Cladding (construction)

In construction, cladding is used to provide a degree of thermal insulation and weather resistance, and to improve the appearance of buildings.

[1] Cladding can be made of any of a wide range of materials including wood, metal, brick, vinyl, and composite materials that can include aluminium, wood, blends of cement and recycled polystyrene, wheat/rice straw fibres.

Cladding can be made of any of a wide range of materials including wood, metal, brick, vinyl, and composite materials that can include aluminium, wood, blends of cement and recycled polystyrene, or wheat/rice straw fibres.

Their high durability and easy installation make them ideal for low maintenance builds.

Composite cladding typically consists of panels 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) thick made of a core material sandwiched between two aluminium faces.

There are estimated to be about 600 high-rise blocks of flats in the UK that have "similar" cladding[5] and some fire safety tests—not full BS 8414 tests—were carried out on panels; of the first 75 tested, 100% failed.