What Is Cladding?

Your roof has a lot of heavy duty to do, if it’s going to protect you from wind, rain and cold. While an expertly fitted roof with high-quality materials will fulfil a good deal of this work, it can use all the help it can get. Perhaps the best help of all is to add roof cladding.

What Is Cladding in Construction?

Cladding simply means adding an extra layer of a different material over a surface to provide another skin, in order to make the surface perform its function better. It can be fitted to many different parts of a building and be made of a wide range of materials, but its purpose remains much the same.

If you mention cladding to most people, the chances are that they’ll think of the walls. Whether it’s applied to a commercial property, a block of flats or an individual home, many buildings benefit from this extra protection. However, the walls aren’t the only parts of the structure that need help. Your roof may need cladding, too.

What Does Roof Cladding Do?

Roof cladding is a layer of material that lies over the tiles, slates or felt of the original roof. It has a number of essential functions, including:

• Protection from weather. Your roof takes a battering from the elements throughout the year, and this can create leaks and erosion. Roof cladding provides an extra layer of protection, reducing damage and providing a waterproof layer.
• Cladding can work with your interior insulation to help regulate the temperature inside your home — whether that’s to keep it warm in winter or cool in summer. Besides providing a more comfortable environment, insulation also means you need less heating, saving you money and reducing your carbon footprint.
• Aesthetic appeal. You might think putting cladding over the original roofing material would make it look less attractive, but that doesn’t have to be the case. As long as you choose a versatile material that can be painted the colour of your choice, a cladded roof can increase your home’s kerb appeal.

What Is Roof Cladding Made Of?

It can be made from a wide variety of materials, many of which are either expensive or inefficient. Since the development of high-quality UPVC, however, it’s been possible to have roof cladding that’s tough, durable, attractive and inexpensive. You can choose a finish that will bring out the appeal of your home.

At Empire, we use the highest-quality UPVC roof cladding. Give us a call and find out more about what roof cladding could do for your home. Want to know more about the different types of cladding and whether or not it is safe? Find out more here!