Hidden fix cladding is often chosen for its clean, uninterrupted appearance. Just as importantly, it improves buildability; helping installers work faster while maintaining consistent alignment.
At The Outdoor Deck Company, this approach is delivered through a system-led approach. At the heart of the system is a simple principle: aluminium rails fitted with factory-placed clips, paired with pre-grooved boards that are simply pushed into place. The clips come pre-mounted on the rails, setting a consistent 6mm gap between boards.
Let’s look at three applications where hidden fix cladding is commonly used and why.
Think feature walls in hotel lobbies, ceiling installations in restaurants or product display walls in retail environments. Because boards are fixed from behind, the finished surface remains uninterrupted, allowing the material and layout – whether installed horizontally or vertically – to define the cladding rather than the fixing method.
On façades, hidden fix cladding systems help maintain consistent lines and spacing across large surface areas and multiple storeys. Pre-set rail and clip layouts support accurate alignment over long runs, making the system well suited to elevations where cladding forms a key part of the building’s visual identity.
Hidden fix cladding is also well suited to secondary elements such as fences, boundary screens, garage doors and service enclosures. Using the same fixing approach across these components helps create visual continuity, allowing them to sit comfortably within the wider scheme rather than being seen as add-ons.
Hidden fix cladding can be installed up to 50% faster than traditional installs, so ideal for specification where time is tight or programme certainty matters. Once the rails are fixed in position, installing the chosen finish is simply a matter of pushing the pre-grooved boards onto the clips; helping contractors work efficiently without compromising accuracy or finish quality.
Our hidden fix cladding system can be used with a range of compatible boards, including Accoya (natural or grey), thermo-treated pine, thermo-treated ash and bamboo. All boards can be installed horizontally or vertically. For visual variation, Variclad allows the combination of three different board widths of bamboo on the same cladding rail.
Our hidden fix cladding system is designed for long-term performance. Once installed, the cladding resists up to 300kg of uplift, while still allowing individual boards to be removed and replaced without damage to surrounding boards. The aluminium rails are endlessly recyclable, while the clips are manufactured from 100% recycled and recyclable material.
Hidden fix cladding offers control at every stage; from alignment and finish through to installation speed and long-term performance. A system-led approach helps ensure fixings behave consistently across the façade, while still allowing individual boards to be replaced without disturbing the surrounding cladding.
A hidden fix approach will suit the majority of applications and our team can help advise on how best to integrate it into your design.