First Accoya® clad home stands the test of time

Architect Gordon Aitken chose Accoya cladding for his home, near Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland, after being impressed by the environmentally-friendly wood''s low maintenance and aesthetic qualities.

Since the property was built in 2006 with pre-commercial laboratory produced Accoya, the cladding has required no maintenance. Initial inspections in 2010 revealed no signs of rot or decay and similar checks this year returned the same results. The cladding hasn''t suffered with wear or decay, despite the harsh environmental conditions that homes in Scotland can face such as horizontal rain and harsh snowfall.

Located 10km from the sea and at 56 degrees north, the property is situated north of Moscow, Winnipeg and even the capital of Serbia, Novosibirsk. Rain and cold temperatures mean that builders and architects demand strong and durable products that can withstand such changeable weather conditions.

Gordon Aitken, Architectural designer and property owner said: “I had initially chosen Accoya cladding for my home as I wanted a material that required minimal maintenance but offered high aesthetic qualities to complement the design of the building.

“Accoya offered all of this and more. The product is Class 1 durability rated and comes with a 50 year guarantee when used above-ground. Accoya is also environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and has a significant reduction in shrinkage and expansion compared to its competitors.

“Looking at my home now, I am very pleased I chose Accoya. The appearance of Accoya with the Sikkens paint finish I had chosen remains consistent on both the Southern and Northern facade of my house. It still looks as good as new. I am glad to see that more and more architects and developers have recognised the strengths of Accoya since it was first used in the UK.”

Completed in July 2006, the cladding was profiled, factory coated and installed with a translucent Sikkens Natural Balance coating system. The coating is backed by a 12 year guarantee, while the wood itself will last at least 50 years, ensuring minimal maintenance is required throughout the lifetime of the cladding.