James Hardie cladding installation in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

Nobody who saw the pictures of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017 can forget how the cladding on the side of the building fuelled the flames.

Perhaps that helps explain why, during the past three years, Summit Cladding has been asked to supply cement-based composite boards.

There are two manufacturers of this product and in our opinion the brand we use, James Hardie cladding, is the best, and the one we used on this property in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
Back in the 1990s house cladding was made of uPVC and generally only available in white. In the 2000s we saw the introduction of colours, mainly wood grain and black, although these were technically white with a coloured foil. Fast forward to the 2020s and the colour range is huge.

Timber or composite – your choice

There’s still a demand for natural timbers, like cedar and larch, which are popular, but sourcing timber with very few knots in the wood is expensive – and then you have the headache of constant maintenance.

As a result, James Hardie cement-based cladding is in high demand, as clients look for a product that has a low combustion rating, after that fire at Grenfell Tower. And with a choice of over 20 different colours there is something to suit everyone’s taste.

Anthracite grey is extremely popular and was the choice of our client in Hemel Hempstead. The look of his home was being let down by the poor quality of the render, so that was removed before we fitted a breathable damp-proof membrane and treated timber battens to hold the cladding.

As a finishing touch, we also fitted replacement white bargeboards along the roofline to give the house a completely new look. All the appearance of timber, but completely maintenance-free.

Categorised in: James Hardie Cladding

This post was written by Summit Cladding