We are pretty fortunate here in New Zealand to have access to a wide variety of cladding types. Essentially, your only limit is your imagination. And while we’ve ironed out the kinks on what makes the best house cladding, we are still dealing with a few problems from the past, such as Weatherside cladding. 

What is Weatherside exterior cladding?

In the decade between 1975 and 1985, Weatherside cladding was a popular option for homeowners. It was clean, tidy, and boosted the appearance of any home. It was made up of tempered hardboard, which was wood fibres glued together. The product was manufactured by Carter Holt Harvey, and it was a popular option up and down the country. 

Weatherside cladding problems

Weatherside sounds like a reasonably inconspicuous building material. But it’s not until you start having problems with it do you realise that it’s not. The problem lies in its construction.

Glue is used to hold wood fibres together. If you don’t maintain the paint systems, or have cracking or damage, then you may be in for some significant Weatherside cladding problems. Once moisture gets into the materials, the Weatherside cladding swells, delaminates and turns into a soggy mess.

Once the failure was recognised in the 1980s, Carter Holt Harvey withdrew it from the market. Most homeowners with the Weatherside exterior cladding were compensated so that they could replace it with a more robust cladding system.

So, what’s the problem with Weatherside cladding?

You might not think that Weatherside cladding poses a problem anymore. After all, the manufacturer compensated homeowners, and all was well. Except that it wasn’t. Not all homeowners replaced their cladding. Instead, they may have chosen to pocket the money, maintain the cladding, then sell the home to an unsuspecting buyer at a later date.

Weatherside cladding is most certainly a red flag and one that any building inspector can point out during a pre-purchase inspection. While it might not seem like a big deal to have to maintain this cladding material, it can be. 

If you have a significant failure, such as a flood that turns it to mush, your insurance company may not cover it. Remember, it has been identified as a product that can fail, and the manufacturer offered compensation to replace it decades ago.

Weatherside cladding and asbestos

As if it weren’t enough that you had to worry about your cladding turning to mush, do you also have to worry about asbestos? Fortunately, this problematic building material does not contain asbestos.

However, it’s incredibly close in looks to a type of fibre cement weatherboard known as Hardiplank. Only an expert would know the difference, so you may not know which problem you’re facing with a home you’ve purchased or are thinking about buying.

A number of asbestos fibre cement cladding types were used in home construction, such as Fibrolite, Durock, Hardiplank, Shadowline, Villaboard, and Harditherm. Several similar-looking products that don’t contain asbestos were also produced. Knowing which ones contain the harmful mineral and which ones don’t is a job for the experts. A licensed asbestos removalist can undertake testing and sampling before advising what your options are.

What to do about Weatherside cladding

Like any building material with or without asbestos, you can manage the risks. Weatherside can stay in excellent condition with paint system maintenance and keeping it free of cracks and damage.

However, you can’t control the weather. Many regions across New Zealand are not strangers to flooding. You are more at risk of damage with this type of cladding than you are most others. After determining that it’s not an asbestos cladding like Hardiplank, you can then begin looking around at other cladding systems to replace it. 

What to do about asbestos cladding

If you thought you had Weatherside cladding, but it turned out to be asbestos Hardiplank, then how you go about solving the problem is a little different. If the Hardiplank is in pristine condition, then you may not need to act. Asbestos poses a low risk when it’s kept in good condition.

However, if you plan on undertaking renovations, or it’s not in good condition, then you’re going to need to call in licensed asbestos removalists. Firstly, they can test your exterior cladding to confirm the presence of asbestos. Then, they can begin the removal process after careful planning and management.

Remember, building materials that contain asbestos may not only pose a risk on your home but in the atmosphere after a fire, as well. Now might be an excellent time to look at your options to benefit your family and neighbourhood.

Call in the experts

If you’re not sure whether you have Weatherside cladding or Hardiplank, then call the asbestos experts at Chemcare today! They can offer a definite answer that outlines your next move. There’s no time like the present to address the house cladding problems of our past.