It is becoming increasingly popular to build garden rooms on properties, this is often a great, cost effective alternative to building an extension onto your house. A garden room is a brilliant way of increasing your indoor space and can be utilised for many different activities.
Whether you only have a small area available, or a large and open space to build your garden room on, it can turn a dead space into a functional room.
As this extra outbuilding will be on show in your garden, it is important to make sure it fits in with the aesthetics of your home and surrounding environment. Exterior cladding is a great way to personalise your garden room design, with a variety of materials, colours and styles available you have plenty of choice. Composite, Fibre Cement and wood are just some of the cladding options out there.
Looking for an external cladding material that combines low maintenance, style and sustainability? Read on for everything you need to know about garden room cladding.
Main Types of Cladding for Garden Rooms
Wood Cladding
There are many types of timber species available to use as cladding, this includes Western red cedar cladding and Siberian larch cladding. A plus side to choosing timber cladding for the exterior walls of your garden room is that all cladding boards will present unique patterns, visible knots and textures, creating a natural appearance, making it a great option for domestic and agricultural buildings.
To keep wood cladding in good condition throughout the years it is vital to keep up on maintenance. Regular cleaning, replacing damaged boards and applying protective treatments, such as natural oils, are all steps you can take to ensure your wood cladding lasts through the seasons.
To calculate how much you will be spending on your project, it is important to consider the type of wood you will be using, whether that be Siberian larch cladding, Western red cedar cladding or others.
Fibre Cement Cladding
Cladco Fibre Cement Cladding, or cement fibre boards, are a durable, dimensionally stable and stylish material with an authentic woodgrain surface. We have a choice of eight contemporary and traditional colours, as well as Unpainted, to suit your garden office room. This hassle-free cement board cladding provides rot, mould and pest resistance, it is particularly popular to use in coastal areas due to its highly durable features. The combination of cement, sad and cellulose fibres provides a robust natural resistance.
In this project, our Cream Fibre Cement Cladding has been installed on a garden studio with contrasting red brick covering the lower portion. The black door and window frames provide a modern exterior alongside our Fibre Cement Cladding External Corner Trims for a seamless finish.
Cladco Fibre Cement Cladding Boards provide increased durability, dimensional stability and weather resistance to a whole building, in comparison to traditional timber cladding. Additionally, these cement fibre boards require little ongoing maintenance, for an easy garden room.
Composite Cladding
Cladco Composite Cladding is a low maintenance alternative to timber cladding, made from recycled materials consisting of 40% recycled plastic and 60% recycled hard wood fibres, as well as colour pigment added. This wood-plastic composite material is available in eight contemporary colours and comes in a smooth, original surface or a woodgrain finish. Often installed to create contemporary style buildings in garden spaces.
Our Composite Wood Cladding can be installed on your garden office room horizontally or vertically, as pictured, depending on your preferences. Using our Composite Cladding for exterior cladding on a garden office means you will benefit from insect, pest and UV resistance for a long lasting cladding option.
The installation of Cladco Composite External Cladding Boards is a straight forward process, we have a handy step by step Installation Guide you can follow. We have a variety of trims to complete your Composite Wood Cladding project, from Corners Trims to Starter Strips, available to colour match in the same eight colours.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability
It is important to consider the sustainability and environmental impact of the cladding material you are choosing for your garden room. Some materials may be recyclable, reusable and sourced from trusted sources, whilst others may be less environmentally friendly and unable to be repurposed.
Our Composite Cladding is made from 100% recycled wood and plastic materials from responsible sources, reducing the waste of materials entering into landfill and repurposing them into a high quality product.
With timber cladding, it depends on the type of wood and where it has been purchased. Some types of timber cladding, like Siberian Larch can, be sourced from responsible sources, such as managed forests where trees are replanted. However, some options may not be as environmentally friendly and may add to deforestation. Some of the more eco-friendly timber include Western red cedar cladding and Siberian larch cladding.
Design Ideas and Inspiration
Garden rooms can be as little or as big as you like, or have the space for. Our customers have created lots of different styles and sizes of garden rooms and used various materials to clad the walls. Garden spaces can be enhanced with the addition of an outbuilding, so you do not need to worry about it becoming an eyesore.
See below a few examples of how our customers have created their garden rooms:
Small vs. Large Garden Rooms
Whether you want a small garden room to keep as a cosy escape or a large outbuilding with space to host events and classes, here are some inspiring projects including all sizes of garden rooms with exterior cladding:
Pictured above is an example of a small garden room with timber cladding, this could be used as a handy storage space or a place to get some peace and quiet in.
The above project is a brilliant example of how you can utilise a small area of your garden by creating a usable outbuilding. Cladco Fibre Cement Boards in Light grey have been installed for a modern look with an authentic woodgrain texture.
This project demonstrates a medium sized garden room with a traditional shed appearance. Clad horizontally with our Composite Cladding Boards in Coffee to replicate natural colour wood with a dark brown colour pigment.
Larger garden buildings, like this one, require a lot more free garden space but they are definitely worth it. Garden rooms of this size can host countless activities, such as exercise classes or a guest room to sleep in. Featured above is our Slatted Composite Wood Cladding in Teak with Composite Decking in Stone Grey.
Modern vs. Traditional Garden Rooms
A garden room ranges in design, depending on your personal preferences. Different exterior cladding materials can provide alternative styles from traditional to modern. Here are a few examples of what our customers have created:
This customer project is a relatively traditional looking garden room, with Cladco Fibre Cement Cladding in Slate there is a replication of authentic woodgrain texture. The feather edge board installation of our Fibre Cement Board sheets imitates that of a classic shed with timber cladding. Also featured in this project is our Composite Decking in Charcoal.
To construct a sleek, contemporary style building, this customer has used Charcoal Composite Cladding and Decking which is enveloped by woodland. The smooth surface of our Composite Wood Cladding ensures a polished and clean aesthetic.
Key Buying Criteria
Maintenance and Durability
Maintenance and durability may be one of your top priorities when choosing cladding for your garden space. To have a low maintenance garden room cladding means you will need to spend little amounts of time and money on keeping it looking fresh and clean.
Cladco Composite Wood Cladding is easy to upkeep and requires little time or effort to do so. Any debris or dirt can be cleaned off with just some soapy, warm water and a sponge.
Cladco Fibre Cement Boards are also low maintenance, with rot and weather proofing there is less chance of damage and replacement needs than other exterior cladding materials. To remove any debris or dirt use a mild soap and cold water, this will ensure your Fibre Cement Boards remain aesthetically pleasing.
Acoustic Properties
Some types of cladding can affect sound insulation and can enhance acoustic properties. If you are looking to use your garden room for music or other noise producing activities, this may be a beneficial factor to you. As your garden room may be a distance away from your house, it may not be important for you to select a sound absorbing material for your cladding project.
Cost Considerations
The material cost of your cladding may be one of the biggest factors in your decision, you might have a budget you would like to stick to. Cladding can vary in price, depending on the material, installation process and amount of product you will need.
Our Fibre Cement Cladding costs £16.56 incl. VAT per 3.66m Board, due to low maintenance and easy installation. This material choice will require little upkeep costs after the initial purchase.
Our Composite Cladding is £15.74 incl. VAT per Board, measuring 3.6m. These Cladding Boards are installed using a simple tongue-and-groove method, for a smooth finish to your building.
Other types of cladding, such as timber, can cost anywhere between £20 per m2 to £100 per m2. Ongoing costs of maintenance should also be considered when making this decision. So when considering "what cladding is cheapest?", be sure to calculate all additional costs you may face in the future.
Installation: Vertical vs. Horizontal Cladding
Some types of cladding can be installed either vertically or horizontally, both producing alternative styles. Our Composite Cladding can be installed in both of these ways, but our Fibre Cement should only be installed horizontally due to the dimensionally stable, feather board installation design.
Other kinds of exterior cladding, such as Siberian larch, Western red cedar and metal cladding vary in recommended installation methods. Some cladding, such as timber, can be suitably installed horizontally and vertically.
In the above project, the customer has decided to install their Composite Cladding vertically to achieve a contemporary and sleek appearance for their garden room. The choice of Olive Green Composite Cladding Boards blends the building into the natural environment around it.
In this example, the customer has opted for a horizontal installation of our Teak Composite Cladding in Woodgrain Effect. This garden room has a more traditional feel and replicates the aesthetic of timber, with low maintenance and easy installation.
Conclusion
To conclude, when choosing a garden room cladding material, it is essential to acknowledge all of the factors we have detailed above. Once you have decided whether aesthetics, costs, installation or sustainability is the most important for you, you can go on to make an informed decision.
Many cladding options have a perfect balance between these factors, such as our Composite Cladding and Fibre Cement Cladding; both available in a variety of colours, with low maintenance and simple installation.