UPVC is now a commonly used material in the cladding of domestic and commercial buildings in the UK.
It is sold at DIY stores, builders merchants and specialist UPVC retailers and distributors.
Most of the leading systems used in Britain are manufactured in the UK or Ireland to recognised quality standards such as the British Standard (BS) or British Board of Agrement (BBA).
It is always advisable that you check with the retail that the system in question complies with one or both of these standards.
UPVC as a material has grown in popularity for use in external cladding due to the fact that it is practically maintenance free and is resistant to acids, alkali and atmospheric pollution.
In terms of design, two generic board profiles are available.
These are known as Shiplap and V joint.
Both systems use the same finishing trims, the only difference is the aesthetics of the system - V joint generally gives a tighter, more uniform appearance due to the way that the boards butt tightly together, whereas most people consider Shiplap to be a more traditional look, with each board gently overlapping its neighbour.
Because of this, Shiplap is generally used to cover larger areas, whereas V joint is more appropriate when cladding smaller or more uniform sections of a building.
Both profiles can be used horizontally or vertically depending upon preference.
For a more decorative effect the profiles can also be fixed diagonally or in a herringbone pattern.
Profiles are nailed to timber battens that are fixed perpendicular to the cladding, i.
e.
for horizontal cladding the battens are fixed vertically.
The boards are "secret fixed", meaning that once installed, the nails are covered by the adjoining length of cladding, which gives a clean, unencumbered finish.
It is important that stainless steel nails are used - cheaper alternatives may rust, leaving unsightly brown marks on the faces of the boards.
Edge trims are available for various applications, i.
e.
starter trim, top edge trim, corner trim etc, and whilst the number of different trims available may seem a little confusing at first the system is fairly straightforward.
It is important however to ensure you read the fixing guide before you buy your materials, as each system is unique in its design - fortunately all manufacturers do provide detailed fixing instructions for their systems.
All UPVC cladding systems need to have a ventilation gap behind the cladding boards to allow air to circulate at all times.
The manufacturer's literature will detail exactly what size the gap should be.
Whilst UPVC cladding boards are not fireproof, they do generally outperform timber in terms of resistance to the spread of flame.
Some systems are self-extinguishing - again you can find this information out from the retailer.
UPVC cladding profiles are easy to cut, drill and if necessary rout, using standard woodworking tools.
A fine-toothed saw or a jigsaw is the best tool to use when boards need to be cut to size.
You should always finish the installation by washing down with water and a non-scratch detergent - do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners as these will damage the surface of the boards.