Which type of cladding to choose

Paul Richards from Taylor Maxwell talks through the selection process and suggest the relative strengths of various systems currently available to the market.

With an ever increasing range of cladding systems available to construction specifiers, making the right choice can be a daunting proposition.

We enlisted the help of Paul Richards, a Director at national cladding systems supplier, Taylor Maxwell, to talk through the selection process and suggest the relative strengths of various systems currently available to the market.

"The most important thing to remember, both on the part of the specifier and the cladding supplier, is the need to understand the client and local Planning Officer's aesthetic brief" explains Paul.

When all parties are agreed on the desired appearance the second stage is to understand the client's and contractor's requirements in relation to site practice and the unique demands of the site itself.

"Having decided on whether the appearance is to be traditional or contemporary, the site conditions will be the next determining factor on the choice of facade".

"Factors to take into account here can include site location, access and storage, and the new building's foundation requirements".

"And for many, the build-programme will have a major effect on the method of construction." The first system Paul explained was Permafast, a lightweight, high strength factory build system with over 400 clay and concrete masonry wall finishes".

""For any development with scaffold restrictions, Permafast would be an ideal choice given the fact it is delivered in panel sizes covering up to 20m2, complete with lifting eyes to allow each panel to be installed directly on to the structure from the delivery vehicle".

"This not only eliminates handling but also the need for site storage space - even the detailing and openings arrive in place".

Permafast is most effective when used on large-scale buildings such as for the commercial, retail or industrial sector, rather than domestic housing and it is installed on to steel or concrete framed buildings".

"Using Permafast takes brickwork off the critical path" explains Paul.

"As a result the speed of erection of Permafast can be up to fifteen times quicker than traditional methods".

"The system complies with the government-supported principles of Constructing Excellence and cuts out almost all of the labour and preliminary costs associated with more traditional methods of construction".

"It becomes more cost effective at height and would be the perfect choice for those who require a high quality masonry finish built using a more predictable, controlled and effective method than that which we have been used to".

For smaller building projects that perhaps wouldn't benefit from the economies of scale of Permafast, Paul suggests consideration be placed on a system that is more a "halfway house" between traditional materials and the Permafast panels".

"There are systems that work out more cost effectively on smaller projects, refurbishments, and those that require traditional brick effect finishes".

"Again choosing the right system will depend on the conditions of the site in question." One such system on the market in the UK is the Gebrik Insulating Brick Cladding system, invented and produced in Belgium.

It has been used throughout Europe for over 20 years, to clad in excess of 40,000 different buildings".

"The benefit of a system like Gebrik again lies in the speed of build which will be significantly quicker than traditional methods".

"It has a third of the storage requirements of traditional materials and, being manufactured off site, it also fits the criteria for Modern Methods of Construction, which can mean the project obtaining Government funding grants".

Though the Gebrik system has conventionally been used on traditional clay and concrete masonry substrates it has more recently been applied to stick-build timber and steel frames".

"But Gebrik really comes into its own when applied to SIPs or volumetric pod systems," explains Paul, "where a traditional brick appearance is required but one that must be lightweight and mechanically fixed in a panellised form".

"Gebrik provides a natural brick finish with improved insulation whilst providing an impervious and breathable layer to the most extreme of UK weather conditions".

"To date, we have found Gebrik to be ideal for refurbishment where existing buildings require a robust and traditional appearance such as brick but without the problems associated with foundations, site mess and speed of build".

"However as the drive towards the use of off-site methods of construction gathers pace, Gebrik provides a perfect solution where there is a need for a traditional appearance but in a lightweight panellised form".

"Gebrik also interfaces with render panels better than other systems so it blends well with other over-cladding materials" .

Gebrik is available in a wide range of traditional brick finishes, in both stack and stretcher bond and can be used with additional insulation boards to significantly improve the thermal performance of a building.

As all panels, external corners and reveals are produced off-site, the appearance is far more predictable and consistent than traditional wet trades.

Perhaps where cladding is most noticeable is on the large scale facades of industrial and commercial buildings".

"On a large scale the correct choice of cladding system can make an immense impact on the building and the surrounding area" says Paul.

"Many architects desire the aesthetics of clean modular lines or a monolithic appearance given that the large facade area will be a dominating proposition".

When you combine this aesthetic desire with the need for buildings to remain condensation free, ventilated rainscreens are a perfect method of ensuring a building remains attractive and functional so we asked Paul what options are available".

"Terracotta tile rainscreen systems such as the German produced ArGeTon system were developed over 20 years ago as an innovative concept using the best quality clay and a unique firing process to create a product of superior strength, impact resistance and lower porosity than similar types of system".

"The low porosity of the tile enhances the resistance of the facade to airborne pollution and organic growth and the system has been developed to ensure tiles can be fixed to an aluminium support structure without the use of gaskets".

"The open joints allow the cavity to be ventilated and any damaged tiles can be removed and replaced without disturbance to the surrounding tiles".

Each tile of the ArGeTon system can be supplied measuring up to 500mm in length and 250mm in width, to accentuate its modular and symmetrical qualities and there are 14 different tile colours available to ensure that the finished facade remains sympathetic to the surrounding area.

Argeton can be used in refurbishment or new build projects and installed onto traditional substrates such as masonry or the variety of framed systems now being used throughout the UK.

It integrates well with aluminium curtain walling systems and it can also be incorporated in prefabricated panel construction techniques, with a number of installers holding leading expertise in this field.

"The benefit of this particular system", according to Paul Richards, "is the range of colours and sizes available coupled with low maintenance, high performance and simplicity of installation".

Having decided on the desired appearance of your cladding system and ensured its compatibility with the site conditions and time scale, the final consideration, according to Paul, is to ensure the installers are sufficiently experienced in the specific system you have chosen: "It is most important that having gained the technical advice from the supplier on which type of cladding is most suitable for your scheme, experienced contractors are chosen to install the product".

"This can increase speed of erection and also minimise costly alterations".

"A reputable cladding supplier will work in partnership with the materials manufacturer in training and recommending installers with a proven track record in working with your particular cladding system".

Paul Richards is a Director of Taylor Maxwell Cladding based in Bristol.

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