Studio Snell director Joe Snell, a James Hardie ambassador, says that products such as Matrix panels, Axon Cladding, Linea Weatherboard and Stria Cladding can help create more floor space when adding an extension to a house.
“While increasing square feet is an obvious benefit of any home addition, it should also be an opportunity to consider your block and how you live, to define the new space and redefine the entire home,” he said.
Here, the Sydney architect offers some advice on how to use James Hardie products in alteration and addition projects:
“Despite huge advancements in building materials … many of us go straight to brick when thinking of home additions. Compared to brick, products like Matrix panels, Axon Cladding, Linea Weatherboard and Stria Cladding all provide subtle benefits to floor space.
“Using these products can add up to 130 mm additional depth at each external wall, as they have a thinner profile at approximately 130 mm, with double brick and brick-veneer walls generally being 230–270 mm thick.
“Due to its lightweight formulation compared to masonry, Premium Fibre Cement cladding is naturally lighter which means it is generally less expensive to create cantilevered upper levels. This gives your designs the opportunity to establish more cost-effective floor space upstairs at the same time as creating dynamic and shaded areas downstairs.
“James Hardie’s range of cladding can be mixed and matched to a specific look or to create a personal style. Most come primed and ready to paint to any desired hue and resist flaking, warping or swelling, meaning they require less maintenance to keep the look.”
