High-design, low maintenance Fortress® cladding delivers sought-after aesthetic for building exteriors

To provide building and design professionals with compelling wood-alternatives for façades and rainscreen assemblies, Fortress Building Products debuts its newest product category, cladding. Fortress® cladding transcends the limitations of wood by pairing its warm, timeless beauty with the heralded strength of composite and PVC. Drawing from the tried and tested performance attributes of Infinity and Apex™ deck boards, Fortress cladding stands strong as the first line of defense against water infiltration and endures the weathering effects of time.

Design professionals can select from co-extruded bamboo-plastic composite (CBPC) Infinity cladding boards and capped bamboo-plastic PVC (CBPVC) Apex cladding boards with non-repeating grain patterns, enhanced wood grain textures and rich, earth-tone color palettes. Due to their UV-, fade- and moisture-resistive properties, vivid hues like Brazilian Teak and Oasis Palm endure throughout the product’s lifetime and do not require staining or resealing to preserve their vibrant aesthetic. Since recommended maintenance is minimal and inexpensive, architects and building professionals can design and build wood-emulating exteriors and rainscreen assemblies knowing selected colors and board shapes will remain unchanged over time.

“There’s no denying that wood offers a sought-after aesthetic for façades and rainscreen assemblies, however, the sun and rain’s weathering effects are relentless and progressive,” said Bill Ross, Director, Composite Category, Fortress Building Products. “Since Fortress cladding can endure even the harshest of elements, building designers can have confidence that the finished product will look as beautiful as it does on day one for years to come.”

Globally available and lightweight, Fortress cladding’s short lead times and easy handling make installation quick and uncomplicated; there is no need for specialty equipment or methods. Comprised of 60 percent Forest Stewardship Council- (FSC) certified bamboo fiber and 40 percent recycled plastics, Fortress cladding products are among the most environmentally friendly composite and PVC-based building materials available. Because bamboo is a grass-based, readily renewable organic material that grows 30 times faster than wood, it’s the ideal natural material to pair with post-consumer plastics being diverted from landfills. Sustainable and renewable materials coupled with inexpensive installation yield a competitive on-the-wall cost.

“For far too long, building professionals have had limited options when it comes to wood and wood-emulating cladding. So, we asked ourselves, ‘why choose between performance and aesthetics when you can have both?’” said Toby Bostwick, Vice President, Product & Brand, Fortress Building Products. “After realizing our durable deck boards were the perfect solution to fill this void in the market, we worked to deliver an enduring cladding product that’s just as beautiful as wood but designed to last decades longer.”

Fortress Infinity CBPC cladding is a co-extruded bamboo-plastic composite that offers effective moisture-resistance and inspiring wood emulation in rainscreen applications. Fortress Infinity cladding is available in four in-stock and nine special order colors inspired by the beauty of tropical hardwood species: Tiger Cove, Cape Town Grey, Caribbean Coral and Oasis Palm. Fortress Infinity cladding is fully backed by a 25-year residential and 15-year commercial warranty.

To maintain a consistent, enduring aesthetic, Fortress Apex CBPVC cladding features a bamboo cellular PVC core that allows for minimal expansion and contraction. Each board undergoes a proprietary tri-extrusion and dual embossing to emulate the appearance of hardwood. Encapsulated with a high-grade acrylic polymer, boards are shielded from UV rays and provide exceptional fade and stain performance over their long-warranted coverage. Fortress Apex cladding is available in four in-stock and seven special order colors that are inspired by exotic hardwood species: Himalayan Cedar, Brazilian Teak, Alaskan Driftwood and Arctic Birch. Available as square and grooved boards, Fortress Apex cladding is fully backed by a 30-year residential and 15-year commercial warranty.

To learn more about Fortress cladding, visit http://www.fortressbp.com/cladding.