High Maintenance Cedar Cladding Needs Low Maintenance Solution

Project: High Maintenance Cedar Cladding Needs Low Maintenance Solution | Duradek Case History #187

THE PROBLEM – Too Much Maintenance to Keep Up Appearances on High Maintenance Cedar Cladding

This west coast home featured beautiful cedar siding on several feature areas of its exterior. While gorgeous the first year, weathering took its toll by the second year. Going into the third year, maintenance was unavoidable. The homeowner was questioning this high-maintenance cedar cladding despite how much he liked the appearance when new.

original high maintenance cedar cladding on house in winter
This cedar cladding looked great in the first couple of years after it was installed, but by the third year, maintenance was unavoidable.

Maintenance for cedar is both expensive and time-consuming. Materials ($50-$100/gallon), labor, and sometimes even scaffolding is required.

A yearly refinishing schedule is necessary to protect the wood from rot, bugs, and fading of the wood from UV light. Beyond the appearance, UV light is also very harmful because it destroys the structure of the wood over time. What might appear to be only cosmetic damage can actually be much more.

Example of aged cedar and moldy cedar
Exposure to moisture and UV rays can leave untreated cedar weakened and unattractive.

This homeowner was a busy professional with a growing family and did not have the time to keep up with the required maintenance – but he did not want to sacrifice the look of natural wood. Durarail offered a solution with Knotwood™.

The DURARAIL/KNOTWOOD SOLUTION – The Attractive Look of Wood Siding That Never Needs Maintenance

Knotwood™ provided the perfect solution for keeping the look of natural wood in a way that would never require refinishing maintenance.

Made from durable aluminum, Knotwood siding never ages in appearance. It can withstand intense weather conditions like high UV and moisture exposure. It is non-warping, corrosion-resistant, and insect-proof. Further, it provided an extra element of safety for the family as Knotwood is non-combustible.

rainscreen and flashing around windows
Once the rainscreen was in place and flashing around the windows, the Knotwood cladding could be installed.

The new Knotwood siding provided a clean, professional finish with hidden fasteners. This gorgeous new cladding will last 25+ years.

Knotwood cladding installation over rainscreen
Hidden fasteners give the Knotwood aluminum cladding a sleek, clean appearance.
Knotwood aluminum cladding keeps the high-end look of real wood but requires no labor to keep it looking great for a long performance life.

Knotwood provided this homeowner with better value overall by eliminating ongoing maintenance costs. With the consistent manufacture of Knotwood, there is no difference in the appearance over time. This allowed the homeowner to complete the upgrades to his home’s exterior in phases and still maintain a consistent look.

high maintenance cedar cladding faded from UV exposure
The cedar cladding on the rear balcony needed to be replaced as well, but the homeowner wanted to spread out the expenditure of home maintenance.
Knotwood cladding on balcony
With Knotwood’s consistent manufacturing, the balcony could be done several months after the wall cladding and still have the same look.

The home maintains great curb appeal without the need for yearly costs and maintenance thanks to Knotwood Aluminum Cladding available from Duradek.

JOB NOTES

Natural cedar is beautiful but is subject to appearance issues besides fading. Cedar can easily stain from metal accessories and from mold when not maintained. Maintenance is never required with Knotwood™ for appearance.

View or Download the .pdf version of Case History #187 with project photos and installer details.

Knotwood Aluminum not Just for Cladding

Do you like the look and longevity of Kntowood Aluminum? Consider this option for your fencing or privacy railing needs from Durarail. Feel free to reach out for a quote for your project.

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