A building’s cladding not only decorate, but also protect against moisture. However, the key is the right installing wall cladding solutions. Here are some rules of wall cladding installation.
1 Building shape
Siding or “cladding” should be matched to the mass of the building. It is not particularly suitable for finishing the facade of houses with a complicated shape – it looks much better on objects with a simple line of finish. This type of facing looks good especially on low buildings with sloping roofs. It works well in both single-family and multi-family housing, as well as in the finishing of utility rooms or other commercial premises.
2 Proper wood cladding protection
If you decide to use wood as decorative elements on the facade, it must be very good quality. Wood wall cladding should be properly dried and impregnated in order to protect the facing from destructive atmospheric factors. A good option, which does not require frequent maintenance, are wood-based panels factory-prepared for use ready, or wood-textured resins painted with a special finishing paint, which can look good for years without losing color.
3 The right use of stone wall cladding materials
If the wall cladding is to be finished with stone, stone tiles, clinker bricks, or silicate, use appropriate adhesives and press the elements well into the wall. The glue should be well distributed and there should be no excess of it. If this is not done properly, the excess glue will make grouting difficult after it dries. Water can get into the irregularities on the façade – after it freezes, the façade tiles may fall off. In case of stone, marble, granite or sandstone slabs, they are laid on a load-bearing base – for example on thick curtain walls or construction walls where the space between the slabs and the base is filled with cement mortar. The panels are laid seamlessly, which prevents water penetration. Such a solution is often used on plinths, whereas in the case of stone cladding on external walls we use system-included steel mounting brackets fixed to the supporting wall without filling the joints between the façade panels.
4 Filling of joints between clinker bricks, or stone or clinker tiles
Filling the joints between the tiles or bricks should have appropriate density and be carried out in accordance with the mortar manufacturer’s recommendations. It often happens that the contractor, in order to make his work easier, dilutes the mixture. This may result in gaps where water easily penetrates. When laying tiles, it is best not to use deep joints so that water does not get under the tiles.
Installation tips
When installing external cladding solutions, remember to leave a few centimetres of space – the air layer between the wall insulation and the cladding. This will allow moisture to evaporate from the walls, and will also constitute a layer carrying away excess heat in summer and insulating it in winter.
The thermal expansion of the material from which the façade panels are made should also be taken into account. In order to prevent later deformation of the panels, it is necessary to leave gaps between elements of appropriate width for the given material. More detailed information on this subject is usually provided by the manufacturer on the particular product.
We will also learn about the details of installation from the attached instructions. Often external wall rendering Manchester is carried out by attaching a special grid fixed to the wall with wall plugs. They are most often fixed with screws or rivets, but it is also possible to use special glues or mortars.
