Bring on the builders

From rustic cladding, to designer skylights, current building trends offer plenty of scope for designing and creating unique homes.

Exterior cladding sets the scene, and these days there are plenty of options. Here are some:

Metal Façades:

Popular because of their durability and versatility, metal façade choices range from aluminium to steel and copper.

Aluminium is lightweight and corrosion-resistant, making it an excellent choice for high-rise buildings.

Steel offers superior strength and can withstand extreme weather conditions. Copper has a distinctive aesthetic appeal as it develops a natural patina over time.

Metal façade cladding systems are also easily fabricated into different shapes and sizes, allowing for creative designs, and have excellent thermal insulation properties.

Glass Façades:

Increasingly popular in modern architecture, glass façade cladding creates bright open atmospheres, letting plenty of natural light into a home.

Float glass is the most common type that provides clarity and transparency. Tempered glass is stronger than regular glass as it undergoes a special heat treatment process, while laminated glass comprises multiple layers with an interlayer that holds them together even when shattered, providing additional safety benefits.

Stone Façades:

Adding natural beauty to a building, stone is a timeless classic, available in various types, including granite, limestone, marble, and sandstone. Each type has its own unique characteristics, colours, and textures.

Stone façade cladding systems offer durability and require minimal maintenance. They can withstand harsh weather conditions and provide excellent thermal insulation. Stone also offers versatility in design, able to be cut into different shapes and sizes to create intricate patterns or simple designs.

Composite Facades:

Composite materials are becoming increasingly popular for façades thanks to their aesthetics and functionality. These materials typically comprise a mixture of two or more components, such as wood fibres, plastic polymers, and resins.

Composite façade cladding systems offer the look of natural materials like wood with enhanced durability and resistance to rotting, warping, or fading. They are lightweight, easy to install, and require minimal maintenance compared to traditional materials.