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Wanderer
 
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Default Fixing UPVC Cladding

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 08:49:55 +0100, andy wrote:

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.


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.