Let’s compare NeoTimber® composite cladding with uPVC cladding alternatives.
If you live in a home of a certain age, timber cladding may well be a prominent feature in its original design. Popular as a fad with many new builds in the 70’s, timber cladding was added as a facade on brickwork between the top lintel of the ground floor window, and the sill of the upper floor. As these homes have aged, homeowners have sought to maintain and upgrade their homes to keep them looking smart and presentable.
The arrival of double glazing brought with it uPVC frames. This material was found versatile enough to use for making doors, soffits, fascias, guttering and cladding. Since uPVC was commonly white, it was an obvious replacement for the white glossed timber cladding. However, this uPVC is brittle and eventually discolours. In this article, we will compare composite cladding vs uPVC cladding as an alternative for decorating the exterior of your home.
What Exactly Is uPVC Cladding?
Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (uPVC) is so named because it is hardened before being poured into the mould, thereby ridding the material of its flexible, ‘plastic’ properties. This is why uPVC works so well with steel in window frames. However, this lack of flexibility makes it inherently prone to cracking when used to make decking and cladding as it becomes brittle. Moulded in hollow sections, uPVC looks nice and shiny when first installed but can fade over time leading to discolouration and yellowing.
However, cladding made in this material unfortunately looks exactly like what it is, plastic. Whilst this may be acceptable for a narrow frame around a window, an entire panel, or several planks-worth fixed to the front of your house is a different matter. So, what are your alternatives? When looking at composite cladding vs uPVC cladding, it’s important to consider that composite cladding is specifically engineered to combine the qualities of both timber and plastic. Built from recycled wood fibres and plastic polymers, it harnesses the strength of wood whilst retaining the flexibility of plastic. This means that it is incredibly hard wearing, resists moisture, and emulates the feel and grain of real wood.
Colour Fade & Consistency
We have all seen what happens when uPVC frames get old. They can become terribly discoloured, resulting in them looking faded and yellow. Notwithstanding the recent upsurge in grey coloured uPVC, who’s to say these newer darker colours won’t fade and become discoloured too?
In contrast, whilst the surface of traditional composite cladding does initially begin to fade, capped cladding has an incredibly high fade resistance. Any fading will plateau after a couple of months, meaning the quality of the colour of composite material will be retained for far longer than its uPVC counterpart. With some occasional basic maintenance, you can rest assured that your composite cladding will remain looking new for its entire lifespan.
Texture & Feel
Another huge problem with uPVC cladding is that up close the material can look quite cheap. The smooth finish of these plastic boards gives an almost unnatural sheen to them, resulting in the exterior of your home looking the same. Attempts have been made at creating a woodgrain uPVC for doors and cladding but these have delivered a material which barely scratches the surface of authenticity. Because uPVC is 100% plastic, albeit hardened plastic, any moulding which is embossed upon it will be and look plastic too.
Conversely, there is a range of different textures to choose with NeoTimber® cladding. Because composite material is made from 70% wood, this timber texture feels far more natural. Whether the simple, textured finish of our Classic, the deep, embossed woodgrain of Deluxe or the sumptuous, polished finish of our Slatted line, composite cladding is designed to both look and feel more like real timber. The Classic cladding board is a part of our traditional composite cladding range and is designed to have more of a rustic look.
Fire Rating Qualities
No matter the application, when cladding your building, fire safety is an incredibly important thing that must be considered. Unfortunately, most plastic cladding has a fire rating of D, which means it is combustible and can contribute to the growth of a blaze. Furthermore, plastic cladding will melt and warp under the extreme heat of a fire. When burning, plastic cladding also releases dangerous chemicals in the atmosphere. This chemical is both hazardous to the environment and for humans.
In comparison, composite cladding vs uPVC cladding comes out on top. Despite being partially made from recycled plastic fibres, NeoTimber® composite cladding has a fire rating of C. This rating means that our material has a very limited contribution to a developing fire. Additionally, our cladding also has a smoke emission rating of S1, which refers to the extremely low amount of smoke emissions to be released by our boards should they catch fire. Whilst our cladding is still not appropriate for a high-rise building, the diligent safety testing on the material proves it to be an ideal product to use for a low-rise home.
Quality Composite Cladding At An Affordable Price
With huge amounts of development and research poured into our products, everything about NeoTimber® speaks of quality. That’s why large reputable landscapers and builders have been specifying NeoTimber® composite building materials for their jobs for years. Our unbeatable commercial and residential warranty shows just how confident we are in the strength of our composite materials, something which simply cannot be offered by uPVC alternatives.
At NeoTimber® we genuinely believe that we have created a composite solution which ticks all the boxes. Order your free sample pack today and see for yourself the NeoTimber® difference. For more information, speak to our experts at 01509 323 170, or email us at enquires@neotimber.com.
Need Further Support or Advice?
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support or assistance then please give one of our friendly experts a call and we’ll be happy to help.
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