Top External Cladding Trends For 2020

There is a wide array of external cladding products on the market, with each providing a different aspect to it to the next one. It can be hard sometimes, having too many choices and having to make a final decision. Hopefully our post “Top External Cladding Trends For 2020” can help guide you into making the right decision for your home!

The most popular cladding materials are made out of fibre cement, plastic or vinyl, timber and metal. These materials are available pre-finished, yet this option is often more pricey.

Cemintel: Territory™ – Steppe

External cladding trends - Cemintel - Territory Steppe

Cemintel territory Steppe range is climbing in popularity as of lately. Built out of “Japanese values of simplicity, nature and quality” – Cemintel.

Territory Steppe comes pre-finished and available in 3 colours, alpine, montane and Tundra. Using platinum technology, the coating protects against UV damage and colour fade. This creates minimal ongoing maintenance after installation. 

Cemintel Territory Steppe Installation

Cemintel Territory steppe has an easy installation method with the use of a simple clip fixing system. With a built in cavity, this system helps ventilate the building to keep it dry. The Territory range can be installed horizontally or vertically. Cemintel provide very detailed installation guide for both construction methods.

 
Cemintel Territory has a wide range of accessories to suit their cladding range. They aid in the installation process and finish the job off a lot nicer as well. Some of the accessories that can be purchased are: 

  • External and internal corner molds. Aluminum or colour matched
  • Eaves trim
  • Territory starting strip
  • Territory joint back strip
  • For a full list of accessories related to the Cemintel Territory range, be sure to check the installation guides provided here.
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James Hardie: Scyon™

external cladding trends - James Hardie: Scyon

“Introduce drama and detail to your walls with the clean vertical lines brought to you by Axon Cladding” – James Hardie

The James Hardie Scyon range has been quite popular now for a few years. More recently, scyon axon has been growing in popularity, making it a good fit with the external cladding trends write up! With its trendy vertical lines, people love installing it as a feature wall with a colour the really pops. 

James hardie Axon Profiles


Axon Cladding comes pre-primed ready for paint. It is available in 3 different styles:

  • 133mm smooth
  • 133mm grained
  • 400mm smooth

All panels are 9mm thick fibre cement and 1200mm in width. Panel lengths vary from 2450mm to 3600mm. For more information visit the James Hardie Scyon website

We love the James Hardie Axon look which helps to give our home a great coastal look. We clad half our home with Axon and even used it inside on a few internal feature walls. Check it out here >

CHHPLY: Shadowclad®

CHHPLY: Shadowclad

Shadowclad plywood panels provide a beautiful, natural wood exterior cladding that is well suited to most architectural styles.” – CHHPLY Shadowclad

Manufactured out of treated H3 LOSP Radiata Pine, Shadowclad is ideal for a multitude of residential and commercial applications. The natural warmth and beauty of this product will add flair to any exterior of a building.

Shadowclad product range

Shadowclad is available in 4 different product ranges:

  • Natural Groove: An uncoated panel suitable for staining or painting. Features a 9mm wide, 5mm deep groove profile spaced every 150mm across the face of the sheet. H3 LOSP treated and suitable for internal and external applications.
  • Natural Texture: A second uncoated panel suitable for staining or painting. Features a rough textured bandsawn face profile. H3 LOSP treated and suitable for internal and external applications. 
  • Ultra Groove: A premium version of the Natural Groove product, combining the same benefits with the added extra benefit of a performance undercoat. The “ultra performance coating formulation” forms a sustainable and consistent undercoat, making the product ready for immediate application of top coats on site.
  • Ultra Texture: The premium version of the Natural Texture product, combing the same benefits with the added extra benefits of a performance undercoat like the Ultra Groove range. 

Shadowclad installation

The Shadowclad range can be installed in 2 different types of applications; directly fixed or cavity wall installation. Both installation methods are provided in a guide on the CHHPLY website. Sheet heights can be ordered in 2440mm or 2745mm, with an effective width of 1200mm. Panels are a nominal 12mm in thickness and are manufactured with a shiplap with weather groove.


Shadowclad have a nice range of external flashings available to match the look and feel of the cladding product. Flashings are available in a natural, anodized finish (silver) or mil-finished ready to be powder coated or painted in a desired colour finish. Visit the Shadowclad website for more information.

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Cemintel – Barestone™

external cladding trends - Cemintel: Barestone

An Australian original. Cemintel Barestone External prefinished panels provide a raw, contemporary finish for any external application.” – Cemintel

Cemintel Barestone, like many other popular external cladding materials, is a leader in the fibre cement cladding marketplace. The seamless, unparalleled design is fit for residential and commercial construction. 


For more information on the ideas behind Cemintel Barestone and the variety of applications, case studies are available on their website. It features, the super yacht mariner in Rozelle Bay, a multi-million dollar home in The Blue Mountains and a Catholic primary school, just to name a few.

Be sure to check out the Cemintel website for more information on the Barestone product. They have some good photos of the different applications and the final finish after installation. Visit the Barestone website here.

Colorbond®: Steel Matt

Colorbond: Steel Matt

“ The Colorbond Steel Matt finish has been achieved using blueScope’s innovative Matt paint technology, creating a softer, more subtle look.” – colorbond.com

A top list for external cladding trends has to include colorbonds wall cladding range. With the newish Matt range, it is starting to spark an interest amongst owner builders and renovators.

Featured in the 5 Elsternwick houses in The Block 2017, colorbond steel Matt wall cladding was one of the standout features of these houses. It’s new aesthetically pleasing Matt finish combined with the added durability that the colorbond steel technology provides, this product would be an excellent choice for any project.

Colorbond Steel Matt Ranges & Colors

The Matt range from colorbond Steel is available in two main profiles, ‘corrugated’ or ‘standing seem’ (pictured above). See below for the popular colours available among the Colorbond range:

  • Monument
  • Basalt
  • Surfmist
  • Dune and;
  • Shale grey

For more information we recommend reading the write up from Shaynna Blaze, one of The Block judges on the Colorbond Steel Matt range. Get some more ideas here > shaynnablaze.com

For more information on the Matt range from colorbond Steel, visit the Colorbond Steel Matt page. This will allow you to order swatches and brochures.

Urbanline: Newport Century

External cladding trends - Urbanline: Newport Century Cladding

In addition to precision-machined tongue and groove profiles, the Newport Century Cladding system features proprietary corner stops and end trims – all manufactured from naturally-durable Australian hardwoods.” – urbanline.com.au

For a great, modern, timber-look facade, Urbanline Newport Century wall cladding is the perfect fit for your project. Manufactured and marketed more towards higher spec architectural projects.

Newport Century is available in two different finishes, red ironbark and spotted gum. To aid in installation times and board protection, Urbanline offer a pre-oiled system.

Newport Century Features

Being a more high up market product, Newport Century Cladding comes with a bucket load of features and extras:

  • Tongue and groove profiles for a seemless installation.
  • A complete cladding system is available, including corner stops and end trims.
  • Available with a 15mm shadowline profile.
  • Class 1 above ground durability with a life expectancy of 40 years.
  • Fire resistance properties enable installation in certain bush fire prone zones.
  • No on-site sanding required.

There is a tonne of information and certifications available on the urbanline website. For more information visit the urbanline website here.

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