Despite the need for standardisation to keep construction costs down, state houses were built so that each house looked different to its immediate neighbours. Along with variations in basic floor plan, the position of porches and windows, and roof pitch, one of the major methods of achieving the appearance of variety was the use of different types of cladding.

State houses of the 1940s and 1950s were most often clad in bevel-backed weatherboard, brick veneer, or asbestos-cement sheets and shingles.

Most private houses were clad in weatherboard or brick veneer, which was seen as better quality than asbestos-cement. Stucco was also used. During the 1960s, some private houses featured brick veneer on the lower part of the wall and stucco on the upper. In the south of the South Island, brick full-height walls were erected with the top portion of the wall plastered.

Among architect-designed homes, a wider range of claddings was used, especially in the 1960s. This included plywood, timber board and batten, vertical weatherboards such as shiplap, and stone (Hinuera).

Some architect-designed homes featured black creosoted weatherboards with white-painted trims.

Bevel-backed weatherboards

Timber, dimension and other details for bevel-backed weatherboards. Read more.

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Asbestos-cement cladding

Asbestos-cement cladding was popular due to its ease of installation and low cost. Read more.

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Brick veneer

Ties, ventilation, foundations and other details of brick veneer cladding. Read more.

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Stucco

Details of stucco cladding. Read more.