Does Composite Cladding Swell?

Composite cladding does not swell like wood cladding. So, this implies that your composite cladding will last for a long time. Swelling occurs when a structural material absorbs water.

 Its swelling leads to an increase in the size of the structural material. And in turn, the material becomes weak and less durable. 

Composite materials will not absorb moisture and will not swell. That is why folks prefer it to wood cladding or wood material. Wood cladding is 100% wood. 

It means that since wood quickly absorbs moisture, they will swell when they absorb the excess water. Also, wood cladding will warp, break, or splinter. That is why they have to be treated with chemicals to make them durable.

 The chemical increases the longevity of your wood cladding, but over time they wear out. That is if you don’t maintain your wood cladding regularly. Maintaining wood cladding is expensive and time-consuming.

 It would help if you maintain it at least once in a year. Composite or plastic wood cladding is different from wood in that they are not 100% wood. Plastic-wood, as the name implies, is composed of plastic and wood fibre.

 The extra plastic added to composite cladding made it resistant to moisture. Since it is immune to water infiltration, it will not swell. 

Also, note that composite materials like composite decking and cladding have an extra layer of plastic on its surface. It improves the moisture-resistant property of composite cladding and makes it impenetrable to moisture.

 Other benefits of composite cladding are that they will not splinter or sag if the temperature changes frequently. 

Composite Cladding Will Not Warp

Plastic wood cladding will not warp because of a change in temperature. Warping occurs when a cladding material absorbs moisture and swell.

If the humidity should dry out, the cladding board will shrink. This shrinkage will make them warp.

 Also, a fluctuating temperature can cause plastic-wood cladding to sag. It occurs when the surface of a cladding material shrinks as a result of expansion and contraction of the cladding board.

This shrinking is one feature of wood cladding and is not a feature of composite cladding. 

Composite Cladding Is Capped

Plastic-wood cladding boards has an improved surface with an extra layer of plastic on it. This surface is called the capped surface. It is this additional layer of plastic that makes it impenetrable to water.

 Since water cannot get into a capped composite cladding, then mould, and mildew cannot grow on them. Also, this surface makes it absorb less dirt or stain. Wood cladding does not have an extra layer of plastic on them, so they absorb water or moisture readily.

Composite Cladding Is Resistant to Insect

Plastic-wood cladding is resistant to insect attack. It implies that termite and bugs that attack wood will not destroy your composite cladding. 

Composite Cladding Needs Little Maintenance

Another thing about composite cladding and other composite materials is that they need little maintenance when you compare them to wood. As with other wood materials, wood cladding must be stained, oiled, sealed, and painted to make them last longer. 

Note that if this is not done regularly, the wood cladding will lose its durability. Composite cladding does not require all these. There is no need to paint, stain, oil, or seal your plastic wood cladding. 

So, this goes a long way to save your money because you won’t waste your cash purchasing the paint or stain. Also, you don’t have to waste time yearly doing the laborious task of maintaining your composite cladding.

Plastic Wood Cladding Colour Will Not Fade

One good thing about composite cladding and why it is preferable to wood is that the colour will not fade quickly like wood. 

When you install it for a long time, it will only lose a small amount of colour. Wood cladding will lose much of its colour to the extent that you have to paint it to restore the colour. 

Plastic Wood Cladding Looks Like Wood

Another reason folks love composite cladding is because of its wood grain finish. The wood grain finish improves the look of composite cladding and makes it look like wood. 

It makes it a perfect replacement for timber because homeowners love a cladding that looks exactly like wood and will last longer than wood.

Conclusion

Does composite cladding swell? Composite cladding will not swell like a wood cladding either will it rot nor warp. So, this makes it a better cladding material than wood.