Over Cladding: A Solution Or A Bigger Problem

December 19, 2014 3:39 pm Published by Summit Cladding

Rotting cladding on exterior wall

What is Overcladding?

Overcladding is the practice of fitting new plastic casing directly over existing fascias, soffits or cladding without removing the original material underneath.

Rather than stripping out what’s there and starting fresh, a builder will simply clip or fix a new outer layer on top of the existing cladding, hiding whatever condition the original timber or substrate is in rather than addressing it.

Potential Problems With Overcladding

While over cladding may seem like a clever solution when compared to replacing existing soffits and fascia completely. Home owners are sometimes persuaded to purchase over cladding because it costs less than completely replacing existing cladding. Eventually, however, this decision usually ends up costing home owners a lot more.

Even if the wood is not rotten, covering it with a nonporous material will cause deterioration simply from a lack of ventilation. It’s equivalent to a dentist that covers a rotten tooth with amalgam, instead of removing the decay.

This is a cosmetic, short term solution that ends up causing more problems later on. In fact, any decay will multiply when the existing wood is not given the opportunity to breathe. Meanwhile, any damage to the eaves will permit water to soak into the back of fascia that is over cladded.

Why Does Cladding Need to be Replaced?

We receive a lot of questions about cladding and our professional opinion of over cladding.

Cladding made from timber will eventually rot over time, even with expert installation and diligent maintenance.

PVC cladding will often last 10-20 years, depending on the colour you choose. Eventually it will also need replacement.

The Full Replacement Solution

At Summit Cladding we have a reputation for doing things right. This includes 20 years of experience, guaranteed cladding, and working directly with the owner, Stephen Gelb.

Steven attends every initial visit and inspects the work personally upon completion. We will remove and dispose of your existing cladding and replace it with some of our maintenance-free cladding solutions. These include James Hardie composite cladding, timber or PVC. There are a huge range of colours available to match your style.

The bottom line is that we don’t believe in taking short cuts. If you have any questions or just wish to chat with one of our representatives, contact us here.