Why Use Vinyl Rather Than Wood Cladding?
If you want to add or replace cladding on your home, then you might not be sure whether to choose vinyl or wood systems. While wood can give a home a traditional look that some homeowners find appealing, vinyl cladding has some benefits which outweigh this visual appeal. What are they?
Vinyl Cladding Is Less Likely to Get Damaged
As a natural material, wood can get damaged as it ages and in certain circumstances. For example, wood cladding might rot if moisture gets inside your system. It can warp if it swells and contracts too much in seasonal temperature changes.
Plus, wood is naturally attractive to pests. Termites and wood borers will happily munch their way through wood cladding. While you can buy treated wood to reduce the chances of this happening, treatments might not be 100% effective for the full life of the cladding.
Vinyl cladding doesn't suffer from the same damage problems as wood. It won't rot if it gets wet. It can deal with moisture and humidity without warping. Plus, it isn't at all attractive to pests.
Vinyl Cladding Is Almost Zero Maintenance
Wood cladding systems need regular maintenance. For example, you'll have to do some periodic cosmetic work.
So, you'll need to restain, reseal or repaint wood systems every few years to keep them looking good. Wood can fade over time, and its paint can start to peel. If you want your cladding to look good, you'll have to spend some time restoring it.
You won't have as much maintenance work to do if you install a vinyl cladding system. These systems don't need to be painted to keep them looking fresh. Their colour is baked into the vinyl.
You simply need to give your cladding a surface clean every now and then. You can do this with a simple soapy water solution.
Vinyl Cladding Has Better Fire Resistance
You should consider safety issues before you choose a cladding material. For example, you should think about how your cladding materials will react if they come into contact with fire.
Many kinds of wood are naturally combustible, so they aren't suitable for external cladding systems where fire might be a problem. While you can use fire-resistant timbers, these products are likely to increase your cladding costs and might need specialist installation.
Vinyl cladding systems are usually a cheaper and more fire-resistant option. Vinyl takes longer to ignite and is slower to burn. Some products will extinguish themselves once the source of fire stops.
To find out more about the benefits of vinyl over wood, contact vinyl cladding systems professionals.