I like really the look. A friend has one and their only complaint is it can be a bit noisy in heavy rain or hail. Their home is about 12 years old and they have had no problems with it.

I lived in a workers cottage that had this. It is over 100 years old. You can still see it at 205 Aro Street, Wellington. No problems.

Batman:

Spoke to an architect (from another country) who said lifespan of such cladding is about 15 years.

The guy has no idea about the lifespan of NZ roofs, which is 30 years at least. I would like it as a no fuss way of cladding.

Perhaps there's confusion about required durability under the Building Code B2 and feasible life. Non-structural cladding is only required to have a durability of >15 years.

sleepy: Mine was built 13 years ago cladding is fine just wish we had up graded the insulation

Sixty years ago my Dad built the family home and clad it with Metalcraft weather board, which was basically the same galvanised iron sheeting material as used for corrugated iron roofing but pressed to a shape that looked like traditional weather boards.

About 2 years ago he decided to replace the cladding and at the same time installed insulation in the walls. The cladding was still in good condition when it was removed.

I'd say there's every chance you'd get 80 to 100 years out of corrugated iron presuming it was installed correctly.

cadman:

 

Perhaps there's confusion about required durability under the Building Code B2 and feasible life. Non-structural cladding is only required to have a durability of >15 years.

 

Thanks, that could have been where they got 15 years from.

So i take it concrete and brick is very long lasting

vs hardy board type boards (is this even allowed as the sole cladding now?), corrugated iron, less durable?

hardy board is fibre cement, and is still commonly used, as are timber weatherboards.

Technofreak:

 

Sixty years ago my Dad built the family home and clad it with Metalcraft weather board, which was basically the same galvanised iron sheeting material as used for corrugated iron roofing but pressed to a shape that looked like traditional weather boards.

 

About 2 years ago he decided to replace the cladding and at the same time installed insulation in the walls. The cladding was still in good condition when it was removed.

 

I'd say there's every chance you'd get 80 to 100 years out of corrugated iron presuming it was installed correctly.

 

That bit worries me a little bit.

Bung: ... Apparently the old corrugated iron had twice as much Zinc on the weather side as the modern equivalent.

Zinc protects even cut edges to a degree (by sacrificial corrosion). One would want some assurance about this (cut edges) aspect re eg the modern zincalume[RTM].

lapimate:

 

Bung: ... Apparently the old corrugated iron had twice as much Zinc on the weather side as the modern equivalent.

Indeed. Used to be "hot-dipped", now electroplated so a few atoms thick :-)

 

Zinc protects even cut edges to a degree (by sacrificial corrosion). One would want some assurance about this (cut edges) aspect re eg the modern zincalume[RTM].

 

Let me get this straight - that means the new ones are not as durable as the olden ones?