Cladding choices on display
Using a reverse brick veneer design opens up a world of choices in cladding materials. As Your Home points out, cladding is an important part of a home’s aesthetic appeal, not just a protective layer. In our case, cladding is a thin skin covering insulation which protects the inner layer of Timbercrete blocks from variations in outdoor temperature.
We use three cladding materials for our design. Limiting ourselves to one or two was boring while four looked like too much of a good thing. The materials are recycled timber, Shadowclad panels and Klip Lok steel sheeting.
Recycled timber cladding on front entrance wall.
The curved wall leading to the front door cried out for special treatment.
David decided this was the perfect place to create a board & batten wall using timber recovered from the original house. The construction method is a tried and true way of creating cladding that lasts for years.
Old floorboards were de-nailed, sanded and oiled before returning to site as boards in the board & batten design.
Next, battens made from old roof joists covered the rough edges of the boards. Nail holes, chisel marks and timber colour variations all add to the wall’s character. It’s a beautiful use of aged timber that invites visitors to run a hand over the cladding.
Shadowclad highlights wooden frames.
Shadowclad plywood covers large sections of the walls at the front and rear of the house. A sustainably produced material that’s simple to install made this an obvious choice.
Before any cladding was added to the structural framework, it was wrapped with a membrane. Any guesses who supplied the material?
The plain look of the Shadowclad contrasts with the board & batten wall.
Painting the plywood in Monument highlights the oiled timber of window frames. The dark colour will also make a stunning backdrop to the indigenous shrubs planned for the gardens running alongside the wall.
Cladding for the north facing wall is entirely Shadowclad. Once again, this helps make the oiled timber frames stand out against the dark background.
Packing R2.5 insulation into the framework behind the cladding reduces the flow of heat into and out of the house.
Earthwool was the natural choice since it’s an effective insulation made from recycled glass.
Timber highlights on Shadowclad.
Adding a few recycled timber strips to the Shadowclad on the front wall blends two cladding styles together. It gives the appearance of the board & batten timbers fading into the plain dark wall.
Putting a few timber battens on the north facing wall produces an interesting play of lines and colours.
Klip Lok cladding completes the set.
Woodland Grey Klip Lok steel roofing panels clad the eastern wall as a transition between sections of Shadowclad cladding.
Steel is a low maintenance, long lasting cladding material which is easily recycled. The low maintenance properties are especially useful for the western wall where another section of Klip Lok will be installed. Steel resists weathering from the afternoon sun during a long, hot Melbourne summer.
The brickies arrived.
Organising a brickie to lay the Timbercrete blocks wasn’t as straightforward as we thought. The first company we booked ran into some problems and weren’t able to commit. However, at short notice, David found a local brickie keen to expand his skills by using Timbercrete.
Much relief all around when work finally began on the garage walls.
Finishing these walls means David can complete the roof framework. Plumbers then install the missing roof panels and guttering so we don’t need to mop the uncovered section of the house after rain.
A completed roof gets us to lock-up stage so the focus shifts to working inside the house, including laying the Timbercrete blocks for the reverse brick veneer walls. Libby is looking forward to the “fun bit” of deciding on bathroom tiles, kitchen layout, cupboards, etc.
There’s plenty happening, with a steady flow of positive energy going into the work.
