Can I Clad over An Old Cladding Material?
If your exterior wall cladding is old, you can always install a new one. But it is not a good thought to clad over an old or existing cladding material. We have compiled this write-up to explain the best practice to follow when you want to change your old cladding for a new one like composite cladding. But first, why do homeowners re-clad their home.
Why Homeowners Chose to Add A New Cladding
There are several reasons homeowners decide to change their cladding for a new one.
Maintenance
Maintenance is one issue homeowners have always tried to find solutions to. Some cladding materials require an elaborate maintenance process. Wood cladding is an example of a covering material that is difficult to maintain.
If you install wood cladding over the exterior wall of your house, you have to take care of the cladding regularly. You must sand, seal, stain or paint your timber cladding to make it last longer. The maintenance process of wood cladding also consumes money. You need cash to purchase the paint or stain that you will use to take care of your timber cladding.
And as if that is not sufficient, you will waste your time and energy maintaining a timber cladding. Remember that you might install your cladding high up a wall. Reaching all the spots on your cladding will be difficult. So, this makes maintaining timber cladding a stressful task for homeowners.
Durability
Durability is the ability of cladding material to resist pressure from external elements. Most external wall covering materials are durable, but not all cladding materials are durable. Composite cladding, for example, is durable while wood cladding is not. Wood cladding is not resistant to termites, UV rays of the sun, and fluctuating temperature.
This implies that your timber cladding will not last for a long time. When you compare timber with composite cladding and PVC, the outcome will be different. Composite cladding will not rot, warp, swell or break when the element of mother nature plays on it. A composite cladding will last for about 25 years, depending on the grade that you purchase.
The same with PVC cladding. PVC will resist rot, swell, warping, or splintering. So, if you install a less durable cladding material in your house, you can change your cladding for a more durable one.
Aesthetic Value
Aesthetic value is another reason homeowners have decided to change their old cladding for a new one. Most cladding materials, like composite cladding and PVC, are aesthetically pleasing. But some cladding materials are not beautiful. Let’s consider stone cladding as an example. Stone cladding does not have an attractive appearance.
The ugly design of stone cladding will make the exterior wall of your home not to be beautiful. The same thing goes with timber cladding. Wood has only the traditional timber look except if you want to paint it to give it a different colour. But the downside of painting timber is that you have to do it every year because the paint will fade.
Composite cladding does not need painting, and the appearance is not ugly like a stone.
Also, composite cladding comes in an array of colour that makes it possible for you to choose any colour that you want. Also, the colour of composite cladding will not fade quickly like that of timber cladding.
Best Practice to Follow When You Want to Change Your Cladding
If you want to change your old cladding for a new one, you should ensure that you do the right thing. We do not recommend that you clad over an old cladding material.
Remove the Old Cladding Material
What you should do when you are about to clad your home with new material is to remove the old cladding material. You must remove the old cladding because it will enable you to gauge the structure of the wall. If the exterior wall of your home is strong, you can then proceed to install the new cladding after you have taken away the old one. But if the outer wall needs repair, you should give it the appropriate repair.
Add A Good Cladding Material
The reason for changing your old cladding is because you are not satisfied with your cladding. If your cladding is less durable, you can change it for a more durable cladding material like composite cladding. Also, if your cladding is not aesthetically pleasing, you can change it for composite cladding because it has a good appearance.
Conclusion
Can I clad over an old cladding material? We do not recommend that you clad over an old or existing cladding material. You should tear out the old cladding and replace it with one that is more durable and easy to maintain like composite cladding.