Cladding, in simple terms, means covering one surface with another. Cladding as a term is commonly used in Europe and Australia; whereas, in the US, it is normally referred to as siding. It’s widely used in industries like construction, metals, optical fibres and nuclear reactors. However, it is used in a different context in each of these industries.

On the other hand, for homeowners, external wall cladding has immense importance as it beautifies and protects both the exterior and interior of a home. When installed over your home structure, it increases insulation and helps prevents damage from harsh weather conditions.

As an exterior shell or envelope to your home or building, it also helps in minimizing noise and in insulating your home well to maintain optimum temperature throughout the year irrespective of the weather conditions.

Installation of cladding is a professional task. Incorrect installation may not only waste a lot of your money but also put your house at increased risk due to seepage or fading and other weather-related issues. Hence, be aware of the issues listed below when you are installing external wall cladding:

The structure of the building must be complete: Cladding cannot be done on an incomplete or damaged structure. For it to form a well-fitting exterior cover, the structure must be inspected minutely and necessary changes must be made to make it ready for cladding installation. Homes that have a brick exterior may not require additional plywood sheets. But there are others that may need plywood or steel studs for an even exterior. This is called framing of the exterior.

Moisture barrier must be installed: A moisture barrier is put in place to protect the building or home from any seepage. This also helps to curtail any rot or mould that normally results from moisture entering in and provides insulation to your home.

On top of this, sheets or planks of cladding made from vinyl, aluminium, fiberglass, cement, wood etc. are methodically nailed with overlapping rows of nails. This nailing starts from the bottom and moves towards the top. Extreme care is taken so that these nails and screws are not exposed and are covered by the row above. Thereby protecting them from rust and exposure and safeguarding the entire cladding.

In this way, external wall cladding is installed externally to your home or office building to offer maximum protection. Claddings come in a variety of designs and colours, and one can take a pick from a vast range. Remember to get your cladding fixed professionally by finding good cladding professionals before embarking upon this important task.

Article originally published at Source by Jay M Schultz