Such was the case with designer Garth Kennedy’s new commission. The owners requested a beach house on a site that overlooked Auckland’s Melons Bay – so not only did it have wonderful sea views, it was also at the mercy of the elements.

Garth says these were key factors in planning the home.

“The beach theme can be seen throughout with lots of timber products, indoor-outdoor flow, and relaxing living spaces,” he says.

Externally, Garth specified James Hardie’s Scyon^® Linea^® Weatherboard in 180mm width, not only for it’s durability and ease of use, but to establish the beach-house look from the outset.

The clients, who are builders, had used the product on other projects and due to the  excellent feedback they received, decided to use it on their own home.

“It became the basis of the whole design,” Garth says.

“I specify it quite a lot also. It has fantastic detailing which is a bonus from my point of view, and it’s a great choice as far as maintenance goes.  Some homeowners are not aware of their commitments to weatherboards, whereas Scyon Linea Weatherboard is easy to wash down and care for, which is a necessity when it’s exposed to salt air.”

With ongoing development, Scyon Linea Weatherboard continues to be ideally suited to New Zealand’s unique environmental conditions and complies with all the recent building code amendments.

It’s made up of five natural ingredients: rock cement, natural sand, water, plantation timber pulp and a special Scyon technology additive. This composition ensures the boards do not shrink, swell or crack. What’s more they are resistant to fire and damage from moisture and are easy to cut.

“The client likes the look of the Scyon Linea Weatherboard and sees it as a durable product, which is of paramount importance,” Garth says. “It is also simple to handle with a beveled-back profile that sits flush to the stud, and can be painted dark as well as light colours.”

The Scyon range is more than just Linea Weatherboard, however. It comprises two other types of cladding, Scyon^® Stria^® Cladding and Scyon^® Axon^® Panel, and complementary Scyon^® Axent^™ Trim and Fascia and flooring options in Scyon^® Secura^™ Flooring, the latter of which can also be found in this new home.

“The building code has changed dramatically in last ten years and James Hardie has been proactive with the level of detailing of its products,” the designer says.

This includes the boards being available in three widths to provide crisp shadow lines. It has a product warranty of 25 years, when installed and maintained as per technical specification.

“Weatherboards have come back into fashion and are being seen in both modern and traditional homes,” Garth says. “People like the old-fashioned weatherboard but want a quality product that’s easy to care for, and Scyon^® Linea^® Weatherboard is durable and suits a range of architectural styles.”