External cladding refers to all exterior surfaces of a building, including walls, windows, and doors. The most common type is siding, with vinyl and aluminum being popular due to their durability and cost. Wood, masonry, concrete, and stucco are also used. Other options include slate, tile, and unconventional materials like recycled plastics.
The external cladding is the outermost layer of the building’s covering. The term includes all exterior surfaces, including walls, windows and doors, soffits and trim. The most common use of the term, however, usually refers to wall covering. There are many different types of exterior siding available, including siding, shingle, masonry, concrete, and stucco.
By far the most common type of cladding is siding. Many types of siding are available and in common use, including vinyl, wood, and aluminum. Vinyl and aluminum siding comes in an almost infinite variety of colors. A wide variety of textures, most of which are designed to mimic wood, are also available for vinyl and aluminum siding. While wood siding is still common in the 21st century, vinyl and aluminum have surpassed wood in popularity due to their durability and lower cost.
Wood is used as exterior cladding in other forms than traditional siding. Shingles or wood smoothies can be cut into a wide variety of shapes and patterns. Cedar is a popular wood for this type of application because it resists rot and insect pests well. In its most basic form, wood as cladding can be found in log cabins; in some cases the logs form the structure of the wall as well as the exterior. Sometimes, thin slices of raw log are used as a fillet to create the illusion of a full log construction.
Masonry is another type of building exterior commonly used in residential and commercial construction; brick and cinder block are the most common materials of this type. Bricks vary widely in shape, color, finish, and size. Cinder blocks offer less potential variety than bricks, but there are still many types available. Common concrete block is a standard material used in many industrial applications.
Poured concrete is sometimes used as an exterior cladding. Poured concrete is strong and often used in the construction of large buildings and secure facilities such as prisons or military installations. This material can be cast on site or preformed into panels or blocks and then laid according to the provisions of the building plans.
Stucco is a very common type of coating made with portland cement mixed with inert particles and spread on masonry or on a wooden frame or metal strips. This material is durable, attractive, weather and pest resistant, and is easily customized by altering aggregate particle size, using textured trowels for spreading, or adding pigments. Stucco is very hard but relatively light, as it is usually applied in coats less than 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick.
Other types of exterior cladding include slate, ceramic or terracotta tile, asphalt shingles, adobe, or even unconventional building materials like glass bottles. The recent emphasis on green building has also led to the development of cladding panels made from materials such as recycled plastics or tires.
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