Cladding in Fife (10)

Cladding is used in construction to increase the insulation of a building and improve its weather resistance. It’s also used decoratively to enhance the appearance of any structure from homes to high rise buildings.

Many homeowners choose to add cladding to their properties to improve security and reduce sound pollution. Cladding works well at blocking noise from travelling through the walls of a building, creating a more peaceful environment. Cladding can be used internally or externally.

How does cladding work?

Cladding adds an extra layer to the outside of any building, protecting the structure from rain and wind. Often, cladding isn’t waterproof but having this extra layer prevents moisture from seeping through the walls of a building.

Paying for cladding installation by specialists is an excellent choice if you want to improve the energy efficiency of your property. Having this second skin of material means that the heat you generate in your home can’t escape through small cracks and holes.

With cladding you’ll use less energy to heat your home, saving you money.

What are the different types of cladding?

Cladding can be made from many different materials and is available in a variety of styles and colours. Some of the most common types of cladding include:

• Timber: Possibly the most common type of cladding, wood cladding creates beautiful aesthetics with a natural, welcoming feel.

• Stone: Often used externally and made up of a thin covering of stone, this type of cladding gives any property a natural, rustic feel.

• Brick: Designed to suit any building, brick cladding is available in many colours allowing you to create stunning patterns.

• UPVC: Low maintenance and weatherproof, UPVC cladding is a great choice for anyone looking to protect their home from the rain and fires.

• Weatherboard: This type of cladding is perfect to enhance and protect your home.

• Glass: Designed to create a luxurious finish to any structure, glass cladding is affordable, strong and lightweight.

• Metal: Metal cladding is often used on high rise buildings as it’s very affordable and modern.

If you’re unsure what’s the best type of cladding for your home, read our exterior wall cladding ideas guide.

What does cladding look like?

This really depends on the type of cladding you choose. It can create a natural, rustic, elegant, luxurious, or modern feel to any building.

For example, choosing timber cladding will give your home a warm, welcoming aesthetic.

Cladding prices will vary between the different materials available. Some of the more affordable options include metal, uPVC and glass.

The cost of cladding will also depend on the size of your home, the quality of the materials you choose and where your property is located.

Average cladding prices

Our house cladding cost guide covers some of the most common types of cladding and their average prices. You can also read more about the factors that affect cladding prices.

For example: The average cost of uPVC cladding is £20 per m2, while the average cost of timber cladding is £35 per m2.

This comes down to your experience with DIY projects. If you’re a beginner, fitting cladding is too complex for you. Plus, you risk damaging your home if you don’t install cladding correctly.

If you have some experience, it’s definitely possible to fit cladding yourself.

How to fit cladding

Learning how to fit cladding can take time, so make sure you find some time to get to grips with this new skill.

You’ll need to gather the right tools and materials before beginning. These are listed in our guide on how to install cladding.

While you’ll find detailed step-by-step instructions in the above guide, the basic process of installing cladding involves:

• Letting the material acclimatise

• Preparing the walls

• Fitting each batten and nailing in place

• Trimming and sanding the cladding

• Hammering the boards onto your walls

How much cladding do I need?

If you plan to install cladding yourself, you’ll need to know the right amount of materials to buy. You can calculate how much cladding you need by measuring the walls of your home. Check the width and height before multiplying to give you the square metre total you’ll need.

Next, divide this figure by the width of the cladding boards you’ve chosen. Make sure to bear in mind that cladding overlaps. So, take the amount of overlap away from the width of your cladding boards before dividing.

For example, if your cladding boards are 200mm wide and they overlap by 10mm, the width figure you need to use is 190mm.

Finally, divide this figure by the length of your cladding boards. It’s also worth adding 10% extra to allow for mistakes.

If you’re planning to enhance your home with cladding, contacting an experienced, qualified installer is essential. They’ll be able to give you a quote and explain the installation process.

A professional cladding fitter will also be happy to assist you with choosing the right type of cladding for your home.

Once you’re ready to take the first steps on your cladding journey, we can help you find professionals to fit your cladding in Fife.

Use our online search feature to explore your local options.

Alternatively, why not try our request a quote feature? Just give us the details of your job and we’ll pass these on to three local cladding installers who’ll get in touch directly.