1800 156 455 Showrooms Factory Tours Revit & CAD

What is External Cladding?

What is External Cladding

External cladding is one of the most important elements in architectural design.
It defines the look and feel of exterior spaces and significantly affects a building’s performance.
Modinex is a specialty manufacturer and supplier of architectural cladding products.
If you’ve been wondering what external cladding is, Modinex has compiled this guide to assist.

Understanding Cladding

Cladding also forms an air cavity between the cladding material and the building’s structure.

This air cavity is crucial for thermal insulation and allows air flow within the walls, which prevents mould and rot.

While exterior cladding comes in many formats, most products serve the same purpose. Here are the functional purposes of exterior cladding:

The outside of a building experiences sun, storms, pests, dust and more. Cladding protects structural materials from damage due to moisture and weather.

Cladding is part of a building’s insulation schedule. The cladding layer creates an air gap and protects insulation materials from moisture and UV damage.

Building facades can reflect, absorb and transmit sound. If you live in a noisy area, exterior cladding can control sound and make your home comfortable.

Exterior cladding is the appearance layer, so it’s used to enhance the aesthetic of buildings. Cladding is often a key feature in architectural projects.

Cladding schedule

Common Types of Exterior Cladding

There are dozens of materials commonly used for cladding in modern buildings.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it includes some of the most popular options for residential and commercial projects.

Diaz House

Timber cladding is one of the world’s oldest and most popular materials.

These products use natural timber to protect your building against moisture, UV and pests.

While timber cladding comes at a premium, it’s a stunning material that can elevate an exterior design.

Modern products come in hundreds of formats, allowing you to achieve almost any architectural vision.

In addition to its beauty, hardwood timber cladding is incredibly durable, long-lived and suitable for harsh environments.

It needs slightly more maintenance than some alternatives, but it can set your project apart.

Fibre cement is a composite cladding material made of cement that has been reinforced with cellulose fibres.

 

While it was once a low-cost material for industrial buildings, it has become popular as an architectural finish.

Fibre cement cladding offers excellent mechanical performance.

It’s highly resistant to moisture, sun, pests, and bushfires and can last for decades in the Australian climate.

The major benefit of fibre cement panels is that they can be dyed and formed into a range of attractive products.

This makes it easy to add details such as shadow lines or coving to the outside of a building.

Theatre_Jim_Stephenson
David Brownlow Theatre
Fisher Street House

Aluminium cladding is a popular choice for residential and commercial projects.

It offers excellent thermal performance and can be manufactured to look like natural timber.

While exterior aluminium cladding often comes at a premium, it’s one of the most durable and long-lived solutions on the market.

It’s also available in timber-look, powder coated and anodised finishes, so it’s versatile enough to fit with most design aesthetics.

Brick is one of the most common cladding materials in Australia.

Traditional clay bricks can last almost indefinitely, and they provide excellent protection against Australia’s sun and storms.

The same can be said for natural stone cladding. Installing natural stone is particularly laborious, but it creates a striking appearance that pairs well with timber cladding.

Mittagong Residence

Composite cladding (also called engineered cladding) is a product that’s a blend of wood fibre and plastic. Composite cladding is durable and low maintenance.

Because it’s a combination of materials, composite cladding may last longer than traditional timber cladding.

High quality composite cladding can be more expensive than the alternatives, but it looks fantastic and it offers some of the best mechanical performance on the market.

Choose the Perfect Exterior Cladding With Modinex

Cladding is the finishing touch to your design. It defines the lines and shape of a structure, and it provides functional protection against Australia’s harsh environment.

If you are embarking on a design project and need the perfect exterior cladding, Modinex has a solution.

Modinex supplies architecturally designed exterior cladding to clients across Australia.

We support residential, commercial and industrial projects with a range of cladding products that are suitable for anything you have in mind.

Our products include timber, aluminium, fibre cement and composite cladding that is designed and manufactured in our Australian facility.

Our catalogue can help you achieve any architectural vision, or we can manufacture custom cladding to suit your project perfectly.

Explore our range online today, or contact us to learn more about our timber cladding and custom profiles.

What to Consider When Choosing Exterior Cladding

  • 1. Architectural Design
  • 2. Environmental and Geographic Factors
  • 3. Maintenance Requirements
  • 4. Project Budget
  • 5. Sustainability Requirements
  • 6. Mechanical Performance
  • 7. Weight

Article By   Joel Leitch   |  June 2026

Joel Leitch

Project Consultant

Joel is an integral team member of NSW projects division with over a decade as a consultant to architects and builders. With extensive experience as a head of projects, Joel Leitch combines deep knowledge of natural timber, aluminium, and concrete to provide innovative and inspiring design solutions.