Strong and durable Rockpanel Woods facade protects modern home

Creative use of facade materials 

In terms of shape, the house does not differ much from other houses in Blauwestad. But by cleverly choosing the materials for the facade, the couple has created a distinct home that really stands out. The walls of the ground floor are made of bricks in a grey-brown tone, with a slight degree of gloss. Large glass panes were used as well. The other storeys are finished with Rockpanel Woods facade panels. 

As the Blauwestad area is built on reclamation ground, the construction needed to be sturdy, but couldn’t become too heavy. Rick: “The ground floor was constructed of concrete, steel and sand-lime brick. This sturdy construction was necessary for the glass facades, but it did make the building heavy. Although there is a pile foundation, we have deliberately kept the upper floors light, with timber frame construction. This dichotomy in the construction was our inspiration for the facade design.” 

Maintenance-free facade 

The facade is finished with Rockpanel Woods Slate Oak. Lonneke: “We searched online for colour combinations and facade materials that would fit our vision. We soon came to the conclusion that it had to be aged wooden planks. At Rockpanel we found several beautiful options within the Woods collection. The Slate Oak was ultimately the winner, because it contrasts very well with the chosen bricks.” 

Rick: "We had a computer simulation made with all facade materials, and when we saw the lines and the colours in it, we knew right away: this is what it has to be." But then, as the guidelines prescribed real timber, the couple had to convince the municipality of their choice for Rockpanel Woods. For them, using real timber wasn’t an option, as the area has to deal with strong winds. Lonneke: “We could see the effect of this on the house built around ours that did choose a real wooden facade: they weather quickly, and that does not fit in with the sleek appearance that we wanted.” 

Rockpanel Woods: an ideal, durable facade solution 

Because Rockpanel Woods façade panels can hardly be distinguished visually from real wood, the municipality eventually approved of the plans the couple had. That was a big relief, says Rick. “With Rockpanel Woods we have the prescribed wood look, but with all the advantages of stone. The facade boards are insensitive to moisture and changes in temperature and will never rot. In addition, they do not expand or contract, which means the construction remains completely stable. And on top of that, we don’t have to worry about maintenance. In the months that we have been living here, we have already seen several local residents updating their facade. We always look at each other with a smile, because we know that for the next 50 years we will have a facade that looks like new without additional investment.”