosy, cladding can offer that. It complements a modern home well, adding the right amount of natural character.
You could have the cladding flush against your entire property for optimal protection. It can easily be cut and sized fitting the shape and contours of your home. And it stands out in this horizontal style.
Grey cladding looks very stylish, perfect for a modern home. You can even get some outdoor furniture to match it and add some colourful plants to contrast.
Cladding can be applied to an extension to make it stand out or match your decking. It’s worth noting that lighter shades reflect the heat away, so if your property is facing the sun, it might be a better choice.
You can even choose to add decorative cladding to parts of your property like this. It adds some character and can cover unsightly walls.
Is house cladding worth the investment?
Cladding your house is certainly worth the investment.
It protects your home for decades and, after a quick installation, you can simply enjoy coming to a smart-looking home. The investment will pay off over the years because it doesn’t need major upkeep and it comes with a guarantee of up to 25 years.
If you’re looking to improve your home with external cladding, explore Eurocell’s range.