Choosing the right cladding material for your St Ives property is one of the most important decisions in the whole project - get it right and you will not need to revisit it for decades.
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Exterior cladding is a rainscreen layer fixed to the outside of a building. Its job is to protect the wall structure behind from weather, improve the thermal performance of the building, and change how the property looks. A properly specified and fitted cladding system handles all three. A poorly specified one can cause damp, rot and expensive remedial work.
We fit cladding to houses, bungalows, extensions, garages, outbuildings and commercial premises in St Ives and the wider area including Cambridge, Ely, Newmarket, Saffron Walden and Royston. The right material depends on the building, the budget and what the owner wants to achieve.
Timber is the most traditional exterior cladding material and still one of the most popular. It is available in several profiles - featheredge (also called shiplap or bevelled), square-edge, tongue and groove, and open-joint rainscreen - each giving a different look and level of weather protection.
The species and treatment matter more than the profile. The main options are:
Pros of timber: natural appearance, widely available, easy to cut and fix on site, can be painted or stained to any colour.
Cons of timber: needs ongoing maintenance (painting or re-oiling), can rot if detailing or maintenance lapses, moves with moisture and temperature changes.
Composite cladding boards are made from a blend of wood fibre and polymer (typically PVC or polyethylene). They are engineered to look like timber but resist rot, insects and moisture without needing painting.
Supply costs for composite cladding typically run from £30-£70 per square metre depending on the brand, thickness and finish. Installation costs are similar to timber, so the higher material cost is offset over time by lower maintenance spend.
Pros of composite: no painting required, resistant to rot and insects, stable in wet conditions, long manufacturer finish life (manufacturer claims vary - check the specification sheet), wide range of colours and grain effects.
Cons of composite: heavier than timber, some profiles look less natural up close, cannot be re-painted if you want to change colour (the surface is factory-finished), quality varies significantly between manufacturers so specification matters.
Fibre cement boards are made from cement, sand and cellulose fibre. They are rigid, dimensionally stable, non-combustible and resistant to rot, insects and impact. They take paint well and can be supplied pre-primed or pre-painted.
Supply cost is typically £20-£50 per square metre. Because they are heavier than timber or composite, fixings and substrate requirements are more demanding, and cutting on site requires diamond blades and dust control.
Pros of fibre cement: non-combustible (important for some planning conditions and insurers), very dimensionally stable, takes paint well, long service life, resistant to all biological attack.
Cons of fibre cement: heavier to handle and fix, cutting requires care to manage silica dust, painted finishes will need repainting over time, less flexibility of profile compared to timber.
Aluminium and pre-finished steel cladding systems are the most durable option in terms of weather resistance and finish longevity. Factory-applied PVDF or polyester powder coat finishes on quality aluminium systems can last 25 years or more before needing attention, though this depends on the product and exposure.
Metal cladding typically costs more to supply and install than timber - allow £60-£120 per square metre or more for aluminium rainscreen systems. It suits contemporary or commercial buildings well and can look out of place on traditional residential properties.
Pros of metal cladding: very long finish life, no rot or biological growth, lightweight (aluminium), non-combustible, minimal ongoing maintenance.
Cons of metal cladding: higher cost, limited suitability for traditional residential aesthetics, dents on impact (aluminium), specialist fixings and trims required for a neat result.
Regardless of the board material you choose, the build-up behind it is what determines whether the system works or fails. A breather membrane should be fixed to the wall before battening out. Treated timber battens create a ventilated cavity that allows any moisture behind the boards to escape. This ventilated gap - typically 25-50mm - is not optional. Without it, moisture builds up against the wall and defeats the purpose of the cladding entirely.
Any insulation fitted behind the cladding should be vapour-open (breathable) unless the whole wall build-up has been designed by someone who understands condensation risk. Getting the specification wrong here can cause interstitial condensation within the wall, which is worse than no insulation at all.
When scaffolding is up for a cladding job, it is sensible to look at the soffits, fascias and bargeboards at the same time. These components take the same weather as the cladding and often need replacing or painting in the same project. Doing them together saves on access costs.
Before you agree to any cladding job, ask the installer to confirm the specification in writing: the board material and treatment, fixing type (stainless steel is standard for exterior use), batten thickness, membrane type, and how junctions at windows and soffits will be detailed. The details are where most failures start, and a contractor who cannot or will not specify them clearly is one to avoid.
For a conversation about material options for your St Ives property, call Cambridge Roofers and we will give you a straight answer on what suits your building and your budget.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
