Cladding Fife – Timber or PVC

Timber Cladding

Traditionally, houses would have timber cladding both inside and out.

Timber was used for ceilings inside and for soffits, fascias and cladding outside, including to clad gable ends.

External cladding looks attractive, insulates against heat loss and protects the external fabric of our dwelling from the elements, especially by sheltering walls from precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet and fog.

Most often white wood, such as pine or spruce has been used, as it is easy to work and has good thermal insulation properties.

It is easy to paint, too, to ensure a consistent matching colour scheme. When regularly maintained and painted, timber cladding has a long life.

However, wood is absorbent when unpainted, so regular painting is essential. It is also flammable, which raises fire safety concerns, so must be treated to reduce flammability. It is susceptible to attack from insects.

PVC Cladding

Nowadays many people are choosing PVC products for these same purposes.

Widely available and affordable, it performs all the functions of timber, is very strong, easy to work and fit but is much lighter and requires very little maintenance.

Unlike timber, PVC is completely waterproof. PVC cladding is available in a wide range of colours, including several embossed timber effects and does not require painting.

The colour of cladding is set during the manufacture process and is mixed right through the PVC so it is extremely stable and cannot flake or peel. For the technically minded, this is known as co-extrusion.

Durable

PVC has high tensile strength, is extremely hardwearing and resistant to heat, cold, movement and abrasion and will maintain its original shape for a long time. It is impervious to attack from insects.

Investment

PVC cladding is a good investment, considering its affordability, strength, lifespan, robust durability and ease of maintenance.

Aesthetics

Cladding gives a clean, sleek look to the exterior of your home. It is available in a wide variety of colours and even as embossed weatherboards, which look like painted timber.

Safety

PVC is non-flammable. In the event of a fire, PVC may melt in very high temperatures but will not ignite.

PVC is much lighter than timber, and presents a much lower risk to injury or damage from falling if detached.   

Eco-friendly

PVC is commonly and easily recyclable.

LC Joinery, Roofing and Building Work

We will supply and fit PVC or timber cladding to your home.

We have a wide range to choose from, so you can be sure that your cladding will match any existing exterior woodwork or create just the look you are after.

Accredited

LC Joinery, Roofing and Building Work are assessed, approved and highly recommended members of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and the Federation of Master Builders, and we are a Which? Trusted Trader.

Talk to us

LC Joinery, Roofing and Building Work are specialists in all aspects of building work. We can fully guarantee any and all work that we do, as we only ever use fully insured, time-served, qualified, experienced tradesmen.