Cladding Ideas: How to Mix Different Types of Wall Cladding

Creating a visual link with cladding

Cladding can be used to differentiate between interlinked blocks and reflect the different uses of the interior spaces. The materials you use can be changed to create transitions and connections between areas that are very different in character.

A common example of this is when a new extension is being added to a venerable existing house, such as a listed building. If the new structure isn’t going to match the appearance of original closely, it’s better if it appears strikingly different.

In which case, the connection between the two is crucial. Incorporating a glazed link between them is one solution, as it creates the illusion that the two parts of the house are separate from one another.

Alternatively, contemporary, low-maintenance cladding such as dark grey zinc will do a similar job. This treatment helps the link to act as a transition and visual break connecting two radically different structures.

Different cladding options

Differences between materials can be used to create some quite subtle effects. Their textures and how they feel to the touch make an impression even if they’re out of reach.

Variations between rough and smooth, or undulating and mechanically flat surfaces are less obvious from a distance but have a subliminal influence. Simply shifting the patterns and grain of cladding can make the surface of a wall more interesting.

Here, the Cupaclad Random rainscreen slate cladding system from Cupa Pizarras stands out against the traditional white render façade at the front of the building

A relatively cheap way of achieving this is to swap the orientation of boarding between horizontal, vertical and diagonal, using the same type and finish of timber. A variation on this theme is to use shingles next to boarding, which creates a change in the texture of the wooden surface.

Brick bonding can used playfully by including square or diamond panels for a mosaic effect, or arranging projecting headers to change the character of the wall. Metal panels come in a variety of different shapes and sizes which can be altered on different parts of the building.

In terms of appearance there are no set rules for mixing cladding types – it comes down to the effect that you wish to create. Historically, perhaps the most popular combination here in the UK is timber and render, although many older buildings originally just had exposed brick infill between the frame that was ‘improved’ by later generations.

Read more: Cladding a Timber Frame Home

A more contemporary, striking choice is to mix Corten steel, which has a bright orange patina, with brick. The contrast between traditional, mottled brickwork and the smooth rust-coloured panels is, perhaps, an acquired taste but certainly makes a bold statement.

Orlestone Timber provided the timber cladding for this traditional build. Laid horizontally, the boards work beautifully alongside white render atop a classic brick plinth

In a similar vein, combining zinc with brick works well, particularly if it is a darker shade. If you can afford to use stone, a rustic finish in combination with ultra-modern, precision-made cladding such as zinc or steel sheets, along with large areas of glass, can look sophisticated and stylish.

Practical cladding considerations

There are some functional issues to bear in mind when choosing which materials to marry together, particularly where they connect. Where one type is above another, water run-off from rain can cause maintenance problems.

If a detail can be designed so that the upper surface projects beyond the one below with a drip, it will avoid unsightly vertical streaks which attract algae or cause uneven weathering. Render is usually thinner than timber boarding, so if it is laid on top special flashing is needed to avoid this problem.

Where timber is above render it usually overhangs and overlaps it, therefore reducing the risk of staining. Some timbers, such as oak and chestnut, have contain high levels of tannic acid.

Run-off from them can cause brown staining on other materials, which are particularly visible on light coloured renders. Timber cladding with a more acidic content is also liable to stain zinc, which is particularly prone to surface damage from run-off, including from other metals such as copper.

The more variation in the cladding materials used on a single house, the greater the skill needed to create a pleasing result. To avoid the design become a visually confusing muddle, it’s advisable to limit the pallet of surfaces to a maximum of three, plus the roof and possibly with some more subtle changes within each type.

Elevations will look better if the covering you use is in reasonably large areas rather than having frequent changes across a wall.

Lead image: Howie Architects & Russwood