Showhomes > Do it once, do it right

Do it once, do it right

Whether you're building new or renovating, it's only natural to look for areas where you can cut costs to help keep within your budget. For your kitchen benchtops, you might choose a good-looking, cost-effective alternative to granite; you may find bathroom fittings that look just like the pricey Italian-designed ones you loved, but for half the cost; and instead of tiles, a concrete aggregate could be a good option on the patio.

But one area where it can be risky to skimp on costs is your cladding. Spending a little bit more here can be well worth it in the long-run – especially when it comes to selling your house. Looking at weatherboards, timber might be cheaper to start with, but a cladding product such as James Hardie® Linea™ Weatherboard can cost you a lot less over the next five to 10 years (and save you precious time).

How does this work? It's simple, really. Linea Weatherboard is made using James Hardie's breakthrough Ceramic Low Density (CLD®) technology. The result is a weatherboard that is lighter, but stronger and more durable. This means that maintenance is virtually a thing of the past. Unlike traditional timber weatherboards that can warp, rot, crack and buckle when not regularly maintained, Linea Weatherboards are made from a more stable material that resists shrinkage, swelling, twisting and cracking with only limited maintenance requirements. So, not only do Linea Weatherboards maintain their integrity, but your paint finish continues to look great. You can be sure of this, because Linea Weatherboard comes with a 25-year product warranty and an extended manufacturers' paint warranty on Dulux, Resene and Taubmans Wattyl coatings.

Another great bonus of Linea Weatherboard's unparalleled stability is that it can be painted in dark colours with no loss of product or paint life. Often this is not the case with timber weatherboards, which risk buckling under the harsh New Zealand sun when painted dark colours.

And, once painted, Linea Weatherboard is virtually indistinguishable from the traditional timber weatherboards that have been used for well over a century on New Zealand homes.

This is the reason that Linea cladding is often a selling point for real estate agents marketing houses and it's a top cladding choice for the country's leading group home builders – a sure sign that Linea Weatherboard is a quality, appealing product. By cladding your new home or re-cladding your existing home in Linea Weatherboard, you can build in additional value from the start or upgrade your investment, and reap the rewards when you decide to sell and move on.

And the beauty of Linea Weatherboard is its versatility. It can be used on any style of house from traditional villas or bungalows through to the latest contemporary designs – making it a favourite choice for architects and designers, as well as homeowners. Linea Weatherboard also looks great when combined with other James Hardie cladding products such as Titan® Facade Panel, Hardiflex® Sheets, Axon™ Panel, and Exotec® Façade Panel, as well as cladding materials like stone, concrete and solid plaster.

Linea Weatherboard facts at a glance:

16mm thick bevel back weatherboards
Available in three widths – 135mm, 150mm and 180mm
Tongue-and-groove ends for seamless on- and off-stud jointing
Pre-primed
60-minute fire-resistance rating*
Comes with a range of accessories to create everything from a modern, semi-industrial look to a traditional villa or bungalow look

*when installed in accordance with the James Hardie ‘Fire and Acoustic' Technical Specification Manual