My mum's bungalow needs a facelift and I'm considering using Wickes UPVC cladding + guttering etc. which seems good value. I've never done any of this sort of work before ( Cladding ) and wondered what fixings you use ..... presumably ss nails but how do you conceal these ? What mastic if any do I use ? There doesn't seem to be a help/fact sheet available for this work in my local branch.
Many thanks for any help.
SS nails with PVC heads, the same colour as your cladding. IMO they look quite pleasing. Wherever you buy your cladding should sell the nails, otherwise Screwfix do them.
Silicone at the joins.
Just feel your way through it. Once you have the materials, it gets pretty obvious.
Hmm, I'd be a bit wary about using WIckes stuff if they don't have a full range of accesory profiles and channels, etc, otherwise you could finish up with some bodges.
My last place had a considerable amount of metal cladding that I replaced with uPVC. It did form the outer skin of the building and wasn't just decorative.
I'm assuming the existing bungalow is either brick or render or similar. Your best bet would be to fix vertical strips of batten to the existing walls at 400mm (16") centres. Use tanalised timber, that's pretreated for long-term protection against rot and decay. You also need to think about allowing air circulation behind the cladding, so the battens stay reasonably dry.
The cladding I used had an inverted 'u' slot about 25mm or so from the bottom, on the back of the cladding. The top was shaped, vaguely ship-lap fashion, a nailing groove than ran the length of the cladding about 10 or 15 mm from the top edge, and a spacing rib that held the cladding off the batten by a few mm.
Stainless steel nails into the nailing groove, then the next piece of cladding slots down over the top of the lower cladding, hiding the nails. The edges are covered by a two-part chanel, like two letter 'L', where one clips into a friction groove on the other. Cut the cladding a few mm's short to allow for expansion and contraction, and don't put any mastic on the cladding, except to seal around the edges, at doors and windows.
Edges, tops, windows, etc all had a range of channels and special mouldings. Unfortunately, I just can't remember the manufacturer. In your position, I'd make some enquiries of specialist suppliers of cladding, most will have design sheets, information leaflets etc, so you can get them and make up your mind before you buy. Product catalogues are useful, coz they show trhe range of fittings. Remember, you gets what you pays for.
In message , andy wrote
The leaflets/fact sheets are available on their web site
Leaflet Number 104 Under the Buildings section
Thanks guys for all the useful info supplied ... much appreciated
Cheers Andy
Have you got a branch of Omnico near you? I have been doing UPVC fascias, soffits etc and they have been offering good prices and free delivery etc enabling to buy a weekends worth of materials at a time. I've not used the cladding but you might find there is some form of hidden clip system to fix it with.
Usual disclaimer - I'm just a satisfied customer etc etc (but if ominco want to send me a commission - that is fine by me)
Bob
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