Fortress Building Products released new cladding, which replicates the look of wood for façades and rainscreens.
In a first for the company, the cladding provides the warmth and beauty of wood, except manufactured from composite and PVC, Fortress says.
“There’s no denying that wood offers a sought-after aesthetic for façades and rainscreen assemblies, however, the sun and rain’s weathering effects are relentless and progressive,” says Bill Ross, director of composite category for Fortress Building Products. “Since Fortress cladding can endure even the harshest of elements, building designers can have confidence that the finished product will look as beautiful as it does on day one for years to come.”
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This addition to the company’s offerings comes after its debut of the composite Infinity and PVC Apex deck boards. Fortress’ experience with Apex and Infinity allowed the company to ensure a tried and tested exterior cladding.
Fortress says its cladding boards are UV-, scratch-, and fade-resistant, moisture-resistant, and do not require stains or resealing. For the entirety of the cladding’s lifetime, its color will remain as vibrant as ever, according to the company.
“For far too long, building professionals have had limited options when it comes to wood and wood-emulating cladding,” says Toby Bostwick, vice president for product & brand at Fortress Building Products. “So, we asked ourselves, ‘Why choose between performance and aesthetics when you can have both?’ After realizing our durable deck boards were the perfect solution to fill this void in the market, we worked to deliver an enduring cladding product that’s just as beautiful as wood but designed to last decades longer.”
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Just like the deck boards, the new cladding product is offered in both composite and PVC.
Residential pros can choose from either the Infinity cladding boards, made from co-extruded bamboo-plastic composite or the Apex capped bamboo-plastic PVC.
Bamboo grows 30 times faster than wood and is grass-based, so using it for a primary material makes the cladding products much more eco-friendly. Recycled plastics also make up 40% of the product, while bamboo makes up 60%. Fortress claims its cladding products are some of the most environmentally friendly composite and PVC materials on the market.
The cladding features non-repeating grain patterns, enhanced wood grain textures, and earthy-toned color palettes, Fortress says. Each cladding comes with different colorways, but both have options for several grays, browns, beiges, and even black.
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Apex cladding undergoes a special treatment to emboss textures mimicking that of actual hardwood, then sealed with a high-grade acrylic polymer. Both squared and grooved boards are available.
Finishes for Apex cladding include Alaskan Driftwood, Arctic Birch, Himalayan Cedar, or Brazilian Teak. For special order, the company offers seven additional colors: Charred Cedar, Carbonized Osage, Siberian Bark, Swedish Oak, Hawaiin Walnut, Island Mahogany, or Western Red Cedar. Apex cladding comes with a fully backed 30-year residential warranty.
Infinity cladding comes available in Tiger Cove, Oasis Palm, Caribbean Coral, or Cape Town Gray. There are nine special order colors: Baltic Nero, Concrete Grey, Sapphire Silver, Pacific Pearl, Swiss Oak, Teak Thai, Fire Koa, Espresso Roast, or Spanish Saffron. Infinity cladding comes with a fully backed 25-year warranty.