What Cladding Is Safe and What Cladding Is Dangerous?

Cladding has had a very bad press lately, and the Grenfell Tower disaster made it clear that some types can be extremely dangerous. However, that doesn’t mean that all cladding should be tarred with the same brush. So what types of roof cladding are safe to use, and which should be avoided?

Why Cladding Is Important?

If cladding can be dangerous, does that mean it would be better to do without it? Not at all. Advantages of having roof cladding include:

• Protecting the roof from the effects of the weather.
• Reinforcing the roof’s insulation, especially with an older roof.
• Creating an attractive appearance that increases the property’s kerb appeal.

Clearly, then, it can be a big advantage to have roof cladding — the crucial thing is to make sure you choose one of the safe materials for your cladding.

What Cladding Materials Are Dangerous?

The notorious Grenfell cladding (which was for the walls, rather than the roof) was made of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM), which has been found to be highly combustible. This should no longer be used, and all existing ACM cladding should be removed as quickly as possible — when agreement can be reached who is responsible.

However, ACM isn’t the only cladding material that has caused fire concerns. High-pressure laminate (HPL) has also been cited as a fire risk, and other metal-based materials besides ACM have raised concerns. These include Metal Composite Materials (MCM) which use zinc, copper or steel.

Traditionally, wood has also been used as cladding, which could also be seen as a risk. On the one hand, timber is used in other parts of many buildings’ constructions without causing fires. On the other, cladding your roof or walls with wood certainly increases the opportunity for fire to take hold.

What Cladding Materials Are Safe?

When cladding walls, materials like stone or cement are sometimes used, and these would clearly pose no greater fire risk than the building’s original materials. The downside is that these forms of cladding can be heavy, and that certainly makes them unsuitable as roof cladding.

The material that offers the best of all worlds — lightweight, cheap and fire resistant — is UPVC. In addition to being safe, UPVC roof cladding is durable and low maintenance, and it can give the illusion of being high-quality painted wood.

Do you feel that roof cladding would improve your home? Or do you already have roof cladding and aren’t sure whether it’s fire-resistant. Give Empire a call, and we’ll help you make sure you have roof cladding that’s effective, attractive and safe. Want to learn more about cladding? Find out more here!