Latest Posts
December 17, 2024 10:55 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Marely cedral cladding installation gallery Marley cedral / weatherboard cladding Here at Summit Cladding we have always been big fans of James Hardie composite cladding, a versatile and reliable weatherboard in a wide range of styles and colours. But there’s another kid on the block that has made a big impression on us. It’s called Marley Cedral cladding and, as the name suggests, it’s from the same stable as the Marley Tile Company which was founded a hundred years ago – so they’ve had a long time to get things right! Our client, Howard, from Ongar in Essex, was planning to give his home a complete exterior makeover and had obtained a sample of the Cedral cladding to see if... View Article
December 2, 2024 5:14 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Installation Gallery The history and problems with hanging-tiles Fitting cladding to exterior house walls has a very long history – over 300 years in fact. But in those far off days the cladding consisted of vertically hung tiles to keep out the weather. Tile hung houses first appeared in the south of England around 1700, a design feature that spread from The Netherlands. At that time many houses had walls made of wattle and daub within a timber frame, not brickwork, so the tiles helped with insulation and weather proofing. Tile hanging was adopted throughout the following centuries in a variety of styles, shapes and colours and it was especially popular during the Arts and Crafts period. In more recent... View Article
November 15, 2024 11:22 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Stunning looks and maximum energy efficiency Giving your home a makeover these days has got to be about more than just making it look good. With climate change in the news, it’s also an ideal opportunity to maximise energy efficiency. Saving money on fuel and reducing your carbon footprint at the same time is a win-win all round. Our latest client, Laurence, from Cobham in Surrey, who already had solar panels on his roof, had taken this principle a stage further. He had called in a specialist surveyor to identify areas around his house where heat was escaping, so that we could ensure there was maximum insulation when we carried out our renovation. Heat loss identified The specialist found that... View Article
September 30, 2024 5:47 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Looks and longevity of uPVC Here at Summit Cladding we understand that not everyone likes uPVC. We appreciate that some householders will always prefer the natural look of timber and they are willing to pay to maintain it for as long as it takes. But we see it as part of our mission to persuade our clients that today’s cladding materials, as supplied and fitted by us, really do beat timber for looks and longevity. Client’s eye for detail On this job our client was John, a retired furniture restorer from Palmers Green in North London whose career, by definition, had given him an eye for detail and an appreciation of fine materials. And he didn’t like PVC, not one... View Article
September 16, 2024 5:24 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Why replace worn timber cladding? The pitter-patter of tiny feet in the house is a welcome sound for anyone with young children or animals – but not if the sound is coming from inside the walls! There’s a real risk that birds, mice and even squirrels will get inside timber cladding if it’s not properly maintained. Fortunately, this hadn’t yet happened to our client from Caldecote, near Baldock in Hertfordshire, but it might have done if Summit Cladding hadn’t stepped in. Danger to electrics There’s always a chance of a vermin invasion when timber cladding starts to warp and peel away from the wall, and all timber will do this, given enough time. The biggest risk is to any electrical... View Article
August 20, 2024 7:57 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Installation Gallery Lindab steel rainwater systems When you look up at the roofline of a house do you even notice the gutters and downpipes? If you do, and they make you take a second look, it’s probably Lindab Guttering, a top-end steel rainwater system that we at Summit Cladding love to instal on customers’ homes. Summit was contacted by Neel, from Hadley Wood near Barnet, who was having a bit of trouble with his roof, which needed a bit more than mere cosmetic changes. The original scalloped timber barge boards were rotting, the decorative finule through the ridge tiles was beyond repair and the cement work in the roof valleys was unstable. Maintenance-free fascia boards With scaffolding in place, Summit... View Article
June 19, 2024 8:48 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Installation Gallery Maintenance free Millboard cladding Who doesn’t love the look and feel of real timber? Here at Summit Cladding clients often ask us how much maintenance would be required if they opted for natural wood cladding on the side of their house. But when they’re advised of the regular upkeep needed, they generally opt for something that looks like the real thing but requires zero maintenance. On this job in Stratford, East London, we were working with an amazing product called board and batten “Envello” cladding by Millboard. It’s hand-crafted, made from polyurethane resin, not plastic, and resists all the problems affecting natural timber, such as warping and splintering. What’s more, the several different colours offered will never fade.... View Article
March 25, 2024 8:49 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Installation Gallery It’s all in the details For Summit Cladding, it’s all about the detail. We will always make sure that our replacement soffits, fascias and gutters are as true to the originals as possible. With this job in North London, our client’s brief was to follow the existing detail exactly, to match what the builders had fitted when the house was extended five years ago. The builders had made their own vented soffits under the roofline and fitted four different fascias on the front door canopy and front bay window. These ornate details were what Summit had to replicate. Matching the soffits and fascias The installation process started with the removal of all the existing wooden fascias and soffits,... View Article
February 23, 2024 10:30 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Here at Summit Cladding our philosophy is that no job is too big or too small and sometimes it’s the smaller tasks that require the greatest attention to detail. Take this delightful house in Buckhurst Hill, London, for example, a former corner shop but now a comfortable family home. The owner approached Summit when he decided it was time to replace the soffits and fascias with something more durable and maintenance-free. But he was also very clear that the replacement had to resemble the original as closely as possible. All in the detail This is something that is often a condition of work that we undertake, especially when dealing with Victorian and Edwardian properties. In those days everything was about... View Article
February 7, 2024 5:41 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
One of the most distinguishing features of an English period property is its front door canopy. It’s an essential part of the “face” of a house, giving it a unique character, the first feature that people see when they approach the front door. But when Summit Cladding arrived at this latest job in Woodford Green, East London, we were looking at something of a blank canvas. The canopy had come off! Renovation challenges Our client, John, had lived at his handsome Edwardian home for 25 years and had carried out several renovations, always ensuring that they were done sympathetically and in keeping with the original design. Replacing the timber front door canopy was a bit more of a challenge. The... View Article
