TYPES OF EXTERIOR CLADDING

In recent times exterior cladding has taken a lot of importance in construction and maintenance of a building or structure. Exterior cladding refers to the use of cladding material over and above the outer walls of the structure in order to provide solidity to the structure and protection to the walls. Exterior cladding protects the external walls from the harmful effects of weather such as wind, moisture and rain, though a cladding is not water resistant per se but rather diverts the running water keeping it from penetrating the surface of the wall. Some of the usual material used in exterior cladding is wood, metal or glass.

Exterior cladding has two main objectives first to provide protection against damages caused by weather such as wind, rain, moisture etc, which wear down the walls and make them look very bad. The second objective is to provide insulation from extreme cold or from rain water sipping into the inner walls of the house. There are various types of cladding each with its own set advantageous. Exterior cladding requires good maintenance and you will have to change every few years. It is something you should consider before buying exterior cladding.

Wood as exterior cladding is a good option providing an environmentally safe option and natural resistor to wind and water. Vinyl based cladding is made from rows of PVC panels put together; they are very popular due to the number of colors they provide and their durability. Another good option is stone cladding which is very sturdy and durable lasting for more than a decade, but at the same time it is very expensive but provides greater protection from rain and moisture. And lastly, metal exterior cladding which is a very nice option considering it also provides fire resistance in addition to the usual advantages and is available in variety of textures.