When it comes to designing your Mornington Peninsula home, it’s important to think about substance as well as style. Bayside homes are exposed to the elements more than houses elsewhere, making the exterior materials you choose very important.
Strong winds, heavy rain and extreme heat are all things to consider when you’re making cladding and decking choices during your home build. It’s also important to remember that seawater can cause erosion. As seawater dissolves, sodium and chloride ions dissociate and carry an electrical charge, which can cause a corrosive chemical reaction when it comes into contact with certain materials.
Keep reading to discover the top materials you should keep in mind when designing your dream home on the Mornington Peninsula.
Weatherboard cladding
There’s a very good reason so many homes on the Mornington Peninsula use weatherboard cladding. Its extreme durability means it will protect your home from damage, even when it’s raining cats and dogs outside or that lovely sea breeze has turned into something stronger.
Unlike standard brickwork or render, weatherboard cladding is unlikely to become damaged or stained over time, making it a very low-maintenance option for your bayside home. An option like James Hardie weatherboard cladding comes in a wide range of profiles and textures too, meaning you can easily customise it to suit your design dreams.
Composite decking
Think carefully before defaulting to timber decking – while it may look great, it’s prone to weather and termite damage, making it an expensive, high-maintenance option. Instead, consider composite decking.
We have created some beautiful homes using James Hardie’s Composite Decking, which achieves the look of traditional timber without the upkeep costs. Made of a premium fibre cement, this decking won’t need regular staining and is an environmentally friendly lumber substitute. Ideal for bushfire bones and adherent to BAL FZ.
Timber-look cladding
While timber is an aesthetic that will never go out of fashion, it’s not always the most practical choice – particularly when creating a bayside home. Instead, there are various materials on the market that are low maintenance, with a timber-look. Consider Cemintel’s Territory Range, which will give your home the look you desire without sacrificing durability.
Pre-finished cladding panels is much stronger and resistant to movement than timber, meaning even heavy winds and rain are unlikely to cause damage. While timber exteriors will typically need maintenance every six to 12 months, this cladding choice requires little to no upkeep. Any coatings used on cement based cladding are also far more likely to retain their colour than timber alternatives, helping your home look newer for longer.
Natural stone
Natural stone is one of the most ecological and durable solutions for your bayside home. A natural stone façade is fireproof and extremely sturdy, meaning a well-built home can last for centuries.
Stone’s thermal mass also provides fantastic insulation, keeping your home nice and cosy in winter and protecting you from the heat in summer. This cuts down the cost of heating and air conditioning, making your home cheaper to run and environmentally friendly. On top of this, natural stone simply looks great – it won’t go out of fashion and is unlikely to need updating if you decide to sell in the future.
As Mornington Peninsula’s custom home building specialists, we can help you make the right decisions when designing your bayside home. To find out more, get in touch with Glenco Building Group today.