Composite Cladding: The Greener Choice
The prices of timber have been skyrocketing exponentially for months now. It goes without saying that this inflation in price has a knock-on effect on all timber-based construction projects such as garden rooms and summer houses. We would love to tell you we see the light at the end of the wood purchasing tunnel, but the truth is there doesn’t seem to be an end to this increase in price for the foreseeable future. We have written more about the rise in timber prices here.This increase in the cost of timber doesn’t have to put a halt to your garden building dreams. There are alternatives to conventional timber cladding; one of the most popular is composite cladding. Find out more about cladding options here.
What is composite cladding?
Cladding refers to material that is wrapped around the outside of a building. It adds to the appearance and also improves energy efficiency. In addition, cladding protects the main structure of a garden room from natural elements such as wind or rain. Cedar cladding tends to be the most popular choice for garden rooms, but with the rise in timber prices, this only adds to the total cost of a garden room. Unlike traditional timber cladding, composite cladding is a unique blend of recycled wood and polymers. This blend creates a very durable material.Why composite cladding?
Composite cladding has many benefits.Low maintenance and cost-efficient
While traditional timber cladding requires regular maintenance and upkeep, composite cladding doesn’t need painting or varnishing. This reduced maintenance not only means your garden room can look as beautiful five years from now as it does today, but it means your wallet can look that good as well.
Insect proof and hardier
Traditional timber cladding such as cedar is chemically treated to protect it from insects before installing it on your garden room. However, this treatment is temporary; over time, wood loses its durability, becoming more susceptible to mould and insect damage. It does not warp in the weather and, therefore, will not swell or shrink, which can also affect the doors in your garden room.
Environmentally friendly
You may not know this, but some wood cannot be used for some aspects of traditional timber building components. This is due to natural occurrences such as knots in the wood. Composite cladding is made from recycled wood and often recycled plastic products such as milk bottles. As a result, composite cladding is kinder to the environment than traditional timber options. Many of these items would often end up in landfills, so the impact on the environment is reduced on different levels.
Customisable
Companies such as Composite Garden Buildings offer a range of deep grain colours which never require touching up. With a minimum 55% timber content, the slight variation from board to board only adds to the natural beauty of any garden room. Colours can even be mixed and matched to create a truly unique garden building.