Can Composite Decking Be Used as Cladding?

Have you ever wondered if you can use composite deck boards as siding for your next project? Ben Roberts discusses a new composite cladding system by Fiberon this week on TimberTips!

Composite decking products have come a long way over the years and 25 year+ stain and fade warranties have made them an excellent low maintenance option. But what would happen if you tried to use that same deck board as cladding for your home or commercial project? Here are a few things for you to consider.

If you install any of the composite decking products as a siding, it will automatically void the warranty. That doesn't mean the product will fail, but if it does warp or fade the company is not liable.

However, one composite brand has seen the demand for a low maintenance siding with a wood look and created a product to fill the void. It's called Composite Cladding by Fiberon. Fiberon is a major composite decking player, and their cladding is basically the exact same board. You can get Fiberon Cladding in the same colors as most of their decking, and it has an easy install process.

We recently visited a project by G. Gray Services in Granite Shoals, TX that had used Fiberon Cladding and it looked awesome! Not only is it beautiful, but it comes with a performance and fade warranty.

If you use this cladding system there are some things to keep in mind. When installing Fiberon cladding or any rain screen siding system you need to use furring strips to allow air flow between the vapor barrier and the boards. Luckily, Fiberon Cladding comes with its own furring strips so you are ready to go as soon as the product hits the job site. Lastly, Fiberon Cladding only comes in square edge boards, and can't be installed using grooved boards or hidden fasteners. That's true of any board style cladding that doesn't come with its own clip system.

You can find out more about Fiberon Cladding by going to Fiberon.com or TimberTown.com.

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