What Is Wall Cladding? Explore More to Uncover Its Pros & Cons

Introduction to Wall Cladding

Layering one material over another to form a skin over the walls is called cladding. Wall cladding is an excellent method of shielding a structure from the weather and other potentially damaging environmental factors. It serves primarily as a control element, protecting a room’s or building’s walls and interior workings from water damage or allowing the leakage of water that could create a hazard for persons wandering inside the structure. Secondly, it improves the aesthetic appeal of the structure. It can be done on both the exterior and interior of a building. It is resistant to dirt and other chemicals, is simple to clean, and has high scratch resistance.

Walls can be layered with a variety of materials to meet varying needs. The options are many, and the building itself will look different. Wood, brick, metal, plastic, and fake stone are a few materials used for various projects. Galvanized steel or aluminum is common types of metal cladding used in construction.

Importance of Wall Cladding

Some of the importance of wall cladding includes:

For Exterior Wall Cladding

• The primary purpose of cladding is aesthetic rather than practical, as it is used to draw attention to a certain area or feature. It is possible to discover it everywhere in a home or office, but it is more typical to find it concentrated in one or two spots.
• Exquisite stonework on a single office building corner or side can add visual interest and value.
• The goal of providing wall cladding is to make a space more interesting and colourful without spending money on tearing down and rebuilding walls. That’s why you see all those different textures and materials attached to the roof of buildings.
• The outer cladding of a structure might help it endure environmental or climatic stresses.
• The goal of wall cladding is also to insulate the outer walls so that the interior temperature stays consistent without additional heating or cooling.

For Interior Wall Cladding

• Wall cladding like wood paneling on a single bathroom wall can create an impression of depth and warmth.
• Wall cladding helps to create an acoustic buffer between the interior space and the noisy street outside.
• Internal wall cladding acts as a thermal wall, thus enhancing the energy efficiency of the property.
• Internal wall cladding is easy to clean and resistant to stains and scratches.

Application Areas

Some of the areas of application of wall cladding include:

Structurally

While cladding is not a structural component of a building, it does affect the building’s principal structural surface. Despite being an integral part of the main facade, it does not strengthen the building. Great strength is necessary inside the cladding system and its joineries for the primary face to ensure it does not crumble under wind load pressures. It plays a structural role by transferring wind loads, impact loads, and weight to the structure.

Monowall

Monowall is a cladding material that is insulating and self-supporting, making it ideal for use in positive-temperature environments such as commercial and industrial refrigeration units. They work well with structural glazing, curtain walls, windows, and other fenestrations and apertures and can also be used as a permanent finishing for dividing walls.

Against Wind

Specifically, wind exerts both positive and negative pressure on the surface of structures, necessitating cladding with sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand this load, both in terms of the cladding materials used and their attachments to the underlying structure.

Energy Reducing

Cladding can help to minimize mechanical and electrical energy consumption, improving electricity efficiency and lowering running expenses.

Precast constructions

Precast concrete panels, metal screens, and timber panels have all been mainstays in architectural cladding for quite some time. However, with the recent emphasis on sustainability, architects are increasingly prioritizing using more eco-friendly materials that still meet their client’s aesthetic and functional needs.

Advantages

Similar to its importance, wall cladding has many benefits that the client and the stakeholders can enjoy. Some of which are:

• Wall cladding increases the structure’s strength by supporting the building to withstand external impacts.
• Modern exterior wall cladding serves a practical purpose by shielding the underlying structure and providing a pleasant appearance.
• It elevates the insulation efficiency of the building.
• It is useful for aesthetic purposes.
• It raises the temperature and helps resist cracks that may occur on the concrete surface.
• This material has a low absorption rate.
• It helps to protect the building from the effects of direct sunlight.
• As a result of its ability to adjust to different climates, the building’s mechanical framework will be protected. This is particularly handy in areas where the weather goes from one extreme to the other throughout the year.
• It helps in protecting the building against chemical or air pollution.
• Wall cladding’s most notable perk is how rarely it needs to be maintained, especially when painting the walls. A simple wash is usually all needed to restore the original luster and make the wall cladding look like it was just installed.

Disadvantages

Some of the disadvantages are:

• Dust can easily accumulate on highly textured patterns, making maintenance and cleaning a hassle.
• Copper and other metals may oxidize and discolour if left untreated on outer or exposed walls. Owners must learn how to keep the cladding looking good from the start so that they may avoid problems like fading, discolouration, and deterioration.
• Despite the ease with which cladding can be installed, removing it can occasionally prove difficult. Wall and building structural integrity are usually unaffected, but a visual appeal may suffer. Removing these types of wall treatments usually requires the homeowner to have a plan for the wall’s future.
• Usually, it’s bare and stripped behind the cladding, and depending on how things were attached, it can have a few surface imperfections that need more than paint to cure.
• The cost of wall covering can quickly pile up. On the other hand, metal and vinyl wall cladding materials are low-cost and simple to install. However, the high price of labor makes alternatives to wood for wall cladding, such as concrete, brick, stone, etc., prohibitive.
• Wall cladding installation is often labor intensive. A wall’s cladding unit’s installation time is relative to its size and the wall’s foundation material. Cladding can add significant time to the building process if the area to be covered is large and sophisticated patterns are to be used.
• They are also not earthquake resistant and may impose heavy damage.

Types of Wall Cladding Panels

Some of the types of wall cladding are:

01. Stone Cladding

Stone cladding is widely considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly option for exterior walls. It is compatible with a steel or concrete base. This cladding material for walls has remarkable longevity. The cladding unit is extremely long-lasting, but its installation is prohibitively costly. The cost of natural stone cladding materials such as slates, sandstones, marble, granites, limestones, and quartzites varies widely depending on the stone’s specific characteristics and the market price. The cost also varies considerably based on the particular form and dimensions desired.

A range of different sizes, thickness and patterns are created according to the design specification. In order to accommodate the weight of the natural stone, cladding system should be fixed mechanically to structural substrate layers. It is done using specially made stone clips.

When it comes to internal stone wall cladding, the most common locations for stone cladding are the living room, indoor garden, and bathroom. It comes in a rainbow of colours, from red to yellow, grey to brown to green and beyond.

Pros and Cons of Stone Cladding

Pros

• Stone cladding has its unique aesthetic appeal.
• It is very durable which adds a strong outer layer to your wall.
• It is easy to maintain stone cladding. With minimal maintenance, you can easily keep your walls stunning.
• It is resistant to scratches, abrasions and fire which make it a perfect fit for external cladding.

Cons

• It is both labour and time intensive.
• It requires professionals for installation.
• Stone cladding is expensive.
• It requires a structural substrate over the existing structure.

02. Wooden Cladding

Cladding made of wood is an excellent insulator and can withstand the elements for quite some time. It lasts long and doesn’t require much effort to set up. Wood’s inherent beauty is unparalleled. When compared to aluminum and vinyl, wooden cladding is far more durable. Wooden cladding is suitable both for exteriors as well as interiors. It helps to create a stunning façade. 

For the most part, cedar or redwood is used for fabricating wooden cladding units. Eastern white pine, plywood sheets, wood shingles, redwood, and cedar are all examples of this category of wall cladding material.

When wood cladding is applied to a wall, it creates a beautiful aesthetic. However, installing wooden cladding can set you back a pretty penny. It is a pricey cladding option because of the upkeep involved. Therefore, this is primarily employed for aesthetic purposes.

Pros and Cons of Wooden Cladding

Pros

• Wood cladding is easy to paint.
• It is eco-friendly.
• It is easy to repair and replace if damaged.
• The durability and variety of colour possibilities for exterior wooden cladding have made it one of the preferred option for homeowners.

Cons

• In order to keep the wood looking its best, you need a lot of maintenance.
• Wood is flammable material and hence there is a high fire risk.
• You need skilled workmanship to erect the exterior wooden cladding.

03. Brick Cladding

 Exterior wall cladding panels like brick cladding is an attractive ornamental option for wall coverings. It is resistant to cracking, rotting, and other environmental damage. Modern cladding bricks are typically made with custom, cutting-edge machinery. It keeps you warm in the winter and cools in the summer with minimal energy use. They work wonderfully with passive building design to take advantage of the sun and other renewable energy sources.

Brick walls naturally insulate and adjust a building’s temperature, so they use less energy. It is difficult and expensive to install. Brick cladding, however, requires less money to maintain than wooden cladding components. These units are advised if you can’t afford wood cladding.

Brick cladding is used in interiors as well as exteriors. It helps to enhance the home décor, giving a contemporary or country style look. It helps to add freshness and personality to your rooms with an accent wall. It can also be used as a kitchen backsplash to protect your walls from high temperature generated by stove and oven.

Pros and Cons of Brick Cladding

 Pros

• Brick cladding is safe and earthquake resistant.
• It is a fire proof material.
• It can handle snow, rain, sun exposure and heavy winds.
• It is easy to clean and maintain. You can easily clean brick cladding with water.

Cons

• It requires skilled professionals to install brick cladding perfectly.
• The overall cost of brick cladding along with the construction is quite high.
• It has a negative impact on the environment since bricks are baked in kilns, which require large amounts of energy.

04. Aluminum Cladding

When compared with vinyl cladding modules, the price of aluminum cladding is much higher. While vinyl cladding is inexpensive and easy to maintain, aluminum cladding is more long-lasting and won’t rust. The building’s basement and storage walls are often coated in aluminum. Metal wall cladding made of high-quality, treated aluminum is commonly utilized for massive commercial constructions.

It is one-third as heavy as steel and has an average density of about 2.7 g/cm³. The frequency and extent of maintenance and replacement for these devices are lower than for other equipment types. Because of this, aluminum is an excellent construction material, and it will last for decades without deteriorating. It can be recycled without degrading in quality.

Pros and Cons of Aluminum Cladding

Pros

• Aluminum cladding does not require much maintenance.
• It is light weight material and hence its fitting as wall cladding is easy.
• It is highly cost effective as compared to other wall cladding alternatives.
• Aluminum cladding panels are resistant to varied weather conditions.

Cons

• The joints for Aluminum cladding must be carefully sealed during installation.
• Aluminum cladding is susceptible to dents.
• Installation should be handled by professionals.
• It is not versatile with all the design styles except contemporary and industrial style.

05. Vinyl Cladding

Vinyl cladding can be purchased in a wide variety of colours. When using composite wall cladding like vinyl, money is saved both during the installation process and in the long run because it is one of the least expensive cladding options available and is highly efficient at conserving energy.

Vinyl is far lighter than competing materials, making it possible for panels to be malleable when used to cover a building. It is impervious to dents and flaking and never needs to be repainted. Uses for this material include weatherproofing, decorating, and enhancing the aesthetic appeal of smaller dwellings. Since it offers sufficient security at a low price, most homeowners utilize it. However, it’s not a great cladding material compared to wood or aluminum.

Pros and Cons of Vinyl Cladding

Pros

• It is inexpensive as compared to other cladding options.
• It does not require painting because its shutters are unique and colours are 100% homogenous.
• It has very less maintenance due to vinyl’s sliding surface which easily slides off dust.

Cons

• Vinyl Cladding has issues in cold climates. It melts in cold climates.
• It warps in hot temperatures.
• It can result in other maintenance issues.

06. Stainless Steel Cladding

Stainless steel cladding is an excellent long-term option for cladding. It is quite resistant to the impacts of the environment. It contains at least 10% chromium by weight, ensuring that, upon exposure to air oxygen, it will oxidize into chromium oxide. As this oxide builds up on the cladding’s exterior, it acts as a barrier, preventing additional corrosion. Carbon and low alloy steels are both suitable substrates for cladding made of stainless steel.

Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Cladding

Pros

• Stainless Steel Cladding is very durable which makes it useful for high profile buildings.
• It has varied options in colours for steel cladding.
• The steel cladding has the best weldability.

Cons

• Stainless steel cladding is susceptible to corrosion, especially in marine environments.
• The initial cost of stainless steel cladding is high.
• Stainless steel is one of the most resilient surfaces when it comes to wear and stains and hence it is important to choose the right cleaning solution for it.

07. Fibre Cement Cladding

Sand, cement, and cellulose fibers make up fiber cement cladding. These panels are commonly used outside walls covering offices, stores, and factories. These are commonly used in construction because they resemble longer timber planks. This wall cladding system’s dimensional stability is a major benefit. Unlike panels constructed from more conventional materials, these exterior wall coverings remain stable in temperature extremes.

You can consider fiber cement if you are in the market for sturdy and aesthetically pleasing cladding pieces for your building’s walls. These modules get much stronger and look similar to hardwood cladding modules. You can save money and time using these units. Also, in contrast to other cladding materials, fiber cement cladding pieces require no upkeep.

Pros and Cons of Fiber Cement Cladding

Pros

• It withstands all kind of environments.
• The customization for fiber cement cladding is totally possible.
• Fiber Cement Cladding is highly durable and resistant.

Cons

• The installation of fiber cement cladding is more difficult.
• The maintenance for fiber cement cladding is a bit tedious process.
• It is not energy efficient as other alternatives of wall cladding.

Conclusion

It is crucial to have adequate insulation in a building so that the temperature inside may be kept at a comfortable level without adjusting the settings on climate control systems. For this reason, you must use wall cladding as it will make your surroundings aesthetic and give you a warm atmosphere.

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Author Bio

Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury – Nafisa Nazneen Choudhury is a Civil Engineer (completed B.E. from Assam Engineering College) and is currently pursuing M.Tech in Structural Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Silchar. She is a Technical Content Writer, having over 3 years of experience and has wrote many articles related to Civil Engineering. She is also a Book Author (Authored – “Dream Tales of NNC: Revenge By Murder”) and her book can be found on Amazon. She is also a Guest Author at Gharpedia. Moreover, she is a certified member at Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). She writes her blogs at her website – nnc2017.wordpress.com. She can be reached on LinkedIn.