Hardie Plank Composite Cladding for Your Insulated Garden Room.

When designing your all-weather insulated garden room, the exterior cladding is one of the most important choices you’ll make, it affects not only the look of your building but also maintenance and cost.

At Cosy Garden Rooms, we offer a wide range of cladding options, from the popular slatted composite to more bespoke finishes such as natural timber, charred larch, brick, and natural stone. Some of these are considered premium options. Because every Cosy Garden Room is bespoke, we can also source and fit any cladding you’d like; both externally and internally.

This blog focuses on the very popular Hardie® Plank composite cladding from James Hardie, exploring the different styles and colours available.

Other brands are available but we think this is a high-quality, maintenance-free product that offers great design flexibility. It can be fitted horizontally or vertically and represents excellent value for money.

What is Hardie® Plank and Why is it Popular?

Hardie® Plank is a fibre cement weatherboard, a maintenance-free composite cladding made from a durable blend of cellulose fibre and cement. It’s engineered to offer the natural appearance of painted timber, without any of the vulnerabilities of real wood.

This makes it an excellent long-term solution for garden rooms exposed to the elements all year round; it is durable, zero/low maintenance and looks good.

Key Benefits of Composite Cladding

• Long-Lasting Durability: Unlike timber, Hardie Plank won’t warp, rot, split, or suffer from insect damage. It remains dimensionally stable through all seasons. It’s backed by a 15-year warranty but will last for many more.

• Low Maintenance: This maintenance-free cladding requires virtually no upkeep — just an occasional wash with soapy water.

• A-Rated Fire Safety: It achieves a non-combustible fire rating of A2-s1, d0, the highest possible for a coloured facade product. This makes it a safe and compliant choice for larger or boundary-adjacent garden buildings.

Choose Your Profile: Classic Lap or Modern Flat

We offer two distinct Hardie cladding profiles, allowing you to tailor the look and texture of your garden room.

1. Hardie® Plank

A weatherboard lap profile that delivers the character and depth of natural timber with the durability of fibre cement/composite. The overlapping boards create a classic, wood-grain aesthetic that complements a wide range of insulated garden room designs.

Available in 21 colours and two finishes — classic textured/wood grain or smooth.

2. Hardie® VL Plank

This profile features tongue-and-groove joints that create a sleek, continuous surface with no overlap. The result is a modern, minimalistic look with a crisp, flat finish, perfect for contemporary garden rooms.

Available in 8 colours and textured/wood grain finish.

Both profiles can be installed horizontally or vertically, giving you complete control over the appearance of your garden room. Vertical cladding can be slightly more expensive due to additional material waste, but if it’s the look you prefer, we can clad the rear and any unseen sides horizontally to maximise efficiency.

ColourPlus™ Technology Finish

The exceptional finish on Hardie® Plank composite cladding is achieved using ColourPlus™ Technology a multi-coat, baked-on process that ensures vibrant, long-lasting colour.

• No Repainting Needed: The baked-on finish is highly fade-resistant and doesn’t require regular staining or painting.

• Texture Choice: Choose between a smooth or textured finish to create the look you want — either a modern, minimalistic design or a more natural, wood-grain effect.

Hardie composite cladding offers the ideal balance of style, performance, and practicality. It’s a maintenance-free solution that gives your garden room the look of painted timber without the upkeep, ensuring it stays stylish and weatherproof for years to come.

Whether you prefer the more classic lap profile or the crisp lines of a flat, contemporary finish, there’s a Hardie® cladding solution to suit every garden room design.

For further information please contact Mark on 0115 77 22 715

Email mark@cosygardenrooms.co.uk