Recladding

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The practice of updating a building's exterior by installing new layers of covering materials for improved aesthetics and protection is widely utilized
2. The process of adding fresh exterior material to a structure to enhance its appearance and durability
3. Renewing the facade of a building by fitting new cladding for better weather resistance and visual appeal

Etymology: "Recladding" is simply the present participle and gerund of "reclad", a verb meaning to put new cladding on something. The construction is plain: the prefix "re-", meaning again or anew, attached to "clad", the past participle of "clothe" in the older sense of covering or dressing a surface. "Clad" has a long history in English, descending from the Old English "claðian", but this particular verb is a transparent formation, built by adding "re-" to an existing word. The meaning follows directly from those parts. Cladding is the outer layer fixed to a building's exterior, so to reclad is to strip or cover that outer layer again with a new one, often to improve weather resistance or appearance. Because the parts are so transparent, the word needs little explanation beyond the sense of its prefix and root.

Synonyms: recoating, refacing, refurbishing