Asphalt shingles are a type of external cladding.
The exterior cladding is the outermost layer of the building shell. The term covers all external surfaces, including walls, windows and doors, ceilings and trim. The most common use of the term, however, generally refers to wall cladding. There are many different types of exterior siding available, including siding, shingles, masonry, concrete, and stucco.
Vinyl siding is a popular external flooring.
By far the most common type of flooring is tile. There are many types of flooring available and in common use, including vinyl, wood, and aluminum. Vinyl and aluminum siding comes in an almost endless variety of colors. A wide range of textures, most of which are designed to mimic wood, are also available for vinyl and aluminum siding. While wood siding is still common in the 21st century, vinyl and aluminum have overtaken wood in popularity due to their durability and low cost.
Ceramic tiles are a type of exterior cladding.
Wood is used as exterior cladding in ways that are different from traditional cladding. Wood tiles or strips can be cut into a wide variety of shapes and patterns. Cedar is a popular wood for this type of application because it resists rot and insect infestation well. In its most basic form, wood siding can be found in log cabins; in some cases, logs form the wall structure as well as the exterior. Thin slices of raw logs are sometimes used as siding to create the illusion of building entire logs.
Stucco is a durable and attractive exterior coating.
Masonry is another type of building exterior commonly used in residential and commercial construction; Bricks and cement blocks are the most common materials of this type. Bricks vary greatly in shape, color, finish, and size. Concrete blocks offer less potential variety than bricks, but there are still many types available. Common concrete block is a standard material used in many industrial applications.
Glass bottles can be used to make a kind of outer shell.
Poured concrete is sometimes used as exterior cladding. Poured concrete is strong and is often used in the construction of large buildings and secure structures, such as prisons or military installations. This material can be poured on site or preformed into panels or blocks and then installed according to construction plans.
Stucco is a very popular type of coating made from Portland cement mixed with aggregate particles and spread over masonry or a wood or metal lath framing. This material is durable, attractive, weather and pest resistant and can be easily customized by changing the size of the aggregate particles, using textured spatulas to spread or add pigments. Stucco is very hard but relatively light, since it is usually applied in layers less than an inch thick.
The emphasis on green building has led to the development of siding panels made from materials such as old tires.
Other types of exterior siding include slate, ceramic, or terracotta tiles, asphalt shingles, adobe, or even unconventional building materials like glass bottles. The recent emphasis on green building has also led to the development of siding panels made from materials such as recycled plastic or tires.