Is Composite Cladding Cheaper Than Wood?

Side by side comparisons would seem to indicate that timber is cheaper with prices varying from approximately £20-£60 per square metre, compared to the NeoTimber® composite cladding range, which varies between £39.35 and £64.02 per square metre. So, yes timber is cheaper, to buy. But given that almost all timber cladding is supplied without a manufacturer’s warranty due to the inherent degrading properties of wood, it would be wise to look more closely at the overall costs when comparing the price of composite cladding with wood.

The wonderful thing about composite cladding is that it is partly organic, being 60% timber, and so can be cut and sawn to size as easily as wood. This means that the physical labour cost of installing composite cladding is likely to be around the same – given those installing the material have swatted-up on the relevant installation methods. According to “Price Your Job”, the cost of installing cladding is likely to be in the region of £600-£900 based on an average installation time. This is based on an assumption of a daily rate of £150-£200, with a labourer costing a further £80-£100 per day, for a three-day project. However, prices can vary massively depending on the m2 coverage and the type of installation.

Composite cladding, like all composite products is made from a combination of end-of-use timber fibres and recycled plastic. Whilst the cost of purchasing these materials is minimal, it still requires the purchase of these raw materials, which whilst better for the environment are more costly than the price of sourcing and felling timber. Once felled and sawn, timber is ready for shipping and sale. Composite cladding however requires the involvement of engineers, product development analysts in addition to processing, moulding and shipping.

Timber cladding may seem like the cheaper, organic option. However, composite cladding is made entirely from recycled materials rather than virgin raw materials which lead to habitat loss and deforestation, contributing to global warming. Some timber is sourced from renewable sources and suppliers boast about their replanting strategies. However, it has been proven that mature trees make a far superior contribution to processing CO2 in the atmosphere than recently planted trees, like Red Cedar which can take up to 50 years to reach maturity. Hardwood trees, such as Mahogany, Walnut and other Brazilian woods have been found to live for many hundreds of years with many species living over a thousand years.