Whether you’re building a new home or looking to refresh your current home, you’re probably on the look out for something unique to make your home feel like home.
While there are countless options out there for you to choose from, today, we’re going to discuss one such building material that is versatile, affordable, easy to use and can provide you with loads of benefits, and that is composite wall cladding.
Able to be used both decoratively and practically, composite exterior cladding is an eco-friendly building material that opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to your home.
In this piece, we’re going to give you the insider’s insight into composite wall cladding and give you some ideas of how you can use composite exterior cladding, the types of buildings it can be used on, and why you would choose composite cladding over any other materials.
So, if you’re keen to know more about composite wall cladding and enhancing your space, keep reading.
What is composite wall cladding?
Wall cladding is a type of building material that has been primarily made to provide a protective barrier to homes and buildings externally. Cladding can be made from many different materials, including wood, plastic, steel and composite materials. You might be familiar with colorbond steel cladding, brick wall cladding, natural stone cladding or even fibre cement cladding.
Composite wall cladding specifically is made from a combination of materials, usually recycled wood fibres and plastics. As it’s made from various materials it means that it can be created to look like other materials and helps to avoid more rubbish being added to our landfills.
Composite wall cladding is not only environmentally friendly, but its composition also makes the end product very light weight yet extremely strong, so it can withstand a wide range of weather conditions, it not easily scratched and when you choose the right composite cladding – EvoClad – it’s also colour fade resistant too.
How can composite wall cladding be used?
If you’re looking for composite cladding ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Composite external cladding can be used both internally and externally in homes and buildings. Here are some ways you can incorporate it into your space:
Improve the overall external appearance of your home
While the most important thing about your home’s exterior is that it is strong and durable, providing protection to you and your family, it doesn’t hurt to have it look good in the process.
Which is where composite exterior wall cladding can come in. It is a strong and durable material that handles all kinds of weather, providing the protection a home needs, but it also looks great too.
Our range of EvoClad composite wall cladding has been developed to mimic the appearance of various tones of timber wood as well as the natural woodgrain of these products to look like the real thing without the hassle of the upkeep and maintenance of real wood.
And being a lightweight product too, you don’t need to be concerned about the weight of the product causing issues for other building materials of your home.
You can create the look you’re after too, whether you would like to add your composite cladding so it looks like traditional wooden exteriors or you want to modernise your home with hidden elements, blending doors and garages through the use of exterior cladding, the options are endless.
You can use the composite cladding for all exterior walls or you can choose only certain areas, perhaps to high unsightly home extensions and outdated building materials.
The options for how you use it on your home’s exterior are basically endless.
Update the look of your ceiling
Composite cladding can also be used as a way to change the look and feel of your home by adding it to ceilings – either inside your home or in exterior areas where you have shelter.
The lightweight nature of the material means that installing it to a ceiling isn’t going to cause structural issues, while the range of options out there means that no matter your style or the look you’re going for, you’ll find a composite cladding option for you.
Create practical and decorative screen fencing
Like the previous two cladding ideas, this one has both practical and decorative elements to it too. Screen fencing can be used to divide sections of your outdoor space to create zones, it can be used to improve the look of fences, and it can also be a great way to add some extra privacy to your home.
No matter the type of backyard you have, the material make up of composite cladding can stand any test – even if you have a pool and you’re concerned about it getting wet if it’s nearby – it really doesn’t matter, because composite external cladding can handle the water.
Improve sheds and other outdoor structures
Similar to how composite wall cladding can be used on your home’s exterior, we thought we’d list this one because it might be easy to overlook. You can use composite external wall cladding to update the look of your outdoor structures like sheds, studios, and granny flats. It can also add that extra level of protection for these structures too.
Used to make other structures
While exterior cladding is predominantly used on existing structures, like walls, fences and ceilings, it can technically be used to create other structures, such as storage boxes and the like.
You can have some simple outdoor storage items that are made from durable materials, and they can be used to protect other materials and tools you keep outside.
It can also be used as a way to hide unsightly features that are outdoors, like air-conditioning units and pool equipment.
Sounds pretty handy!
What types of buildings can composite wall cladding be used on?
Whether it’s a new structure or an existing one, when it comes to the types of buildings you can use composite cladding on, here are some ideas:
- Houses
- Townhouses
- Apartments (will have to ensure you stay within the guidelines of body corporates)
- Office blocks and buildings
- Businesses
- Commercial buildings
- Sheds
What are the benefits of composite wall cladding?
We could be here all day if we gave you a full rundown of all of the benefits of composite wall cladding, so we’ll give you our shortlist:
Provides protection to your home
As we touched on earlier, cladding in general has been designed to be essentially an added barrier of protection for your home and its building materials. It can ensure that more sensitive products have some extra protection.
The difference between composite cladding and other types of cladding is that composite cladding is highly durable and can withstand all kinds of weather, including wet conditions. While other materials can handle it, they tend to deteriorate after a period of time, unlike composite wall cladding which has a much longer lifespan – and you don’t need to do anywhere near as much to maintain its appearance or strength.
In addition to this, composite cladding also has a very high fire resistance rating, (BAL rating), which means that it won’t easily catch alight when there are ember attacked or in temperature extremes. The added fire protection is extremely important in an Australian house.
Could help to improve energy efficiency
The added layer that composite exterior wall cladding provides to your home could also help you back pocket by reducing your energy bills. This barrier provides an insulative layer that will make it easer to regulate the temperature of your home, both in summer and winter.
The cladding will help to add a thermal layer in colder weather and the same layer also means that your home’s structure doesn’t heat up as fast either.
In addition to the insulation properties composite cladding offers, it could also help to reduce sound and be an excellent sound insulation material.
Increases the value of your home
When a house is well-built, with high quality and high performance materials and looks good, the value of the home increases. This means that if you plan to sell your home any time in the near future, you may be able to get a higher price for it too.
If you would like to know more benefits of composite wall cladding, we’ve put a pretty comprehensive list together here.
Why composite wall cladding over other types of wall cladding?
What makes composite wall cladding better than other types of wall cladding? Well, there are plenty of reasons but here are some of our favourites:
The cladding options are numerous
When it comes to designs, styles, textures and colour, there isn’t a type of cladding that comes close to rivalling composite cladding in the number available.
Composite cladding can be made to look like many other material types, including real timber, so you can have the look without the annoying points of having wood cladding.
And because these cladding products are created in these styles, it means you don’t need to spend a lot of time searching for matching materials.
It’s durable
We’ve mentioned the durability several times already but we cannot talk about it enough in our opinion. When it comes to our homes, it’s important that we use durable products that can withstand the pressures we put it under and the weather it could be exposed to.
Weather deterioration isn’t a concern with composite wall cladding as it can withstand high temperatures, direct sunlight, wet weather and even snow – it won’t fade, get scratch, warp or splinter.
That’s why ours has a 12 year warranty.
It’s easy to maintain
Unlike other types of cladding material, composite exterior cladding requires minimal upkeep to keep it in great condition. It just needs a little cleaning every now and then. The exterior cladding materials isn’t a conducive place for bacteria to develop or for insects to call home. It also doesn’t require oiling or staining like timber cladding or coats of varnish or paint like metal cladding, to keep it in good condition or to improve its appearance overall.
It’s eco friendly
Who doesn’t love a product that is not only useful and looks good but is also eco-friendly? Many industries cause a lot of waste, including the building industry. However, composite wall exterior cladding puts some of this waste to use by using recycled wood scraps and plastics to create the end result.
With the right development practices, composite wall cladding can look like other materials but not impact the environment in nearly the same way.
Talk to us today about composite wall cladding
If you’re looking for a high quality exterior cladding product in Australia or you’re looking for advice about composite exterior cladding, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at WoodEvo.
We’re proud suppliers of composite wall cladding and decking products, providing our high quality products to both businesses and the public.
We’re happy to talk you through our product range, explain how it works, answer any questions you may have and help you find just what you need.
Make the right exterior cladding choice today and call us on 03 9052 4788 or get in touch with us here.