Eco-friendly Dura cladding selected for sheltered housing

When Ashford Borough Council looked into regenerating Gerlach House in the Kent town, Dura Cladding was identified as an environmentally friendly and value-for-money solution.

Dura Composites supplied 600 square metres of charcoal Dura Cladding boards and trims to Gerlach House, a sheltered housing scheme comprising 33 self-contained flats, and the result was transformational.

Over the years, the natural timber cladding which encased the building had weathered and deteriorated; the cost and difficulty of the frequent maintenance required was growing year after year.

The boards had rotted, warped and faded leaving the building looking tired. Ashford Borough Council decided that it was time to invest in a more sustainable solution.

Simon Lees, Building Surveyor at Ashford Borough Council, chose Dura Cladding above other, perhaps more traditional timber alternatives, primarily because of its long life expectancy plus its low maintenance upkeep, and therefore its lower life cycle costs.

The product was also found to be competitively priced, robust and ‘through coloured’ rather than decoratively coated. It was felt that a ‘through coloured’ product offers a more sustainable solution to vandalism or accidental impact damage.

Dura Cladding, an 87% recycled timber composite façade, comes with a 25 year warranty, doesn’t require any painting or staining and will not degrade throughout its lifetime. UV stabilisers added at manufacture ensure that the boards will retain at least 90% of their colour, even when exposed to the harshest of weather conditions. This feature in itself will leave Gerlach House looking fresh for years to come.

Ashford Borough Council is pleased with the result, “We worked closely with the Dura Composites team to ensure a great result and we haven’t been disappointed.

"The cladding, which was the main part of the renovation alongside some guttering and balcony repairs, looks just like natural timber and will hopefully keep the building looking smart for the next few decades.” Happy with the result, they are considering using Dura Cladding on other new-build and refurbishment schemes.