Linthorpe Developments, a commercial North-East property company, is rejuvenating a 26-year-old office block in Middlesbrough using embossed pearl grey PVC-U cladding from Deeplas, the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of calcium organic PVC-U roofline products and building plastics.
The colour, pearl grey, is a big factor because it provides the right upmarket facelift for a property that is being transformed into the Cleveland Business Centre, a high-specification serviced office space for up to 55 start-ups and expanding enterprises.
Linthorpe founder and managing director Geoff Hogg says he chose Deeplas embossed cladding because it offered better value for money, with lower maintenance costs and speedier installation than conventional alternatives. “The architects would have liked cedar cladding but maintenance would have been an issue because cedar goes silver over time and I don’t want to have to have the cladding treated every five years”, he explains.
“Embossed cladding achieves a similar appearance but won’t lose colour. Also cedar would have been supported on tanalised laths which can ultimately rot, whereas Deeplas cladding uses plastic battens that won’t”.
In Mr Hogg’s view the original building was far too monolithic and the cladding at the gable ends will break up the block-like appearance with columns and bands of colour. Some 140 pearl grey embossed double planks, measuring 6m x 300mm, have been installed as columns and will be set off by 600mm deep horizontal bands of fluorescent green cladding.
The green cladding is constructed from 5m lengths of flat plank PVC-U board that has been powder-coated locally and, when completed, will be illuminated from within by powerful LED lights for an eye-catching effect that will make the building into a landmark.
Commenting on the project, Deeplas Building Products Director, Hazel Verschuere, said: “This is an imaginative example of how cladding can help transform a building into something of architectural and aesthetic merit, giving it a contemporary look and feel that will no doubt appeal to local businesses looking for office space.”
Designed for easy installation, Deeplas PVC-U shiplap cladding provides an attractive, low maintenance, weather resistant answer to replacing rotten timber cladding, concealing problem areas of brickwork or adding an interesting new feature to a property. The easy-fit, clip-together boards are available in a range of realistic embossed finishes to complement a range of styles from rustic timber-effect to crisp and contemporary. Colours available include: white, light grey, light ivory, mocha brown, sand, sky blue, pearl grey and cream.
