The use of wood to clad your home or even build a home is not a new thing. In fact, it has been a traditional building method for hundreds of years. However, that doesn’t mean it remains the best option for your home.
It does create an aesthetically appealing look. But, this can now be replicated via the use of cladding; in fact, there are many different cladding options available. The beauty of cladding is that it doesn’t have these common wood exterior issues:
Maintenance
A wooden exterior needs to be washed and treated or painted every year. If you don’t you are likely to have an array of issues from wood rot to insect invasion.
Of course, washing and treating your home every year is a time-consuming and expensive pastime; one that most people can do without.
Damp
Wood takes a beating in all weathers. Unfortunately, if the protective layer of paint disintegrates the wood is vulnerable to moisture in the air. This also applies to any part of the wood which hasn’t been treated.
Moisture causes wood to swell; which will place a strain on the surrounding pieces of timber, potentially warping your home.
In addition, moisture can build up in the wood and it will start to rot; effectively disintegrating when you touch it.
Insects
You also need to be aware of the attraction of wood for insects. Termites and wood-eating ants are the biggest issues as they can destroy the very fabric of your building. The result can be that the building is unsafe; if the insect invasion has gone unnoticed for a long time.
Even if the invasion is short, it is likely to be expensive and inconvenient to replace the wood; the exterior will only be part of the issue.
Insects eating and damaging your wood is generally referred to as dry rot.
Cracking
When exterior wood is exposed to the heat of the summer and the coldness of the winter, alongside fluctuating weather conditions; it is likely that the wood will start to crack.
This is a result f the expansion and contraction that the hot and cold force it to do. Of course, the cracking is unsightly and can affect the integrity of the structure. It is sometimes possible to fill the cracks but you may need to replace the wood instead.
Knots
Knots are generally considered unsightly but to ensure they don’t show through your paint or treatment you’ll need to make sure that all the sap is removed from the knot. It will then need to have primer and the paint. If this isn’t done properly the knot will show through. At the least, this can be annoying.
You find that the number of options available in cladding will allow you to have the benefits of a house that appears to be wood clad, without the maintenance and other problems that come with exterior wood. Of course, you can simply choose something completely different.
In effect, it’s a win-win situation!
