Exterior Wall Cladding for your Kit Home

One of the most common and economical external wall cladding being used on homes, townhouses and commercial buildings in the Australian market is the James Hardie “HardieFlex” and  “HardiePlank Weatherboards”.

HardieFlex is a tough, hard-wearing, low maintenance flat sheet that makes it easy to achieve a smooth, painted finish and is used in the construction of granny flat and kit homes designed and built by the Nova Group.  As well as a wall cladding, we also use the cladding for the eaves, veranda and carport soffit lining.The product is easy to work with, easily fixed to timber or metal frames, is low maintenance and can be quickly painted making it an idea product to achieve fast results.

Another common product we use is the HardiePlank which is known for its durability, versatility and colourful appearance. It is available as pre-primed or it can be sealed, primed and painted in the factory in a wide range of colours and arrives on site ready for fast and easy installation. Unlike wood, HardiePlank will stay looking good year after year and will stand up to the toughest weather conditions without cracking, peeling or chipping and it resists scratches and vermin damage.

 

HardiePlank  Composition

HardiePlank is a combination of cellulose fibers, along with cement-like materials. In other words, it’s partly wood, partly cement.  Break a piece of HardiePlank and inside you will see a brittle core interlaced with wood fibers.

 

A Green Building Material?

With everything in this day and age being about green and sustainability, HardiePlank makes for a strong argument because the cellulose fibers that are used do not come from endangered species of wood. The cement and sand used is certainly in great abundance and no toxic materials such as vinyl are used in the production. Add to this fact that the material lasts so long, especially if painted and properly maintained.

 

Is HardiePlank Fire Resistant?

HardiePlank is fire resistant, but not fireproof.  Not even brick can completely protect a house from fire. HardiePlank does not contribute combustibles towards a fire like vinyl which is a petroleum product that significantly feeds the flames or wood that is obviously a highly combustible product. HardiePlank can be viewed as a type of neutral building material, as far as fire resistance goes.

 

It looks like Wood

Whilst on close inspection it does not look like wood, from a distance it does and it is this appearance and the cost when compared to wood is why the Nova Group uses this product, along with the fact that the kit home can be painted with any texture paint to give a finish to be proud of.

 

In Australia where carpenter ants and termites are always a problem for wood siding materials, insects do not care about HardiePlank because even though it does have that cellulose fiber, there is not enough of it to interest them. HardiePlank is considered to be insect resistant.

 

What is the cost?

HardiePlank is not a cheap product when compared with vinyl but is the best option when compared with the cost of wood.  The Nova Group prefers this product over any other because it is tough, there is no shortage and is easily accessible.