Resene Rockcote Integra Cladding. Any good?

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billgates

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#175221 22-Jun-2015 10:50

Hi folks,

Getting closer and closer to finalizing the plans for my new double storey (410sqm) house build. I initially wanted plaster over brick but the builder has suggested the Resene Rockcote Integra Cladding because it would come out to be $12k cheaper over plaster over brick. Has anybody had good or bad experience with this external cladding system?

I have been quoted on the 50mm panel with 20mm cavity? Any benefits or cons to go with 40mm cavity instead? Worth upgrading to 75mm panel with 20mm or 40mm cavity over 50mm panel?

Thanks

Do whatever you want to do man.

Fred99

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#1329258 22-Jun-2015 13:32

Being from Chch, and in an area which was whacked very hard, I have an extreme aversion to brick.
You'll likely get negative opinions expressed about poly/plaster systems, but these based on the results of terrible building practices during the leaky homes era. The methods and workmanship were the cause - not the materials themselves.
I (re) clad our house using a mix of poly/plaster (same type of product, but from Specialized rather than Rockcote) and Linea board. I considered other options - particularly lightweight cement panels (Hebel/Celcrete etc). Deciding factor for me was that as there is a foundation with minimum height of about 500mm, and much higher in areas where there's car traffic, then that mitigated concerns I had about mechanical damage. I'd expect aerated concrete panel to withstand that a little better. It cost considerably more, and weighed more, for no advantage in our case, but YMMV. You might want to check it out as another alternative. I prefer those panel systems to be installed horizontally (brick pattern) thus avoiding continuous vertical joins - and when doing that, then it's fixed onto studs over vertical cavity battens.
I suggest you talk to the supplier and designer about panel thickness - IMO thicker is probably better, but it's going to impact on overall wall thickness, hence how joinery will work with details, reveals, other openings etc, and also fixings may be determined by panel thickness, there will probably be differences in required fixing depending on whether you're in a high wind zone etc. As for cavity depth, perhaps that's there also to allow for overall wall thickness. Normally 20mm would be used - I don't know what advantage there could be for increasing that to 40mm.
If the house design is "stone castle" look (as opposed to a "cottage" look), then deep reveals around windows etc are a design feature. (Look at homes with flat cladding systems, but windows mounted flush with the cladding - common in the '80s-'90s and they tend to look cheap and insubstantial, even though they may not necessarily be).

mattwnz

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#1329269 22-Jun-2015 13:38

Plaster over brick will crack won't it. I wouldn't use that in a EQ zone, as it will need quite a bit of maintenance I imagine to fill cracks etc . Cavity, yes, always have one with plastic systems, unless you are using solid concrete block walls. Resene products tend to be good, I believe they also purchased another plaster systems company quite recently, so they seem to have the market covered.

billgates

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#1329281 22-Jun-2015 13:50

I should say that sometime this week I will be creating a build thread for my home on geekzone which go into every little detail about everything in the house. Long story short, I am going with the Rib Raft system from Firth which from what I have read helped a great deal for houses during Christchurch earthquake. Should also mention that I live in Hamilton. Roof style is mono pitched.

Do whatever you want to do man.

SQLGeek

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#1329301 22-Jun-2015 14:19

I have just completed a build that used a mixture of Rockcoat Integra and plaster over block. As I have only been in the house for a week I cannot say much about its durability, but I did do a time lapse video of the build so you can see it going on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYbvIoDWRk

billgates

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#1329310 22-Jun-2015 14:31

Thaks SQLGeek. Great looking house. What sort of roofing did you go with? NZ ColourSteel? Mind sharing the do's and don't you applied for your build and any more tips about a product/install for the new house build?

Did you go with with 50mm Rockcote with 20mm or 40mm cavity or 75mm Rockcote with 20mm or 40mm cavity?

Do whatever you want to do man.

antoniosk

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#1329314 22-Jun-2015 14:37

SQLGeek: I have just completed a build that used a mixture of Rockcoat Integra and plaster over block. As I have only been in the house for a week I cannot say much about its durability, but I did do a time lapse video of the build so you can see it going on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYbvIoDWRk

That is house build porn at it's best. Big house too.

Wish I'd thought about setting up the time lapse for our place!

________

Antoniosk

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Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

SQLGeek

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#1329320 22-Jun-2015 14:56

billgates: Thaks SQLGeek. Great looking house. What sort of roofing did you go with? NZ ColourSteel? Mind sharing the do's and don't you applied for your build and any more tips about a product/install for the new house build?

Did you go with with 50mm Rockcote with 20mm or 40mm cavity or 75mm Rockcote with 20mm or 40mm cavity?

50mm Integra panel 20mm battens.
The roof is 1.5mm grey Butynol.

The architect (O’Neil Architecture) chose most of the products for the build. I did a bit of research, but in the end decided to let the experts decide.
This was an earthquake rebuild, so entire process was complicated. Best thing you can do is get a builder with a very good reputation, ideally one that has done several projects with your architect. You pay for it, but in the end it is worth it.

Biggest tip for a new build… live next-door (or as close as possible). Being onsite every day you pick up so much, you cannot over communicate.
We also went to lots of open homes to get ideas too. It's all very time consuming, but rewarding when you see something you like that you hadn't thought of.

SQLGeek

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#1329322 22-Jun-2015 14:58

antoniosk:
SQLGeek: I have just completed a build that used a mixture of Rockcoat Integra and plaster over block. As I have only been in the house for a week I cannot say much about its durability, but I did do a time lapse video of the build so you can see it going on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYbvIoDWRk

That is house build porn at it's best. Big house too.

Wish I'd thought about setting up the time lapse for our place!

Thanks.

$80 webcam duck taped to the neighbours roof, connected to an old laptop via 5m USB extension cable out the window. I used the free software YAWCAM so I could watch a live stream and take a photo every 4 minutes for the time lapse (saved to dropbox).

mattwnz

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#1329326 22-Jun-2015 15:05

SQLGeek: I have just completed a build that used a mixture of Rockcoat Integra and plaster over block. As I have only been in the house for a week I cannot say much about its durability, but I did do a time lapse video of the build so you can see it going on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGYbvIoDWRk

That does look like one huge house. Thanks for sharing the link, as you don't see too many of these in NZ.