7 best materials for facade cladding

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Modern homeowners are very responsible when it comes to finishing the facade. It helps to make the house beautiful and unique, attracting the attention of passers-by from afar. Along with the finishing, you can insulate the building, some facing materials come with a heat insulator, others can be applied to a layer of insulation. On the Russian market, there is a wide range of claddings that are used to decorate facades. To choose the best option, you should listen to the recommendations of our experts.

Facade type. Before you go to the hardware store, you should decide what type of facade will be in the house.

1. Ventilated facades are a complex structure, where there is an air layer or heat-insulating layer between the facade surface and the finishing material.
2. Non-ventilated structures provide for the installation of the finishing material directly on the wall.
3. Design features. Some finishing materials are quite heavy, so you should decide on the choice of the type of cladding at the design stage. Then the architect will take into account the additional load on the base by strengthening the wall structure.

Subtleties of design. Modern homeowners are trying to select materials for facade finishing, taking into account the decorative features of the basement and roof. If the outbuildings, garage or fence have already acquired their final appearance, then their design must also be taken into account. Some users are sensitive to the slightest resemblance of the house to the buildings of neighbors.

Additional functions. When decorating facades, homeowners often try to solve a number of other problems. The outer coating can protect the base from weather (rain, snow, ultraviolet, wind), cold (insulation layer), noise (sound insulation layer). In addition, it is important that rodents, birds, insects and microorganisms do not settle between the facade and the cladding.

Complexity of installation. The choice of finishing material for many homeowners also depends on the complexity of the installation.

1. If the tenants of the house prefer to entrust construction work to professionals, then any facade cladding can be ordered (in accordance with financial capabilities).
2. There is a category of homeowners who prefer to equip a “cozy nest” with their own hands. In this case, preference is given to materials that are easy to install.

We have selected the 7 best facade cladding materials for the review. All of them are sold in hardware stores in Russia. When allocating seats, the editors of the magazine relied on the opinion of the expert community, taking into account the reviews of domestic homeowners.

Rating of the best materials for facade cladding

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best materials for a non-ventilated facade	1	Facing brick	31 / pcs.
	2	Decorative plaster	16 / kg.
	3	Facing stone	1 192 / unitary enterprise
	4	Ceramic tile	198 / sq.m.
The best materials for a ventilated facade	1	Decorative siding	US $ 318 / pcs.
	2	Wood-polymer composite panels	215 / pcs.
	3	Clinker thermal panels	440 / pcs

The best materials for a non-ventilated facade

A number of modern facing materials are used for finishing non-ventilated facades. They differ in price, shape, complexity of installation. The experts have selected several popular facade cladding products.

Facing brick

Rating: 4.9

Facing brick gives a beautiful and luxurious look to the facade of a modern house. This material has been used for a long time, but today it has acquired a number of attractive properties. First of all, experts note a wide variety of shapes, textures and shades. Facing bricks are made not only from traditional clay, but you can also find clinker, hyper-pressed and silicate products on sale. The material resists destructive weathering for a long time. The product wins gold in our review.

Domestic homeowners note the rich assortment of facing bricks in the Russian retail network. However, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the choice of the manufacturer, since not all domestic factories produce high-quality products.

Advantages

• beautiful appearance;
• additional heat and noise insulation;
• rich assortment;
• variety of colors and shapes.

disadvantages

• high price.

Decorative plaster

Rating: 4.8

The most popular finishing material today is decorative plaster. Many different materials have appeared on sale, they are easy to apply, and have an affordable price. At the request of the consumer, you can choose a suitable texture, and then apply the paint and varnish material. Experts recommend paying attention to acrylic plaster. Its main advantages are considered to be low cost and long service life (over 20 years). Silicate plaster will be even more durable (over 30 years). The silicone composition is highly resistant to weathering and pollution.

Russian users speak flatteringly about the decorative properties of the finishing material, good performance and an affordable price. The downside is the complexity of the application.

Advantages

• rich selection of textures and bases;
• low cost;
• beautiful appearance;
• resistance to dirt.

disadvantages

• difficulties with application.

Facing stone

Rating: 4.7

The facing stone stands out for its reliability and high decorative qualities. It can be used for facade decoration both independently and in combination with other materials. Experts highly appreciated the durability and environmental friendliness of the stone, resistance to mechanical and atmospheric influences. There are two types of facing material on sale. Mechanically processed natural minerals can make a home unique and rich. But the price of natural stone is high, so separate inserts are more often used. Artificial stone is sold at a reasonable price, it attracts with a variety of colors and textures.

Not all manufacturers make material with exact dimensions, therefore, it is better to select and install with professionals.

Advantages

• high decorative qualities;
• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to mechanical damage.

disadvantages

• high price;
• complex installation.

Ceramic tile

Rating: 4.6

Ceramic tiles are in high demand in our country. It is used not only for interior decoration, the tile looks great on the facade of the house. According to experts, the main trump cards of ceramics are decorativeness, ease of maintenance, and low weight. The trading network offers a wide range of facade tiles, a potential buyer can choose not only the appropriate color, but the size and texture. Asset ceramics should include resistance to atmospheric influences, incombustibility. The finishing stops one step away from the top three.

The use of ceramic tiles has one limitation, they are not suitable for finishing wooden facades. The price of the material also fluctuates greatly, it largely depends on the manufacturer.

Advantages

• decorativeness;
• ease of maintenance;
• light weight;
• resistance to fire and weathering.

disadvantages

• complex installation;
• not suitable for wooden facades.

The best materials for a ventilated facade

Many homeowners prefer ventilated facades. For their cladding, lightweight materials are required, since often installation is carried out on the crate. Experts have identified the following facing materials.

Decorative siding

Rating: 4.9

Decorative siding stands out for its ease of installation. Therefore, many Russian homeowners prefer this material when decorating the facade. In addition, the experts praised decorative siding for its affordable price, lightness and durability. The variety of finishing materials is also pleasantly surprising. In addition to vinyl siding, there are metal panels and products on a cement-cellulose basis for sale. The block house allows you to create the illusion of a beautiful wooden house from a rounded beam.

Since the crate is made before installing the siding, the bars (metal profile) and fasteners should be included in the estimate. You can fill the voids with thermal insulation material. With the help of decorative siding, it is possible to finish not only smooth facades, but also old wooden buildings.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• ease of installation;
• variety of shapes and colors;
• durability.

disadvantages

• burns out in the sun.

Wood-polymer composite panels

Rating: 4.8

In recent years, wood-polymer composite panels have become a good alternative to siding. They are made on the basis of crushed sawdust, the mass fraction of which in the product exceeds 60%. Adhesives, polymers and colors are added to the composition. Experts gave the panels the second place in our review for their beautiful appearance, weather resistance and ease of installation. The advantage of finishing from WPC panels is the possibility of fastening without additional preparation of the facade. The material should include ease of maintenance and durability in the asset.

Russian homeowners have managed to appreciate the advantages of wood-polymer composite. Most of all, they are satisfied with the maintainability; it is not necessary to remove the adjacent panels to replace a damaged element.

Advantages

• graceful appearance;
• ease of installation;
• weather resistance;
• maintainability.

disadvantages

• high price.

Clinker thermal panels

Rating: 4.7

At the same time, clinker thermal panels allow homeowners to insulate and decorate the facade. They are made of clinker tiles, on the inner surface of which expanded polystyrene is melted. Experts note the variety of sizes. For example, the thickness of the decorative part can be selected in the range from 12 to 15 mm, and the thickness of the thermal insulation layer can vary from 24 to 80 mm. The advantages of the material include environmental friendliness, resistance to climatic influences and biological damage. Clinker thermal panels are losing to leaders in price and elasticity.

Domestic homeowners praise the finishing material for ease of installation, a beautiful view of the facade, protection from the cold, and low weight. But it is necessary to transport and work with thermal panels carefully.

Advantages

• beautiful appearance;
• thermal insulation properties;
• rich assortment;
• ease.

disadvantages

• high price;
• fragility.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.