Thread: Replacing external cladding - Hebel v Blueboard

We have hebel panels (not blocks), but we also live in a much colder area than Sydney. It is EXCELLENT insulation.

The builder put up the hebel and we have to get a separate renderer (who is doing Rockcote).

HOWEVER, the renderer recommended some kind of polystyrene panel stuff before he realised we had the hebel. The renderer installs this stuff himself. Perhaps ask your renderer if he uses this stuff and you could get the job done with just one tradesman. I believe the polystyrene stuff is pretty good insulation too.

If cheap and nasty is what you are after go for the blueboard. It will look ok for 12 months until the boards start to move and before long you will have tram tracks at the joins. THe hebel powerpanel is a better option.

The other product mentioned above is something along the lines of Uni-tex. I have specified it for a project but it is yet to be finished. As the core is styrene you have to protect from hard blows ..... the outer coating is quite hard to protect the core. It can be repaired by cutting out a section and patching.

Remember .... cheaper options are generally cheaper for a reason .....
render vs bagged
granite vs laminate ...... etc

My SIL used blueboard finished with render. The render guy came back twice a year for the 4 years they owned the home to fix up the cracks which were due to the movement of the blueboard.
He used Rendered Hebel on his new home and is 100% satisfied.

So blueboard really likely to crack. The reason I had even considered Blueboard was because a friend had their place done with blueboard and render and after 3-4 years it is still in good shape..no cracks etc..
aghhhh decisions, decisions!

Originally Posted by Nat

So blueboard really likely to crack. The reason I had even considered Blueboard was because a friend had their place done with blueboard and render and after 3-4 years it is still in good shape..no cracks etc..
aghhhh decisions, decisions!

I think the blueboard is more likely to move at the joints than crack. I wouldn't use it if its being fixed to radiata pine studs. Dried hardwood studs are preferable. You should also follow the nailing recommendation for the blueboard.
Cheers

There's an article on recladding in Jan/Feb 2004 issue of The Family Handyman. It uses Quik'n Tuff Eco series panels which are made of concrete, polystyrene and binders. Don't whether they are any better or worse than Hebel.

http://www.quikntuff.com.au
Back issue here http://readersdigest.stores.yahoo.net/200015.html

For what its worth, Storybook cottages (kit homes) have links to both Hebel and Quik'n Tuff on their Products page, so presumably they think both give good results for their kit home clients.
http://www.storybook.com.au/differentmaterials.htm

I have my home clad in Hebel.
I am glad I went this way as it is an extremely good insulation for both both sound and heat .Hebel has made my place cooler in summer by some 8 to 10 degrees and warmer in winter.
The stuff is unaffected by water when sealed,white ants won't eat it and a piece of 70mm power panel has a 3 hr fire rating. I took an oxy torch to a sample and found it is good enough to use the off cuts as an oxy welding bench top at school in manual arts section.
If you do not wish to render the stuff, it can be painted with Taubmans Armour wall paint. If there is a lot of ground movement the Hebel is subject to some cracking which is repairable. When attached hebel needs good support. When it is attached is to horizontal metal top hat sections which attach to your studs.They fitted heavy angle section to my bearers which support the base of the power panel base .The panels 2.8 x .9 weigh about 80 kgs each and can be liffted into position and screwed to the top hats with batten screws
Retro fitting hebel does make the wall very thick(250 mm) because of the air space generated by the top hat.Edge joining of the panels is acheived by a special cement adhesive supplied by the Hebel installers.

If you have any windows to replace do before the hebel goes up.
hope this helps
Grahame

I reckon after more than 50 years of service and 10 million western European installations, Hebel is the way to go..... and if you don't want to render it, you could always apply country stone's stunning sandstone veneer blocks on it and it would be magnificent....... depending of course on what you are trying to achieve with the render

if you think I am a fan of this combo you'd be spot on