Picking The Right Cladding System For Your Home

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Picking The Right Cladding System For Your Home-Chispa MagazineSo you’re looking to have cladding put onto your home’s walls, but you’re not sure where to start when selecting the one that is right for you. That’s okay, there is an overwhelming number of options to sift through, and not all of them are going to be ideal. This article isn’t going to tell you which one to get, because the right answer depends on quite a few varying factors. What I am going to help you with is what deciding factors you should be considering when making the choice. So before you go shopping, why not take a read through this list of things to think about when deciding on the cladding that is right for you and your home.

The Cost
The first thing that factors in to most of our decision making these days is usually the cost, unless you’re one of the lucky few where money isn’t an object. But if it is, you should make your choices carefully. High vinyl cladding prices don’t always mean a better option however, because the factors that follow on from this point will make even more of a difference. Having said that however, you do get what you pay for, so if something seems way too cheap you should probably avoid it. But there are some materials which tick all the boxes, including relative affordability, options like vinyl or Palliside cladding which are hardy, long lasting and fairly cheap to buy.

The Durability
This may not always be such a big deal and largely depends on where you will be cladding your walls (see next paragraph), but ideally you don’t want something that’s going to crack easily, powder and flake off, or discolour too easily. Since cladding is meant to stay on your walls for years and years, you want to invest in something with a bit of strength behind it. Fibre cement and timber cladding are great for interior walls with this regard, and for the exterior, I must once again invoke the name of Palliside, a strong, hardy and typically Australian product.

The Setting
Where the cladding is expected to be installed is a huge determining factor for you. Exterior walls need protection against rain, sun, fires, cyclones, floods, and all kinds of other devastating weather affects. Even some interior walls like those found in kitchens, basements, and bathrooms which are liable to be affected by damp need some degree of protection from the elements. Whichever cladding you choose needs to be suitably able to withstand harmful elements such as these, and so this should be one of the most important aspects of your decision making process. Similarly, it might not always be viable to install a weather proof material in a room where it wouldn’t make a difference, thereby possibly pushing up the price, and making it look out of place.

Aesthetics or Look
Let’s face it, you’re probably opting for cladding because you want to give your home a facelift, so why wouldn’t the way it looks be a major determining factor? There are a variety of styles which are suitable for either internal or external walls, whether it be wallpaper, mosaics, glass, palliside, vinyl, fibre cement, timber, or colorbond; each in its own variety of styles, patterns, and colors to match your home. This is where the spirit of shopping must be felt strong, but check to see that the choice you make matches your needs, as listed above.

Maintenance
With just about all kinds of cladding, except perhaps wallpaper, maintenance is a simple matter of using a damp cloth and some soapy water and applying it to the dirty area with some light rubbing. For cracks and scratches, a mild bit of sanding, wood filler or coating can be applied carefully but easily to get it looking like new again.

Hopefully this has helped you make a slightly more informed decision when it comes to selecting the cladding which is right for your home. There is no right or wrong choice to make, but your decision will depend largely on the above concerns.

Photo by Jeff Sheldon

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Editor-in-Chief at Chispa Magazine
Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.
Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Latest posts by Mavian Arocha-Rowe (see all)

Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.